Federal Member for Flynn, Colin Boyce hosted general practitioners, health professionals and local community advocates for a regional health roundtable in Gladstone this week.
Topics of discussion included challenges of recruiting and retaining staff, lack of GPs in regional Australia’s underserviced areas, development of local health training opportunities and policy initiatives to improve regional health outcomes.
Mr Boyce said that it was an important opportunity for local professionals to discuss regional health challenges as well as practical solutions and initiatives that can be implemented by State and Federal Governments.
“Regional Queensland has felt the brunt of subpar health services for far too long,” Mr Boyce said.
“From maternity bypasses to lack of GPs and specialists, regional health has complex issues that needs to be addressed.
“After countless meetings, community forums, media events, ministerial representations, and speeches in Parliament, the Gladstone Hospital Maternity Ward bypass ended in 2023 after an almost yearlong bypass.
“Currently, we have the Biloela Hospital Maternity Ward that has been on bypass for well over a year.
“We have the significant challenges of general practitioners exiting regional Australia and moving to metropolitan areas leaving local communities waiting weeks to see a doctor or without a doctor entirely.
“As the Federal Member for Flynn, I will continue to advocate for better regional health services and make sure that our local communities are strongly represented.”
