Charleville set to become a hub for rural health training
Major rural health training facility announced for region
❝The new clinical training facility in Charleville will bring more health professionals to the area, improving local health care services now and into the future. — Bridget McKenzie
CHARLEVILLE will be a major rural health training centre and the permanent base of Southern Queensland Rural Health thanks to a
$2.5 million Liberal and Nationals Government investment for the University of Queensland to build a state-of-the-art health training facility in town.
The centre will generate local jobs during construction and once complete will bring students and more health professionals Charleville, which will give an immediate and ongoing boost to local health services and local economy.
Funding for the new training facility was announced last week during a visit to Charleville by Minister for Regional Development, Senator Bridget McKenzie, and Minister for Agriculture, David Littleproud.
This facility will support high quality clinical training of nurses, midwives and allied health students in south western Queensland.
It will include a clinical education simulation room, tutorial rooms, lecture rooms and consulting rooms.
Southern Queensland Rural Health is a collaboration between the University of Queensland, the University of Southern Queensland, Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service, and South-West Hospital and Health Service.
Minister McKenzie said increasing opportunities for training in rural areas was a key plank of the Government’s $550 million Stronger Rural Health Strategy, announced in the 2018 Budget.
“This is about attracting and retaining health students who intend to work in regional areas because we know that giving trainees experience of life in a rural community will make it more likely that they will continue to work here or in a similar location, after they qualify,” Minister McKenzie said.
“The new clinical training facility in Charleville will bring more health professionals to the area, improving local health care services now and into the future.
“It will ensure that Charleville becomes a key location for training of the emerging rural health workforce.”
Minister Littleproud said the new centre was good news for Charleville and the surrounding region.
“This is a very positive investment not only in the future heath workforce for rural and remote Queensland, but in Charleville itself,” Minister Littleproud said.
“A project of this size will bring economic and social benefits for the broader community as well as improving the viability and stability of local health services.”
The Liberal and Nationals Government is funding the project under its Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program. The project is also supported by the Murweh Shire Council as part of its long term objective of increasing capabilities within the region.
Southern Queensland Rural Health is one of three new university departments of rural health announced by the Government, to increase training opportunities for nursing and allied health students in rural areas.