New health service chair flags funding for Cape York hospital ahead of Queensland budget

Locked-in funds to rebuild a Cape York hospital in next month’s state budget would prove a major boon as Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service seek to dramatically improve infrastructure across the region.

Improving facilities in remote and regional communities are a high priority for newly appointed Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service chair, Renee Williams. Picture: Brendan Radke

Locked-in funds to rebuild a Cape York hospital in next month’s state budget would prove a major boon as Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service seek to dramatically improve infrastructure across the region.

The Cooktown Multipurpose Health Centre was established as a temporary service more than 30 years ago with community leaders now calling for a nine-figure redevelopment of the desperately rundown service.

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui gave the strongest indication yet that a redevelopment may feature in June’s budget after Opposition Leader, David Crisafulli backed the project during a visit to the Far North earlier this month.

TCHHS’ newly appointed chair Renee Williams, who visited the facility for the first time last week, said the trip highlighted the need to see the project urgently advanced.

“It hammered home to me that this is a major advocacy point for us,” Ms Williams said. “We need to make sure we get that funded as one of our major infrastructure builds.

“To see a new permanent hospital is really important for the region. We know it’s a growing area … and it would be well worth the investment.

“I’d like to see this government committed to building it. We’ve heard the Opposition Leader commit to it, so we’d like to see it in the budget now.”

Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman visited Cairns to announce the resumption of birthing and maternity services at Weipa Hospital. Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service Chairwoman `Renee Williams spoke with the Minister during her visit. Picture: Brendan Radke

In addition to major upgrades to healthcare services, Ms Williams said delivering more culturally appropriate care, increased staff retention and workforce development were also key priorities.

“Each community is very different,” she said.

“So the type of service you access in Aurukun will be different to what you see in Thursday Island. It’s ‘How do we make sure we’re hearing and understanding people?’ and what does that look like?”

With staff shortages being experienced in health sectors across the globe, TCHHS needed to think strategically about how to best bolster its workforce.

“The team is being very forward thinking about how we start to grow and what does that look like,” Ms Williams said.

“There are some things we’ve been looking at in terms of how we do traineeships and cadetships within the TCHHS so that we can grow our workforce.”

“We’re at 21 percent First Nations workers across the whole of the health service at the moment. We would like to see it increase, however, we need to attract and retain people too.”

The first part of a critical report into the healthcare of First Nations peoples living in remote Far North communities is expected to be released by investigators later this month.

Led by Professor Cindy Shannon, the report will provide a sweeping review of the administration, management and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by TCHHS and assess the cultural appropriateness of care in the region.

Ms Williams said she was committed to improving care for Indigenous patients.

“For me that’s … any new staff undertaking cultural awareness training and to be aware of the differences and changes that are occurring,” she said.

“There are a lot of things, even as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person, that I’ve learned in my time across the region. You have to be open and willing to learn.”

Originally published as New health service chair flags funding for Cape York hospital ahead of Queensland budget