Fraser Coast group seeks more health shake-up details
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The Fraser Coast Health Focus Group has cautiously welcomed the restructure of the health system announced by the Queensland Government.
Under the plan, 20 health districts will be reduced to 15, meaning the Fraser Coast and Wide Bay will be absorbed by the Sunshine Coast health district.
Fifty jobs in management and communication will also be cut.
The chairman of the Fraser Coast Health Focus Group, Gerard O'Connell, says he is looking at the plan carefully but wants to see more detail.
"No matter what region it becomes part of we need to plan for the future. We need six months, six years and so forth. We need to understand what is available and how that will be resourced," he said.
Mr O'Connell says he has been calling for a reduction in bureaucracy, so in principle it looks like a positive move.
But he says history has shown that many restructures are simply spin.
"We're looking at this very carefully and calculating it very carefully because we want to see the time lines, we want to see the detail," he said.
"We'd like to see what sort of resources and equipment is provided, what sort of staff allocations there will be for health services. It's one thing to say that you're going to cut jobs and save millions of dollars, but it's another thing to see that you allocate those resources correctly and give us a timely, efficient and sustainable health service."
The chairman of the Bundaberg District Health Council has been unavailable for comment.
