A Fresh Start for Queensland: Satellite Hospitals to be renamed Satellite Health Centres
- The Crisafulli Government has delivered on a key commitment from its 100 Day Plan, renaming ‘Satellite Hospitals’ to an appropriate name.
- Overwhelming feedback from clinicians has been to change the name to avoid dangerous confusion.
- The facilities will also be bolstered with CT and MRI machines, to expand the available services.
Queensland’s ‘Satellite Hospitals’ will be renamed Satellite Health Centres, ending the dangerous confusion created by the former Labor Government.
The renaming delivers on a key commitment of the Crisafulli Government’s 100 Day Plan to consult on an appropriate name, in consultation with health experts.
As identified in the Queensland Audit Office 2024 Health Report, more than 3,500 patients with life-threatening conditions put themselves at risk by presenting to satellite hospitals last year where they could not be treated.
The Renaming Satellite Hospitals survey received submissions from 2,780 people – including frontline clinicians and primary care providers – who had their say on a more appropriate name for the facilities.
The results of the survey strongly recommended calling the facilities Satellite Health Centres, which was recently supported by the clinical advisory group established to consider the survey results.
The clinical advisory group was made up of representatives from the seven facilities at Caboolture, Redlands, Ripley, Tugun, Kallangur, Eight Miles Plains and Bribie Island.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said patients’ lives had been left at risk under Labor’s misleading name for the health facilities.
“The Crisafulli Government has delivered on a key commitment and is ending the confusion, with Satellite Health Centres to be named exactly what they are,” Minister Nicholls said.
“These facilities were designed to provide their communities with same day walk-in, walk-out services for minor injuries and outpatient care like dialysis.
“We have listened to the expert and will adopt the recommended name of Satellite Health Centres, and I want to thank the clinical advisory group for its expertise and advice.
“I want to assure the community these centres will continue to deliver excellent minor injury and illness care and outpatient services from our dedicated nurses, medical officers, and allied health professionals.
“Along with our announcement this week about Real Time Health Data, today’s announcement continues our work to heal Labor’s Health Crisis.
“This process was about continuing to deliver vital healthcare services while ensuring the community’s and clinicians’ voices were heard and health facilities were appropriately named.”
ENDS
