A boost of ambulance staff and resources has been confirmed for the Sunshine Coast, while questions remain over dental, mental health and palliative care services.
The additional resources were confirmed during Queensland Government Budget Estimates hearings, with Noosa MP Sandy Bolton welcoming the investment.
During the Health, Environment and Innovation Committee Budget Estimates Hearing, Ms Bolton questioned Queensland Ambulance Service Commissioner Craig Emery, Sunshine Coast Health Chief Executive Peter Gillies and the Minister for Health on issues raised by the local community.
Commissioner Emery confirmed nine additional staff had been allocated to the North Coast Regional Communications Centre, seven additional paramedics to Tewantin Ambulance Station and two critical care paramedics to the northern Sunshine Coast.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesperson said the additional staff were already supporting frontline operations and helping build on response times in the Noosa community.
“We deliver an excellent level of care on the Sunshine Coast and we are investing in our frontline staff to maintain it,” they said.
The Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay regions will also receive 15 replacement ambulance vehicles and four additional new vehicles.
Ms Bolton said the extra resources would help address long-running concerns about ambulance demand and emergency response times across the region.
“Additional frontline staff and resources are very welcome given the concerns our office has received over years regarding delays, particularly when ambulances have been redirected to Sunshine Coast University Hospital because Noosa Hospital’s emergency department was at capacity,” Ms Bolton said.
Ms Bolton also raised concerns about the future of public dental services following plans to transition two public dental chairs from the Noosa Dental Clinic to Nambour.
“Our community has consistently advocated for public dental services to remain in Noosa, and it is disappointing that alternative local options were not explored before deciding to move Noosa’s two chairs to Nambour,” Ms Bolton said.
A Sunshine Coast Health spokesperson said the changes were part of a broader review of public dental services, with the Noosa Dental Clinic remaining open during the transition before patients can access expanded services at Maroochydore or Nambour.
“Sunshine Coast Health will provide on demand transport support, including coordinated pick up and drop off points, while continuing to explore enhancements to existing patient transport services,” a spokesperson said.
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The hearing also examined mental health services, with Ms Bolton seeking clarification on whether additional long-stay mental health beds had been allocated for the Sunshine Coast through Mental Health Levy funding.
Sunshine Coast Health said the region’s 35-bed rehabilitation mental health unit was considered adequate, with new crisis support spaces also operating at Nambour General Hospital and Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
“A new crisis support space has opened at Nambour General Hospital, providing a calm, welcoming alternative to the Emergency Department for people experiencing a mental health crisis,” a spokesperson said.
“We are currently in the planning and development phase to build an eight-bed Mother and Baby Unit to support perinatal mental health for families on the Sunshine Coast.”
Palliative care services were another focus, with Ms Bolton asking what additional support was available following the closure of Katie Rose Cottage Hospice.
“While the additional community nursing support is welcome, it is deeply disappointing that there is no provision for closer 24/7 palliative care which reiterates the importance of the community getting behind all efforts to see Katie Rose reopen,” Ms Bolton said.
Sunshine Coast Health said specialist palliative care services continued to be delivered across the region through inpatient, outpatient, community-based and consultative models.
The service said this included 16 dedicated inpatient hospice beds at the Dove Palliative Care Inpatient Unit at Caloundra Hospital, with Noosa residents to receive expanded community-based services including seven-day outreach and 24-hour remote support from the unit.
Ms Bolton said she would continue advocating for local health services and will meet with Acting Sunshine Coast District Director Hayley Saleborne to discuss the impact of the ambulance boost.
