Planning health services for now and into the future

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Gulam Khandaker stands in an office with members of the CQ Health Public Health Unit, all smiling at the camera.
Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service Public Health Unit Director Professor Gulam Khandaker and team were happy to provide input into CQHHS’s Clinical Services Plan to improve health outcomes for Central Queenslanders.

Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service (CQHHS) has developed a Clinical Services Plan to improve access to high quality, safe care and ensure equitable health outcomes for all Central Queenslanders.

Chief Executive Ngaire Buchanan said the five-year plan focused on continuing working towards achieving CQHHS’s Destination 2030 vision to deliver great care for Central Queenslanders.

“Our plan uses contemporary models of healthcare and works in a networked approach to help overcome the distance barriers we face living in a regional area,” she said.

The plan was developed with comprehensive input from clinicians and clinical support staff, drawing on voices from our community following stakeholder engagement that was undertaken as part of our Local Area Needs Assessment.

Director of Public Health Professor Gulam Khandaker says the plan is an important resource, providing direction for health services.

“I was proud to be part of the process of developing this plan, along with our clinician colleagues in a collective approach, as we serve our community,” he said.

CQHHS delivers a broad range of public health services from 12 hospitals, multipurpose health services, outpatient clinics and aged care facilities, across a wide area from the coast to the bush.

A key strategy is to deliver care ‘closer to home’ to improve access and mitigate the travel burden for Central Queenslanders. The plan identifies gaps in local services and opportunities to enhance services, both locally, or through earlier transfer back to a local facility.

To meet the healthcare needs of Central Queensland now and into the future, the plan considers the care CQHHS provides, along with partnerships to ensure integrated, seamless, coordinated, culturally responsive, and specialist care for patients across the hospital setting, in the community, and at home.

CQHHS works closely with other health services and has a strong partnership with our ‘Country to Coast’ Primary Health Network to ensure a collaborative approach to identifying and addressing regional health needs and planning for seamless healthcare transitions.

CQHHS will continue working closely with provide care providers, non-government organisations, and private hospitals, Mater Private Hospital Rockhampton and Hillcrest Rockhampton Private Hospital, within Central Queensland.

Read more about our plan for the future in our Clinical Services Plan [PDF 8990.81 KB].