Queensland Health is the department of the Government of Queensland responsible for operating and administering the public health system of the Australian State of Queensland. It is responsible to the State's Health Minister Geoff Wilson and its Director-General is Tony O'Connell.
Queensland Health was restructured toward the end of 2005 from 38 "health districts" to 20. There were a number consolidations particularly in the urban areas with the formation of the "Northside" and "Southside" Districts. Northside District included 3 major hospital facilities including The Prince Charles, Redcliffe and Caboolture Hospitals while Southside brought the Logan, Redlands, Beaudesert and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospitals together. Somewhat strangely one large facility lay within the geographic boundaries of both Northside and Southside but remained independent entities or Districts in their own right. Within Northside lay the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) and on Southside lay the Princess Alexandra Hospital or regional centre.
From September 2008 the 20 health service districts were further reduced to 15. According to a Queensland Health media release[1], 9 districts remain unchanged. They are: Central Queensland, Townsville, Mackay, Cairns, Torres Strait, Cape York, Mount Isa, Central West and South West Districts. 6 new districts were created. They are:
Queensland Health has approximately 75,000 employees across the state.
In the mid-1940s Queensland was the first state in Australia to introduce free and universal public hospital treatment, a policy that some other states followed.
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Replacement senior staff appointed in late 2008 included:
In response to the Forster Review of Queensland Health Systems an independent Health Quality and Complaints Commission has been created to allow patients to lodge complaints about health matters.
The Minister stated (5 October 2005) that "The Forster Review found while Queensland Health's policy reflects contemporary best practice, its implementation has been poor and there is a lack of uniformity and quality in complaints systems across the State. People are unsure how to lodge complaints, staff don't feel confident in handling them and there is an inadequate system for informing Queensland Health about complaints or concerns."
The (full-time) Commissioner is Professor Michael Ward, a former Professor of Medicine at the University of Queensland. There are also a number of part-time Assistant Commissioners.
The Health Quality and Complaints Commission also has a role in the development and implementation of quality, safety and clinical practice standards throughout Queensland's public and private services and monitor best practice clinical governance and patient safety.
It was subject to review by an all-party Parliamentary Committee after its first full year of operation.