BEATTIE GOVERNMENT TO APPOINT 100 NEW CHILD HEALTH WORKERS
Published Friday, 27 October, 2006 at 09:04 AM
Minister for Health
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
Around 100 new positions are being rolled out across the state as part of the Beattie Government’s $21 million injection into Indigenous child health care, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.
Mr Robertson officially opened the 14th Annual Queensland Child Health Conference at Roma.
He said the new positions, to be spread out over four years, were among a number of initiatives across Government to improve the health of children around the State.
“The first 19 positions, which include 12 Indigenous child health workers, have been filled in Brisbane, Mount Isa, Palm Island, Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Bayside, West Moreton and Logan,” Mr Robertson said.
“A further 17 positions have been allocated this financial year and another 70 will be allocated to Queensland Health or non-government organisations across the State in the following two years.
“Indigenous child health workers improve the ability a multi-disciplinary teams to provide comprehensive and culturally-respectful primary health care services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 18 years and under.
“They play a major role in health promotion, harm prevention, health risk reduction and early intervention activities.”
Mr Robertson said the positions were being created under the State Government’s $21 million Strategic Policy Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People’s Health.
“One of the most significant objectives of this policy is to expand the number of generalist Indigenous health workers in children and young people’s health,” he said.
“Another objective is to develop specialist roles and career structures for Indigenous maternal and child health workers.
“We are very serious about making a difference in the area of Indigenous health service delivery and this injection of funding is already making a difference on the ground.”
Mr Robertson said the government was delivering on its promise to increase the support of family programs through the ‘Best Start – Supporting Families in the Early Years’ initiative.
He said $11.48 million had been allocated for the next four years to expand parenting programs, such as Triple P and Family Partnerships, by making them more accessible to families across Queensland.
|
LOCATION |
POSITION |
POSITIONS FILLED 05/06 |
POSITIONS ALLOCATED 06/07 |
|
Brisbane |
Program Coordinator |
1 |
|
|
Brisbane |
Workforce Development Officer |
1 |
|
|
Mt Isa |
Indigenous Child Health Coordinator |
1 |
|
|
Mt Isa |
Indigenous Child Health Workers |
5 |
|
|
PalmIsland |
Indigenous Child Health Worker |
1 |
|
|
Cairns |
Clinical Director, Rheumatic Heart Disease |
1 |
|
|
Cape York |
Maternal Child Health Educator |
1 | |
|
Mt Isa |
Maternal Child Health Educator |
1 | |
|
Torres and N. Peninsula |
Indigenous Child Health Worker |
2 | |
|
Tablelands |
Indigenous Sexual and Reproductive Health Worker |
2 | |
|
SunshineCoast |
Indigenous Child Health Worker |
2 |
|
|
Bundaberg |
Indigenous Sexual and Reproductive Health Worker |
2 |
|
|
Royal Children’s |
Indigenous Child Health Workers |
2 | |
|
Royal Children’s |
Senior Ear Health Worker |
1 | |
|
Central West |
Indigenous Child Health Workers |
2 | |
|
Bundaberg |
Indigenous Sexual and Reproductive Health Worker |
1 | |
|
Toowoomba |
Indigenous Child Health Worker |
1 |
|
|
Bayside |
Indigenous Child Health Worker |
1 |
|
|
West Moreton |
Indigenous Child Health Worker |
1 |
|
|
Logan/Beaudesert |
Indigenous Sexual and Reproductive Health Worker |
2 |
|
|
Charleville |
Indigenous Child Health Worker |
1 | |
|
Southern Zone Hearing Health Team |
Indigenous Hearing Health Coordinator |
1 | |
|
Southern Zone Hearing Health Team |
Audiologist |
1 | |
|
Southern Zone Hearing Health Team |
Clinician |
2 |
27 October, 2006
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185 or 0409 069 056