TCHHS executive director Allied Health Amanda Wilson said hearing health program funding boost will help close the gap
A program targeting hearing problems in 13 remote locations across the Far North has received a major boost in funding after helping 1300 patients in one year.
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A groundbreaking program targeting hearing problems in 13 remote locations across the Far North has received $1.6m in state government funding after helping 1300 patients in one year.
The Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service Integrated Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
program, which operates across Cape York, the Northern Peninsula Area and the Torres Strait, ran as a pilot project in 2021.
It has grown exponentially since with the number of patients almost doubling within just 12 months.
The ENT team saw more than 1300 patients during 2022, up from the 861 seen in 2021.
TCHHS executive director Allied Health Amanda Wilson said the program was so successful other Queensland health services are now considering replicating it.
She said the additional funding would allow the formation of a second team, including a second specialist ENT doctor who was due to start later this year.
“This will allow us to further increase our footprint, particularly in the Torres Strait outer islands,” she said.
“This program is at the cornerstone of health equity – allowing our people living in remote
communities direct access to important health services to improve their quality of life.”
Senior audiologist Kristen Tregenza said she believed the project’s huge success was due to
the culturally appropriate service they were providing, with patients now seeking them out.
“It is well documented that remoteness, lower socio-economic living and all the things that come with that – access to nutritious foods, housing conditions, exposure to passive cigarette smoke – significantly increase the number of ear infections, severity and recovery time,” she said.
“It is all preventable.”
The team treat children and adults, predominantly for hearing issues, but also with other ear,
nose and throat conditions.
Ms Tregenza said family education and awareness had significantly improved in the 17 years
she had been working in the region, but more needed to be done.
“I think the exponential growth we are experiencing right now is because the service is meeting a real need,” she said.
“We are working very hard to provide culturally appropriate services and I think part of that
success can be measured as people want to access this service.”
Prior to the ENT program, patients requiring treatment had to travel from community to larger centres such as Cairns to access a doctor or specialist.
The ENT program team travels directly to community with only a specialist surgeon flown in if surgery is required.
A small numbers of patients with more complex conditions may still need to travel for treatment.
The additional funding, $1.6m over 18 months, comes ahead of National Close the Gap Day on March 16.
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Originally published as TCHHS executive director Allied Health Amanda Wilson said hearing health program funding boost will help close the gap
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