Magnetic Island Health Working Group
Objectives
The group will work to help implement the Magnetic Island Yunbenun Health Service Strategy 2023 - 2033 (the Plan) with a focus of that Plan achieving the objectives set out below.
The Plan will be reviewed by the working group from time to time to ensure it continues to meet the needs of Magnetic Island residents, and advocate for changes to the Plan to be incorporated in any future health initiatives, or provision of services to the Island:
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Improving the health equity of residents living on Magnetic Island
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Supporting access to a sustainable health services
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Securing locally determined health services that better meets the health needs of the residents
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Providing access to allied health services - preventative health service which are suitable and readily accessible to Island residents
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Working to ensure that such services are, as much as possible, provided to Islanders on the island or by remote services if necessary, to reduce the need for travel to and from the mainland
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Ensuring that such services are affordable, accessible and delivered in a holistic manner, suitable to all Islanders
All members of the Magnetic Island community are welcome to be part of this Working Group. The Group holds monthly meetings on the island, with a Zoom link for those who cannot attend in person.
If you would like to come to a meeting, please contact the Group Coordinator, (as detailed at the top of this page).
More information
How the Consumer Advisory Network (CAN) and this Working Group originated and how they work
In 2018 a Health Working Group was established in response to concerns raised by MICDA members regarding staffing and resource issues at the Magnetic Island Emergency Clinic, the private GP service and the general (at the time) shortage of doctors on the Island; and on-island servicing of palliative care health needs.
This Working Group initiated information requests and submissions to Queensland Health and participated in various community forums on these topics during 2019 and 2020.
In particular, the MICDA Health Working Group initiated discussions with representatives of Queensland Health (Townsville Hospital), state and federal members, and in forums open to the wider Magnetic Island community. As a result of the combined lobbying efforts by MICDA and others in the community, a series of community consultation sessions were conducted by Queensland Health and the primary health care network.
The Townsville Hospital Health Service Board Chairperson offered to establish a Magnetic Island CAN (Consumer Advisory Network) within the current THHS’ governance structure. This was a major win!
The THHS had previously considered that, as Magnetic Island is a suburb of Townsville, its needs were adequately represented by the Townsville CAN. Agreement to establish a Magnetic Island CAN recognized that the Island has health service needs that are unique and different to those within the mainland Townsville community.
In 2021, THHS invited the Magnetic Island community to express interest in being members of this new CAN. Members were appointed and the CAN was established. Being an official THHS CAN means that the Island community now has a voice in the current and future development of THHS service delivery.
While the Magnetic Island CAN includes some MICDA members, they contribute to the CAN as individuals and not as MICDA representatives. A joint funded state and federal project to develop a Magnetic Island Health Services Plan was instigated and has now been completed.
The Magnetic Island Yunbenun Health Service Strategy 2023 - 2033 (the Plan) was handed down in July 2023, after Townsville Hospital and Health Services (THHS) worked with the Island community via THHS Community Advisory Committee and Board, and the local Magnetic Island CAN (detailed above), service providers and community associations.
The purpose of the Plan is to provide direction for the delivery of primary healthcare services on Magnetic Island over the next 10 years. The Plan will support the availability, accessibility, delivery, and quality of health services provided on the Island, ensuring services meet the current and future health needs of the community.
Why do we need the MICAN and the Magnetic Island Health Working Group ?
CAN’s role is to advise THSS about their delivery of acute services, and in case of the local CAN, the delivery of such services to Magnetic Island. Their role is therefore limited in scope. The CAN is only one key stakeholder of the bigger health picture for the Island. Individual community members can be appointed to be part of the CAN including representing community associations like MICDA or MIRRA.
The Magnetic Island Health Working Group (the WG) is interested in a broader Health Services Plan which also includes non-acute services.
This group collaborates with all key stakeholders and works with the CAN as one of those key stakeholders to pursue a broader health service agenda for the Island.
The Federal Government through its primary healthcare network and the private providers (medical and allied health), are key stakeholders that the WG works with as well. The WG can independently work with all key stakeholders in delivering an integrated health service plan for the Island without the constraints of the CAN’s terms of reference/code of conduct. That is, that the WG can advocate and lobby independently of government.
Significant documents