Queensland joins national doctor health network
Queensland has joined the new $2m national network of doctors’ health services, paving the way for Queensland doctors and medical students to access advisory, referral and advocacy services.
New funding arrangements have now been finalised between Doctors’ Health Services Pty Ltd (DrHS) and Queensland Doctors’ Health Program Pty Ltd (QDHP).
The AMA and the Medical Board of Australia welcomed the milestone, which brings Queensland into the national network with New South Wales, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
AMA President, Dr Michael Gannon, welcomed the funding arrangement as another important step toward ensuring that all doctors and medical students have access to high quality health care, no matter where they live and work.
“I know how important the work done by doctors’ health advisory services in my home State of Western Australia is, and it is great to see that soon doctors and medical students across the country will have a health service they can call on,” Dr Gannon said.
The Medical Board of Australia is funding DrHS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the AMA, to coordinate the delivery of doctors’ health services for doctors and medical students in all states and territories.
Medical Board Chair, Dr Joanna Flynn, welcomed the expansion of services to doctors and medical students in Queensland.
“The significant boost to funding for services in Queensland is good news for the roll-out of new arrangements for doctors’ health services nationwide,” Dr Flynn said. “The Board is pleased that the funding will increase the level of support being given to the profession in Queensland.”
DrHS Chair, Dr Janette Randall, said that for many years the Doctors’ Health Advisory Service Queensland had been providing a point of contact for doctors and medical students, as well as working on programs to promote doctor health.
Dr Randall said DHASQ’s new subsidiary organisation would be much better resourced and was now able to appoint a medical director to organise an expanded range of services to Queensland doctors and medical students.
DrHS is working to finalise arrangements for services in Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia, which will complete the national network of services.
20 June 2016
CONTACT: Kirsty Waterford 02 6270 5464 / 0427 209 753