Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington, says the community is to be commended for their push to bring a Community Health Nurse back to Kilkivan.
Mrs Frecklington said a Nurse Navigator position for Kilkivan has been confirmed in the Health Minister’s response to the petition tabled in Parliament last month.
"It is a shame that it took a massive push by the community, 354 signatures in fact, to convince the Health Minister that this needed to happen," Mrs Frecklington said.
"The confirmation they will trial a Nurse Navigator to visit Kilkivan twice fortnightly is a win for the community, especially as the Minister for Health rejected my initial request earlier in the year.
"It is obvious he didn’t take our first request seriously, but the recent Health Forum held in Kilkivan was evidence that people in regional towns like Kilkivan need, and deserve, better health services.
"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 again 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.
