June 25, 2015
Darling Downs South West Queensland Medicare Local CEO Andrew Harvey has reflected on the achievements of the organisation in his last newsletter ahead of next week’s closure of the organisation.
“When I started working for the Darling Downs South West Queensland Medicare Local in 2012 I said our focus would be on ensuring that our Medicare Local was community and customer-focused and was tailored to the needs of people throughout the region,” he said.
“Looking back on the past three years it’s great we’ve been able to achieve these objectives.
“I’m grateful to the range of organisations and people we have worked with including the two Hospital and Health Services in our region, with GPs and their practice staff, Aboriginal Medical Services, our members, our contractors, health professionals, local government, community organisations and multitudes of other organisations and people, to achieve what we have over the last three years.
“In particular I would like to acknowledge the wonderful work done by all of the staff who have worked for this Medicare Local. We couldn’t have achieved everything we have without them.”
Mr Harvey said he wished the two new Primary Health Networks, which will be taking over the role of the DDSWQML, well for their future endeavours.
The DDSWQML is closing following a Federal Government decision to withdraw funding.
The Federal Government announced in its May Budget last year that the 61 Medicare Locals across Australia would be scrapped and replaced with Primary Health Networks from July 2015.
Then in October, the government announced the local boundaries for the PHNs would split the current DDSWQ region into two: Darling Downs and Western Moreton, and Western Queensland.
Earlier this year, the tender for the Darling Downs West Moreton PHN was awarded to the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network (Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service and GP Connections).
The tender for the Western Queensland PHN was awarded to the North West Hospital and Health Service.
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