Healthy Outback Communities (HOC)
Healthy Outback Communities (HOC) is a new health and wellbeing program for Western Queensland's channel country, and it will be rolled out in the Barcoo Shire in 2024.
HOC will ensure residents have greater access to preventative health and wellness services and it will complement existing local clinics, Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) doctor days, and visiting allied health services.
Barcoo shire launch
Healthy Outback Communities is launching in the Barcoo Shire, which includes the towns of Jundah, Stonehenge and Windorah.
The launch is on Saturday 27 April in Windorah as part of the Healthy Outback Community Day. If you live in the Barcoo, then please come along for this free family fun day!
Take stock of your health and wellbeing with a free health check, morning tea and lunch, kids’ activities, including Flipside Circus and giveaways for the whole family. Come along and meet Darius Boyd: rugby league legend, fitness coach, and mental health advocate!
Why Healthy Outback Communities?
On average, regional and remote Australians have shorter lives, higher levels of disease and injury, and poorer access to and use of health services, compared with people living in metropolitan areas.
Western Queensland channel country spans almost 220,000 sq km, equivalent to the size of Victoria, and 13% of the state’s total land area. The 1,100 residents of these communities do not have a locally based doctor or pharmacy. The communities rely heavily on the local nurse, visiting health services and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
The HOC team will connect residents to locally tailored wellbeing services to support physical, social and emotional wellbeing.
HOC is established by the Western Queensland Primary Health Network and is delivered by:
- Barcoo Shire Council
- Boulia Shire Council
- Central West Hospital and Health Service
- CheckUP
- Health Workforce Queensland
- Health Consumers Queensland
- Queensland Reform Office
- Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section)
- Western Queensland Primary Health Network
Health Sector Resources
Contact
If you have any questions about Healthy Outback Communities, contact Kathleen O'Hara, Senior Project Advisor, at and on 0456 001 789.
Paving our way towards healthier Western Queensland communities.
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