University Of Queensland To Provide Ipswich Healthcare Boost With $2.5m Super Clinic, Australia

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 02 Jul 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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The University of Queensland will establish a $2.5million GP Super Clinic at Ipswich that will focus on key local health issues.

The Australian Government has signed an agreement with the University to develop the Ipswich GP Super Clinic which will have a standard GP service for management of acute presentations complemented by a focus on chronic disease and mental health.

The Ipswich GP Super Clinic, to be situated on the UQ Ipswich Campus, will be led by UQ's Faculty of Health Sciences, one of the largest educators of health professionals in Australia.

The Faculty's Deputy Executive Dean (Academic), Professor Helen Chenery, said the GP Super Clinic would offer greater access to health services and provide a dynamic educational environment for the next generation of health professionals.

The Super Clinic will provide services from a range of health professionals including general practitioners, nurses, psychologists and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, dietitians, diabetes educations and podiatrists.

"The Super Clinic will enable the Faculty to implement and evaluate innovative models of primary healthcare and conduct high quality research," Professor Chenery said.

"Effective collaboration between health professionals provides the best care for patients. And by bringing together a wide range of health professionals, the Super Clinic will provide an excellent opportunity for interdisciplinary practice."

The Super Clinic will also provide a key learning facility for student doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.

Professor Chenery said UQ will be seeking to work closely with local providers and the community.

"We are looking forward to developing the community partnerships that will be the foundation of this major facility and to working together to enhance the health of the Ipswich community," she said.

She said the University had experience in establishing innovative models of care at Inala Primary Care, in Brisbane's south. UQ is also partnering with the Moreton Bay Region community to establish a GP Super Clinic at Redcliffe, north of Brisbane.

Source
University of Queensland