New JCU allied health care and training facility approved for Emerald

A new healthcare facility and educational centre has been given the green light in a bid to provide “much needed” health services to rural areas in Central Queensland.

A new James Cook University health training facility has been proposed to be built at Emerald.

The future of Central Queensland’s healthcare industry has been given positive injection, with a new training facility given the green light.

A material change of use application was lodged with Central Highlands Regional Council in June for a new health care service and educational establishment at Emerald.

The facility will be built next to the current Emerald GP Super Clinic on the corner of Pilot Farm Rd and the Gregory Highway.

According to the approval document, the facility would provide “much needed” health care services and educational facilities for healthcare professionals to the region.

“The proposal has been designed to complement the existing low-rise built form of the area and integrate with the existing operations of the GP Super Clinic,” the document states.

The facility will be built in two stages and will cater for the educational training of James Cook University allied health students.

A new James Cook University health training facility has been approved to be built at Emerald.

JCU Central Queensland Centre for Rural and Remote Health (CQCRRH) operations manager Sarah Davis told this publication in July the facility would help attract, build and retain a “high-quality” workforce across the region.

She said Emerald was chosen for the facility because Central Queensland was identified as a region not covered by the current University Departments of Rural Health (UDRHs) at Mount Isa and Toowoomba.

“Increasing the number of rural and remote origin health and medical students will enhance the provision of effective health and medical services to rural and remote communities,” she said.

“Centres like these are critical in supporting sustainable medical and allied health services across rural and remote communities.”

Stage one of the development, a training facility, would cater for the training of allied health students, primarily in patient care and nursing.

With stage two consisting of an Allied Health Centre with consultation offices and training rooms.

A portion of the training facility will be dedicated to JCU professional staff with offices, meeting rooms and an open office space.

According to the planning document, the facility will accommodate a maximum of 30 students and will have a small resource and library area.

It will also include a two-bed clinical teaching space to create a typical hospital-patient care room with an associated utilities room and nursing area, to train students in practical skills.