02
Dec 2024
Bayside Health to Serve 1.1 Million Victorians
Published in News on December 02, 2024
Peninsula Health Chief Executive Helen Cooper emphasized that the upcoming merger of Alfred Health, Peninsula Health, and Kooweerup Regional Health, set to take effect on 1 January 2026, is a significant step towards enhancing health outcomes for the local community.
“The complementary strengths of the three health services will enable us to provide a full spectrum of care for the 1.1 million people we will serve,” Ms. Cooper said.
While the final name for the new health service will be decided during the establishment phase, this merger is just the beginning. Once fully integrated, Bayside Health will offer "one door" access to a comprehensive range of services supported by a dedicated team of healthcare workers and professionals. The new network will also create opportunities for expanded community involvement in clinical trials and health research.
“Access to specialist care will become easier and more seamless under Bayside Health,” Ms. Cooper added. “The community will experience a more connected healthcare system, with continued top-tier care provided close to home.”
Alfred Health Chief Executive Adam Horsburgh noted that the new network will build on existing collaborative efforts across all three organizations, representing a natural progression in their community-focused work.
“We already share patient pathways with Peninsula Health in services such as surgery, neurology, and cardiology,” Mr. Horsburgh explained. “This positive change will harness the power of partnership, continuing our tradition of collaboration and unlocking new opportunities to enhance care.”
The new health service will span from Melbourne’s south through Bayside, the Peninsula, and into Gippsland.
The first step in the merger process will see Peninsula Health and Kooweerup Regional Health Service working closely together in the coming months to merge their services.
Kooweerup Regional Health Chief Executive Aileen Thoms highlighted the potential benefits for the local community.
“Our patients will gain easier access to specialist care and clinical trials close to home, improving health outcomes. We look forward to keeping the community informed throughout this process,” Ms. Thoms said.
Throughout this transition, the health services will prioritize input from staff, patients, and the wider community.
The board of the three organizations approved the merger in early December, believing that they will deliver safer, more accessible, and more connected healthcare for the expanded community.
This change aligns with the recently released Health Services Plan.
![A Medicare bulk-billed urgent care clinic, established by the federal government to help reduce emergency department pressures, has unexpectedly closed in Bundaberg, Queensland, less than a year after opening. Located 400 kilometres north of Brisbane, this clinic was one of 75 launched across Australia since June 2023 to redirect non-life-threatening cases away from hospitals, allow emergency departments to focus on the most critical cases.
Since its opening in November last year, the Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) has provided care to hundreds of patients. However, it unexpectedly closed its doors on October 22, with plans to reopen a week later. A sign now indicates that it is "closed until further notice." This makes the Bundaberg UCC the only one of its kind in Australia to shut down.
Patient Sue Hackett expressed her surprise upon arriving at the clinic on Tuesday when she found it closed. “I looked on the website, and it actually showed it was open... I've come here assuming they're open,” Ms. Hackett said.
Julie Sturgess, chief executive of the region's public health network Country to Coast, told the ABC that she could not provide specific details regarding the reasons behind the abrupt closure of the Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic. “There are ongoing negotiations with the provider of that service,” Ms. Sturgess stated.
In response to the closure, a free phone service called Connect2Care has been established, allowing callers to speak with a registered nurse for their urgent care needs. “If further care is required, such as seeing a GP, we can organize an appointment either with your regular GP or a phone or video consultation with an online GP through that service,” Ms. Sturgess explained.
Additionally, some GP practices in Bundaberg are extending their hours to accommodate extra appointments. The Bundaberg UCC was operated by the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre (IWC), a non-profit Aboriginal-controlled health organization that serves the entire community. The IWC has declined to comment on the closure.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler informed the ABC that services at the Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic are expected to resume shortly.
The Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ) has expressed ongoing concerns regarding the viability of the federal government's urgent care clinic program. AMAQ President Nick Yim emphasized that these clinics often duplicate services already provided by GP clinics. “We believe the federal funding for these clinics would be better invested in existing general practices around the state,” Dr. Yim stated.
Sue Hackett shared that she was able to secure a same-day appointment at a GP clinic, but it would come at a cost. “I just want to go to a place where I can get sorted with my medical condition, plus I don’t have to pay,” she expressed, highlighting the challenges many face in accessing affordable healthcare.
Tim Spargo, the owner of the pharmacy located next to the Urgent Care Clinic, emphasized the critical role the clinic has played in the community. He noted that when travellers forgot their chronic condition medications or prescriptions, he could direct them to the UCC for assistance. “In the 11 months that it's been open, it has really served a vital purpose … it has taken that pressure off [emergency departments],” Mr. Spargo stated, expressing the urgent need for such services in the area.
"What's clear is that federal Labor is unable to deliver on their commitments, and the people of Bundaberg and the surrounding district, who desperately need additional services, have been let down," he said. "No matter who you talk to, whether it's the GPs themselves or others, they are just overrun with work, and what should be a godsend is now closed."
In response, Mr Butler reiterated that patients can still receive assistance through the phone line, which will "help ensure the Bundaberg community's urgent care needs continue to be met."
Meanwhile, newly elected Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has pledged an additional half a billion dollars to reduce ramping across the state to below 30 per cent over the next four years. Queensland Health data from April to June this year indicates that 44.7 per cent of patients were not transferred off ambulance stretchers within 30 minutes. This issue is particularly pressing for Bundaberg Hospital, which has been struggling with high demand and limited resources. Crisafulli also promised to recruit 34,200 additional health workers by 2032.](https://c3eeedc15c0611d84c18-6d9497f165d09befa49b878e755ba3c4.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/photos/blogs/article-832-1730723697.jpg "Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic Closes Abruptly, Leaving Patients in Uncertainty")
