New women’s health service launched in Central Queensland

Women needing this care are often busy parents who put their own health last on the priority list. Some travel three hours for an appointment but a new service in Central Queensland will help bridge the gap.

Women needing specialist care in the Bowen Basin are often busy parents who put their own health last on the priority list.

Some travel three hours for an appointment but new gynaecology specialist services in Central Queensland are expected to help bridge the gap.

Heart of Australia, in partnership with Anglo American, is launching a quarterly service in Central Queensland that will include a colposcope for colposcopy procedures.

Heart of Australia Founder and cardiologist Rolf Gomes said the organisation’s custom-built mobile health clinic HEART 1 would visit Middlemount quarterly and had been refurbished with specialist equipment to support the new service.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring this important service to this community,” Dr Gomes said.

“Women needing this care are often busy parents who put their own healthcare last on the priority list.

Heart of Australia's Dr Rolf Gomes, gynaecologist, Dr Caron Forde, and Anglo American’s Australian Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Impact, Victoria Somlyay launching a new regional women’s health services for Middlemount. Picture: Contributed

“We know that accessing specialist services, including gynaecology, can be challenging for women living in remote communities and that delaying these appointments can affect their health outcomes.”

The clinic provides improved accessibility to a full service of gynaecological care including new gynaecology consultations, infertility, contraception (including IUD), menstrual cycle problems, endometriosis consultations, cervical screening test assessments, menopause, pelvic floor incontinence and women’s health issues.

Anglo American’s Australian Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Impact, Victoria Somlyay, said the new service had been initiated to help address the gap in the availability of women’s health services in Central Queensland communities.

“As part of our work to support health services in the communities where we operate, we received feedback from women in our workforce and the community that they had major challenges in accessing specialist health services, with some women travelling three hours for an appointment,” Ms Somlyay said.

“Through our existing partnership with Heart of Australia, we wanted to take action to help address the critical need for accessible women’s health services in Central Queensland, and are pleased to play a role in supporting a new gynaecology service.

“Supporting thriving communities is a key pillar of our global Sustainable Mining Plan, and this new service will ensure the women of Isaac and Central Highlands are able to access specialist health care in the communities where they live and work”.

Heart of Australia delivers specialist medical services to Australians living in regional, rural and remote communities.

Since beginning operations in 2014, the organisation’s health specialists have seen more than 13,000 patients and potentially helped save 500+ lives.

Visit dates:

The Heart of Australia specialist medical clinic and Dr Caron Forde visit Middlemount on June 22-23 and return to the town quarterly.

Making appointments:

As Heart of Australia provides specialist medical services, patients will need a referral from their GP.

Once people have a referral from their GP, they can call Heart of Australia on 07 3162 5310 or email [e-mail] to make an appointment.