DDHHS Board chairman Mike Horan, Cherbourg Mayor Ken Bone, Cr Christine Stewart and DDHHS Board representative Terry Fleischfresser at the opening of new facilities at the Cherbourg Community Health Service in 2012

October 10, 2013

The local Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service (DDHHS) Board has been praised by Health Minister Lawrence Springborg for its performance against national benchmarks during its first year as an independent body.

Mr Springborg said the Board’s achievements included meeting national standards for emergency department and urgent/semi-urgent elective surgery waiting times at Toowoomba Hospital.

“Restarting general surgery at Kingaroy Hospital also meant around 100 patients didn’t have to travel to Toowoomba from the South Burnett last year,” Mr Springborg said.

“Kingaroy provided locals the services they required at home, with 96 elective surgery procedures performed and the number of renal dialysis places increased.”

Mr Springborg said the Board demonstrated its commitment to improving services where they were most needed.

“This commitment to better access and improved local services included the opening of new facilities at the Cherbourg Community Health Service,” he said.

“I congratulate the DDHHS Board and all staff for improving patient outcomes and I look forward to hearing of more successes.”

DDHHS highlights from 2012-13 included:

  • A $14.249 million community dividend to fund additional elective surgery, endoscopy and capital improvements to a number of hospitals
  • Achieved National Emergency Access (NEAT) targets within the Emergency Department at Toowoomba Hospital with 77.6 per cent for the six months to 30 June 2013 (target 77 per cent)
  • Target of having no Long Wait Category 1 surgery patients (surgery required within 30 days) achieved and maintained since March 2013, with no Long Wait Category 2 patients (requiring surgery within 90 days) achieved in June 2013
  • Endoscopy volume increased from 2249 to 2470 cases. A further 273 cases were outsourced as a result of the community dividend announced by the board
  • Yannanda Adolescent Mental Health Unit opened at Toowoomba Hospital – this dedicated ward with onsite schooling meant 222 admissions did not need to travel to Brisbane
  • Regional Cancer Centre at Toowoomba Hospital opened. This 24-bed unit was complemented with the expansion of the Oncology Day Therapy unit by four places