May 30, 2023
Raffles and other fundraising activities have paid off for the members of the Murgon Hospital Auxiliary who have managed to collect an amazing $34,000 to assist the facility.
The money has been used to order a motorised retrieval trolley, which will assist staff who are transferring patients from the hospital to a waiting helicopter.
At the moment, staff and paramedics have to push a hospital trolley across the road to the helipad.
This new piece of equipment, which is currently being built in NSW, will make their job much easier.
Darling Downs Health Board chair Mike Horan praised Auxiliary president Muriel Schultz and her committee during a Board visit to Murgon Hospital on Tuesday.
He said the group was currently working to fund about six different things for the hospital.
Mr Horan also praised the Murgon Hospital staff for their enthusiasm and commitment to the Murgon community.
“They’re working so hard on trying to address the Australian problem of getting doctors and nurses to rural areas,” Mr Horan said.
“It’s huge problem, but they’re working very, very hard to build up those services.”
The Board members inspected upgrades at Murgon Hospital, including the new Community Health building which was opened last year after former staff quarters were completely refurbished.
“It’s just a wonderful facility. To see that old building, the way it has been restructured, the ramps system and the rooms inside … it’s terrific for our staff and terrific for the people that they serve,” Mr Horan said.
“I would like to acknowledge the Pearen family for their magnificent donation that they provided to do so much of that work.”
The upgrades have enabled the building to become a local hub for services like allied health and other visiting medical professionals, as well as providing community health services including child health and the Community Hospital Interface Program (CHIP) nurse.
Every second month the Board meets in a rural facility to meet and hear from staff and local residents.
Murgon community members were invited to enjoy lunch with the Board members.
The get-together followed a visit by Board members to Cherbourg on Monday to meet health staff and councillors.
Mr Horan said there were also some good things happening in Cherbourg, including refurbishment of the hospital’s emergency department waiting area to make it more family-friendly.
“And we’re working on providing a five-day outpatients’ service which will require the recruitment of an additional doctor, which will take some of the pressure off,” he said.
- Related article: Huge Gift Transforms Health Building
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