Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington, says the announcement yesterday of a three month trial Nurse Navigator trial for Kilkivan and Goomeri is a good start.
Mrs Frecklington said the announcement was made at a special health forum in Kilkivan on 21st June, which came about through community pressure and a recent petition.
"The community deserve a huge congratulations for their unwavering determination to see a Community Health Nurse back in Kilkivan," Mrs Frecklington said.
"This process began in February, when three Kilkivan ladies, Mavis O’Neill, Jan Kirby and Joyce Koy approached me to highlight the need for the services of a Community Health Nurse.
"At the time, I wrote to the Minister for Health, Steven Miles, but he rejected our initial request to bring back these services.
"We then decided to start a petition to demonstrate the need to the Minister, and this month I tabled the petition which attracted 354 signatures, a significant achievement for small towns like Kilkivan and Goomeri.
"It was really pleasing that nearly 100 people attended a special health services forum in Kilkivan on 21st June.
"The forum was a direct result of our calls for a Community Health Nurse and I would like to thank the Federal Government’s PHN (Central Qld, Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast) and the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service (SCHHS) for listening to the communities concerns and taking steps to improve health services for the two towns.
"The three month trial of a Nurse Navigator for Kilkivan is welcome, and I encourage the community to make use of the service to demonstrate the need.
"I will keep track of the progress of the trial and will be lobbying to ensure the service becomes permanent," Deb said.
"Congratulations must go to Mavis O’Neill, Jan Kirby and Joyce Koy who first raised this issue with me and then worked very hard to coordinate the petition in Kilkivan and Goomeri. It goes to show that perseverance and determination does pay off, and if you believe in something strongly enough, you can create change," Deb said.
Photo: Nearly 100 people were involved in the Health Forum held in Kilkivan which sought community feedback on health service needs for the region.
