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Mater provides specialist obstetric and gynaecology support to regional Queensland

Monday 1 July 2019

Mater provides specialist obstetric and gynaecology support to regional Queensland

Mater has partnered with the South West Hospital and Health Service (SWHHS) to deliver specialist obstetric and gynaecological (O&G) support to women living in rural and regional Queensland.

From 1 July 2019, a Mater obstetrician and gynaecologist will be based at Roma, providing specialist care to women in Roma and thirteen central western Queensland towns.

Mater Mothers’ Hospitals Medical Director Dr Mike Beckmann said that Mater was delighted to be able to be involved.

“Mater prides itself on delivering on its mission to meet unmet community need and we see this service as fulfilling that Mission,” Dr Beckmann said.

“Despite the relative isolation, women living in rural and regional Queensland should expect the same level of clinical service and specialist care as women who live in the city”

“By having a Mater obstetrician and gynaecologist supporting the Flying O&G service, we will be able to provide specialist support and emergency back-up to GP obstetricians and midwives who deliver babies every day in rural and regional Queensland. 

“Mater Specialists will also be running gynaecology clinics and performing elective gynaecological procedures, in local communities across a vast stretch of Queensland.”

South West Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive Linda Patat said the South West was pleased to partner with Mater to continue delivering the Flying O&G (FOG) service.

“This is an excellent example of a major metropolitan health service joining with a smaller rural health service to deliver sustainable, long-term benefits to rural Queenslanders,’’ she said.

“The FOG is part of the iconic, Roma-based flying medical specialist service that also delivers general surgical services to rural communities across three health services.

“As such, it is a vital link to specialist health care for many small communities and we are keen to continue developing it.’’

The FOG service has been running for more than 30 years, but over the last decade has been delivered as a locum doctor model. 

From 1 July, Mater’s specialists will be based in Roma and across the South West of the state every day of the year, fully supporting the FOG service.

With aircraft and pilot leased from the Royal Flying Doctor Service, towns across South West Queensland will be visited on rotation and include the hospitals at Roma, St George, Charleville, Cunnamulla, Dalby, Kingaroy, Goondiwindi, Stanthorpe, Chinchilla, Barcaldine and Longreach.

“Mater is delighted to be able to partner with SWHHS to address the need for rural and regional Queensland women to have access to appropriate and timely specialist women’s health care,” Dr Beckmann said.

BACKGROUND

The flying medical specialist service, including the FOG, was first established in 1959 and was originally based in Longreach, with services from Roma starting in 1980.

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