Queensland Health
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1901 |
| Jurisdiction | Queensland |
| Headquarters | 147-163 Charlotte Street, Brisbane |
| Employees | 64,192 (2012–2013) |
| Annual budget | $11.05 billion (2012–2013) |
| Minister responsible |
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| Department executive |
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| Website | www |
Queensland Health is a department of the Government of Queensland which operates and administers the state's public health system. The Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick is responsible for the department, which consists of the Department of Health and 16 Health and Hospital Services. Queensland Health had 64,192 employees and a budget of $11.05 billion in the 2012–2013 fiscal year.
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.
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 three major hospital facilities including The Prince Charles Hospital, Redcliffe and Caboolture Hospitals while Southside brought the Logan, Redlands, Beaudesert and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospitals together. Due to their size and areas they covered, the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) on the Northside, and the Princess Alexandra Hospital or regional centre on the Southside remained independent entities or Districts in their own right.
From September 2008 the 20 health service districts were further reduced to 15. According to a Queensland Health media release, nine districts remain unchanged. They are: Central Queensland, Townsville, Mackay, Cairns, Torres Strait, Cape York, Mount Isa, Central West and South West Districts. Six new districts were created. They are:
In response to the Forster Review of Queensland Health Systems an independent Health Quality and Complaints Commission was established on 1 July 2006 to allow patients to lodge complaints about health matters.
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