Queensland Health to fund more clinician positions for Headspace Cairns
The Queensland government has committed to funding more positions for a key Far North mental health support service
Cairns
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Cairns Headspace has been named the busiest in the country but is among 25 Queensland centres to receive a share of $32.7m in funding.
The Queensland Government will recruit 50 mental health clinicians for Headspace centres across the state with Cairns receiving at least two.
Cairns MP Michael Healy said the Cairns Headspace centre was the “busiest in the country”.
“Last year the centre had over 6648 visitations, so this additional funding will continue to support young, vulnerable people and their families across Cairns,” Mr Healy said.
“This huge investment will guarantee that young people and families in Cairns have expert clinicians dedicated to their wellbeing.”
Headspace services provide access to multidisciplinary mental health treatment and care for 12 to 25-year-olds.
Health minister Shannon Fentiman said the government was committed to providing better mental health outcomes in the regions as well as metropolitan locations.
“We know that support for the mental health of Queenslanders is something that should be available every day, no matter where you live,” Ms Fentiman said.
“Our investments will ensure the 23 sites across Queensland have specialist clinicians to support the mental health and wellbeing of young Queenslanders.
“Recruitment is already under way to deliver more than 50 clinicians across the state.”
The announcement comes after Ms Fentiman confirmed last month the $70m Cairns Mental Health Unit would open mid-2024.
In the twelve months prior to September this year Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service received more than 10,500 referrals to its mental health, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs service and almost 12,000 contacts to its mental health hotline service.
The new mental health unit would contain 53 beds, including a ten-bed mental health intensive care unit.
Ms Fentiman said the new unit would enhance existing mental health treatment capacity at CHHHS.
“We know our regions are growing and we need to have the health infrastructure in place to meet current and future demand,” she said.
“The $70m Cairns Mental Health Unit is on track to be completed in mid-2024 and will go a long way toward enhancing the level of mental health services available in this region.
“The unit will ensure that residents in Cairns and the surrounding areas have access to the world-class mental health health care they need, when they need it.”
The mental health unit delivery is in addition to the $250m Cairns Hospital expansion project, which will create more than 610 construction jobs.
The expansion will add 64 new beds to the hospital and another 32 beds for a surgical centre.
Queensland Health is also funding a $24.5m upgrade to the Cairns emergency department, which the government said would by completed by “early 2024”.
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Originally published as Queensland Health to fund more clinician positions for Headspace Cairns
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