Northern Queensland PHN

09/11/2025

🏥 Health and care services unite this week to keep northern Queensland prepared for this wet season ⛈

📢 Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) is hosting free Emergency Planning Workshops for GPs and aged care home providers across the region.

✅ A workshop will be held at Rydges Esplanade Resort, Cairns on Wednesday 12 November:
- Residential Aged Care Homes: 8am -12pm
- General Practices: 1pm-5pm

⛈ After last summer's devastating floods, these workshops are helping local disaster response teams strengthen their disaster readiness, share knowledge, and create stronger connections across health, aged care, and emergency services.

👉 Read more:
🔗https://nqphn.com.au/news/emergency-planning-workshops-help-northern-queensland-get-ready-for-the-upcoming-wet-season-after-devasting-floods/

09/11/2025

📣Have your say!

Receive a $50 or $20 Woolworths Gift Card for research participation

Researchers at James Cook University want to hear your experiences with the MyndKind Stepped Care System.

If you meet the following criteria we would love to have a confidential conversation with you about your experience:

(1) Live in northern Queensland and,
(2) You and/or your child are registered with MyndKind

➡Sign up here:
$50 Online Interview - https://tinyurl.com/JCU-NQPHN-50
$20 Online Questionnaire - https://tinyurl.com/JCU-NQPHN-20

* please note, you can only choose one but not both.

07/11/2025

🤝 NQPHN delivers resources to frontline leaders 🏥
➡️ Our Cairns Primary Care Engagement Team was proud to contribute to next month's Partnered Health Practice Managers Conference by preparing and supplying showbags stocked with resource information to help support and celebrate our practice managers.
➡️ Each bag was thoughtfully packed with practical resources, including operational toolkits, workforce education materials, and branded items to spark connection and conversation.
➡️ NQPHN aimed to highlight the support that is available and reinforce our commitment to practice manager's success and the incredible work they do every day.
📸 NQPHN Senior PCE Officer Cairns Linda Jowitt, Smithfield Central Doctors Practice Manager Carlie Reeves, Partnered Health Qld Area Manager Carolyn Ainscough, Family Medical Cairns Practice Manger Annette Gray, and NQPHN Senior PCE Officer Claire Lawless.

06/11/2025

🤝 Cairns collaboration turns ideas into action ✅
🔊 Every month, NQPHN's Cairns Primary Care Engagement Team brings together GP Liaison Officers from both public and private hospitals each month for a Community of Practice meeting - fostering collaboration, coordination, and shared learning.
➡️ The team most recently met with the GPLOs on 3 November in Cairns to discuss current priorities, provide updates on programs, and share recent learnings.
➡️ By connecting across different sectors, we help strengthen partnerships, align on priorities, and turn ideas into action.

📸 CHHHS GP Liaison Service's Hayley Geldenhuys, GPLO Cairns Private Hospital's Jacqui Flak, NQPHN Senior Primary Care Engagement Officer Cairns Claire Lawless, CHHHS GP Liaison Service Manager Oona Westrheim, and NQPHN Senior Primary Care Engagement Officer Cairns Linda Jowitt.

05/11/2025

🏥At NQPHN we're committed to boosting access to health and social services across Northern Queensland by supporting the addition of social workers into rural and regional areas.
👉 Ana Munoz joined the team at Clements Medical, Magnetic Island in 2024, and has since helped residents tackle barriers such as access to healthcare and transport, while also advocating and guiding them through available support systems and services.
👉 By helping embed social workers like Ms Munoz directly into GP clinics, we are ensuring that residents feel heard and supported across every facet of their healthcare.
🔗 Read more about JCU's Social Work in General Practice project here: https://nqphn.com.au/news/our-region-our-people-meet-ana/

📸 Clements Medical social worker Ana Munoz

05/11/2025

Over the past three days, we visited Mackay, Cairns, and Townsville for our final 2025 Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs, and Su***de Prevention provider forum.

Passionate NQPHN-commissioned service providers came together to strengthen connections, culture, and collaboration across the region.

Highlights included:
💬 Reflections on progress
👥 Workforce development
🤖 AI innovation insights
🌿 Joint Regional Wellbeing Plan discussions
🖤 Cultural Awareness Panel

Special thanks to Wakai Waian Healing, Ed Mosby, and the First Nations panel members for grounding the day in cultural safety and respect.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in building stronger, culturally safe care for our communities.

31/10/2025

🏥Health and care services unite to keep northern Queensland ready this wet season ⛈
📢Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) is hosting free Emergency Planning Workshops for GPs and aged care home providers across the region - including a session in Cairns next month.
✅A workshop will be held at Rydges Esplanade Resort, Cairns on Wednesday 12 November:
- Residential Aged Care Homes: 8.30am -12.30pm
- General Practices: 1-5pm
⛈ After last summer's devastating floods, these workshops are helping local disaster response teams strengthen their disaster readiness, share knowledge, and create stronger connections across health, aged care, and emergency services.
👉 Read more:
🔗https://nqphn.com.au/news/emergency-planning-workshops-help-northern-queensland-get-ready-for-the-upcoming-wet-season-after-devasting-floods/

Send a message to learn more

29/10/2025

Looking for a health career that comes with ocean views and a laid-back lifestyle?

Cannonvale offers just that - career opportunities in a close-knit community, surrounded by the beauty of the Whitsundays.

🌿 Supportive teams, great schools, and reef-side weekends? ✔️
☀️ Work-life balance that actually works? ✔️

Your dream job awaits you in northern Queensland.

➡️ Discover career opportunities in northern Queensland www.nqphn.com.au/healthjobs

Health Workforce Queensland Whitsunday Regional Council Barefoot Medicine Whitsundays

Want to live and work in paradise?Deciding what rural town is next for your health career? Cannonvale might just be for you.Discover a location where work-li...

29/10/2025

Townsville GPEx Education Dinner – Collaboration in Action ✅

Last night, NQPHN staff joined 35 local Townsville GPs and nurses for an engaging workshop on improving participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. The evening was packed with practical strategies, collaborative discussions, and quality improvement insights - all aimed at strengthening preventive care in our community.

A special highlight was connecting with Dr Saputra and Nurse Abbey from Health and Wellbeing Wulguru . Their commitment to preventive health and quality improvement aligns perfectly with our shared goal of better outcomes for Northern Queenslanders.

This event wasn’t just about learning - it was about building partnerships that make a real difference. We look forward to working closely with Health and Wellbeing Clinic on future initiatives that support screening, early detection, and integrated care.

📸Dr Saputra, Nurse Abbey, and Patricia Taylor

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this event a success!

29/10/2025

We’re on the road again! 🚗🌿

Yesterday we launched the Joint Regional Wellbeing Plan 2025–28 in Cooktown, continuing our journey to strengthen mental health, alcohol and other drug (AOD), and su***de prevention services across northern Queensland.

The Torres and Cape region plan priorities are:
✅ Integration between and within the mental health, AOD, and su***de prevention sectors
✅ Prevention and early intervention
✅ Empowered communities leading coordinated service delivery

Following the launch, we held a local consultation session to explore Cooktown’s unique priorities - thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the conversation.

📍 Over the next few weeks, our team will be visiting towns and communities across the Cape and Torres Strait Islands to continue these important conversations. We’re looking forward to connecting with you and hearing what matters most in your region.

📖 Learn more: https://nqphn.com.au/about-us/reports-and-plans/joint-regional-wellbeing-plan-northern-queensland/

28/10/2025

☀🥵 Take care during a heatwave

We all need to be careful during a heatwave.

When it’s very hot, your body tries to cool down by sweating.

Sometimes sweating isn't enough to cool you down.

This can make you feel sick, with symptoms like feeling dizzy, having a headache, feeling nauseous, wanting to drink water, or even vomiting.

Heat-related illness can be dangerous, and in some cases, deadly.

Here’s how to keep you and your family safe:
💧 drink water often (between 6-8 glasses each day)
📱 check in on loved ones regularly (especially older adults and pregnant women)
🏃‍♂️ avoid heavy exercise during the hottest parts of the day
🌬 keep cool in air conditioning if available or find a shaded or cool spot to rest.
😎be sun safe by wearing a hat and sunglasses, keeping out of the sun between 10am and 2pm, wearing long sleeve and light clothing, and applying sunscreen every two hours.

If you, or someone you know, start feeling unwell due to the heat:
🔸 Get medical advice by calling 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or visit your doctor.
🔸 In emergencies, don’t wait, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

For tips on staying safe in the heat, visit www.health.qld.gov.au/heatsafe

24/10/2025

*IMPORTANT UPDATE: Out of respect for the Australian South Sea Islander community during this sad time following the loss of an important community member and leader, the meeting scheduled for Sunday has been postponed. A new date will be advised as soon as possible.

📣 Have your say: Australian South Sea Islander (ASSI) Health Access Project 🌸

Australian South Sea Islander community members living in Mackay are invited to join Northern Queensland Primary Health Network for an information session with light refreshments, aimed at helping shape the Australian South Sea Islander (ASSI) Health Access Project.

📅 Sunday 2 November 2025
🕝 1pm – 2.30pm
📍Australian South Sea Island Hut, Nebo Rd, Mackay

✨ This is an exciting opportunity for Australian South Sea Islander community members in Mackay to collaborate on and shape the ASSI Health Access Project.

👉🏾 Learn more at https://nqphn.com.au/events/australian-south-sea-islander-health-access-community-information-session/