Mobile medical service receives $12 million federal funding boost
Heart of Australia, the medical service in regional Queensland powered by prime movers, will receive $12 million in federal funding to support its two mobile specialist clinics and provide a third service that will service northern Queensland and Cape York.
Funding will be provided over three years from July 1 to increase its reach and scope, bringing the total number of communities serviced across Queensland from 16 to 25.
It is expected to improve a range of outreach health services in north-east Queensland, including cardiology, endocrinology, sleep medicine, psychiatry, geriatric medicine, immunology, general medicine, neurology, gastroenterology and gynaecology.
“Australians living in rural and remote locations often don’t have access to the health services and professional care found in our major cities,” federal health minister Greg Hunt says.
“The mobile specialist clinics aim to deliver around 930 clinic days a year, see up to 18,000 patients and will give 24 specialist education sessions a year.
“When the three mobile specialist clinics are operating, they will service 25 communities each month across Queensland.”
Last year, Heart of Australia took delivery of a new Kenworth K200. Read more, here
Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) takes to social media to support the announcement and the work of Heart of Australia founder Rolf Gomes.
“A hearty congratulations to Dr Rolf Gomes and the team at Heart of Australia with the announcement of $12 million in federal funding to help protect and expand the amazing services the ‘Heart’ trucks provide to regional and rural Queensland families needing specialist medical treatment,” QTA says.
“This grant (along with the continued generosity of industry sponsorship) will no doubt make a huge difference to the number of towns the mobile clinics can visit and the hundreds of lives that will be saved in the process.”
Current services delivered in the areas of Dalby, Goondiwindi, Stanthorpe, St George, Charleville, Quilpie, Roma, Cloncurry Emerald, Barcaldine, Blackall, Longreach, Winton, Hughenden, Charters Towers and Moranbah will be secured and expanded to nine new locations including Richmond, Weipa, Cooktown, Sarina, Palm Island, Biloela, Childers, Proserpine and Ayr.