A public health dental clinic is under threat of closure, meaning patients would have to travel nearly 30km to the nearest facility for oral care if it closes.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls advised in July that the closure of the Noosa Dental Clinic was being considered as part of a broader infrastructure review.
Its closure would mean eligible patients in Noosa Shire would have to travel 26km to the nearest Queensland Government dental facility at Maroochydore, or 33km to Nambour, to receive free dental care.
Member for Noosa Sandy Bolton said the Noosa clinic had been identified as a high-cost service relative to other Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service (SCHHS) clinics.
The Health Minister has reported that the SCHHS has a multi-year budget deficit.
The higher-than-average operating costs at Noosa were due to it being a smaller two-chair clinic and the ratio of clinicians to support staff required.
Mr Nicholls has said that if Noosa closes, SCHHS will still increase chair capacity with four extra chairs set to become available in Nambour.
“Noosa Dental Clinic will remain open until expansion of the Nambour Dental Clinic is completed and operational. This remains in the early planning stages and is not expected for at least 12-24 months,” he said.
Ms Bolton has pressed SCHHS and the minister to consider alternative solutions such as expanding the Noosa clinic, hybrid staffing and more actively promoting the service.
“There is sufficient patient demand for the chairs at Noosa to be in use five days a week,” she said.
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In response, a SCHHS spokesperson said: “The Noosa Community Health Centre is a small facility with no capacity for expansion. In addition to oral health, the site also accommodates child health and other important community services.
“The two chairs at the Noosa facility will be comfortably accommodated at our other oral health sites.”
Ms Bolton flagged that closing the Noosa clinic on cost grounds “would disproportionately affect low-income residents and seniors who already face several challenges, including with transport and mobility”.
The SCHHS concluded that low patient uptake in Noosa correlated with the high socio-economic status of the area.
However, the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census shows Noosa’s median weekly household income is $1467, which is less than the Queensland average of $1675, and Noosa Council has reported that a large proportion of families in the shire live below the poverty line and receive Centrelink benefits.
Ms Bolton also claimed that “hidden demand” may not have been taken into account, especially considering Noosa Shire has one of the highest percentages of residents aged 65 and over in Queensland.
The independent MP said governments could have done more to promote the Noosa service, citing that “eligible residents have reported they were unaware”.
Last year 24,500 people were treated across the region in a SCHHS dental facility. It said demand for public oral health services across the Sunshine Coast was continually monitored.
“Eligibility criteria and service availability are promoted through Queensland Health’s website, local health services and referral pathways,” a SCHHS spokesperson said.
“Demographic trends, including the proportion of older residents in the Noosa area, are considered as part of our service planning and decision-making.”
To be eligible for the service, patients must be Queensland residents with a Medicare card and a valid Centrelink concession card.
Ms Bolton suggested clinicians could be attracted to Noosa with an offer of flexible arrangements or rotations, or partnerships with universities for training placements.
The SCHHS stated that recruiting and retaining oral health professionals remained a challenge across Queensland and nationally.
“We continue to explore options to strengthen the workforce, including flexible work models, clinical placements and partnerships with universities,” the SCHHS spokesperson said.
“Current Noosa oral health patients have been contacted and offered alternative appointments at other Sunshine Coast Health facilities.
“We are working closely with them to support a smooth transition over the next six months.”
Sunshine Coast Health will provide scheduled transport throughout the day as part of its patient transport service that operates between Gympie, Nambour, and Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
Low-cost door-to-door community transport for eligible patients is also available from Noosa to other public oral health facilities.
This month the state government will open a new fit-for-purpose $6.3 million oral health facility at 100 Sixth Avenue, Maroochydore.
