The State Government will place a senior clinician in the Darling Downs and District Health Service to help support the mental health of farmers struggling with drought.
The clinician is one of nine which the government plans to locate throughout Queensland.
“More than 80 per cent of Queensland is currently in drought and the Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting that there will be little respite this summer,” Health Minister Cameron Dick said.
He said 40 per cent of men who died by suicide in rural areas had contact with a health professional prior to their death.
Places such as hospitals, primary healthcare services and specialist healthcare services were well placed to intervene with people at risk of suicide, he said.
“The main purpose of this package is to identify people at risk of suicide and work with community organisations to address these issues,” Mr Dick said.
Mr Dick said senior clinicians would also be placed in the Central West, Central Queensland, Wide Bay, South West, Cairns and Hinterland, Townsville, Mackay and North West Hospital and Health Services.
“The key role of these clinicians will be to provide an integrated model of care across the health system for people with mental health issues, particularly those at risk of suicide,” he said.
