April 9, 2013
Darling Downs South West Queensland (DDSWQ) Medicare Local celebrated its first birthday last week.
The organisation, which is headquartered in Toowoomba, operates a South Burnett branch in Kingaroy as well as three other branches in Charleville, Goondiwindi and Roma.
Its mission is to provide support services to primary health care programs and professionals across the Darling Downs and South West Queensland region.
It is part of a network of 61 Medicare Locals established by the Federal Government to oordinate health care delivery, tackle local health needs and fill identified service delivery gaps.
DDSWQ Medicare Local Chairman Dr Graham Baker said that establishing a primary health care system in Australia for the first time was an investment that was making an enormous difference to communities across the region.
“It’s an incredibly important responsibility that we do this well, as our investment in primary health care allows us to put people and patients at the centre of our business and help our friends in the community,’ he said.
“DDSWQ Medicare Local’s aim is to work closely with our two hospital and health service districts, as well as GPs and other health service providers in order to keep people in our local communities well and out of hospital.
“If we succeed in achieving this goal, then we will have served our country well.”
DDSWQ Medicare Local Chief Executive Officer Andrew Harvey said he was proud to see how Medicare Local had grown in the last year.
“We have expnded from five to 50 staff across seven offices and built strong working relationships with the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service, local governments and other health service groups that are making a real difference to the communities we serve,’ Andrew said.
“Primary health care is made up of many thousands of people, and DDSWQ Medicare Local’s role is to help strengthen that service.’
Mr Harvey listed equitable access to after hours health services, better access to patient transport, and improving the life expectancy and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as three of the key areas DDSWQ Medicare Local would be focusing on in the coming year.
[Photo: DDSWQ Medicare Local]
