Summary
Our annual report for the 2025-2026 Financial Year was recently tabled in the Queensland Parliament by the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, showcasing a further 12 months of service excellence and high quality service for the local communities we serve.
Key to our successes remained continuation of vital partnerships and taking further steps to plan and grow for a sustainable future, helping us progress a wide range of activities including:
- Significant steps to reinforce our responsibility to embed cultural safety and culturally safe healthcare through continued reflection, partnership, and organisational change – alongside publication of the second edition Our Way – Together First Nations Health Equity Strategy and supporting implementation plan for 2025-2028 and, in response to local community feedback during our initial listening exercises, a dedicated Cunnamulla Action Plan.
- Through a Grow Our Own approach, we are continuing to support long-term workforce sustainability by inspiring and investing in local people and creating meaningful and viable pathways. A forthcoming South West HHS Health Workforce Academy is intended to provide a further platform for rethinking workforce development – moving beyond individual recruitment and training initiatives towards a coordinated, whole-of-system approach to building a sustainable rural health workforce.
- And, in an increasingly complex and dynamic system, the health service continues to maintain its stewardship of public funds – and the sustainable provision of efficient and effective care – with the utmost responsibility and levels of accountably.
“South West communities, and our staff and teams, should be justifiably proud of the continuing growth and success of our Hospital and Health Service,” Leigh Burton, Executive Director Governance, Strategy and Performance reflected.
“Despite the unavoidable impacts of distance and dispersed populations – and a range of external factors impacting on the overall costs of providing high-quality care – our teams have, once again, achieved performance and service levels that are amongst the best in the State, such as:
- Achieved our emergency department (ED) waiting time targets across all categories, with 86 per cent of all presentations departing within four hours of arrival – despite caring for an additional 1,190 ED presentations to our facilities compared to the previous financial year.
- From a starting point of 434 ready for surgery referrals on 1 July 2025, achieved a significant reduction in our overall surgical waiting list – having 376 referrals at 30 June 2026, which was also well within our target expectation of no more than 463 people waiting.
- Across the year, 1,154 elective referrals were treated in total – which was 136 more surgeries than the prior financial year, and indicative of continuing increased demand.
- Exceed the anticipated number of Telehealth service occasions by 1,450 events – providing greater convenience, flexibility and reduced travel for to-and-from appointments.
- Our consistent focus on financial performance and sustainability was also upheld with the HHS reporting a financial surplus of $1.838 million, which was particularly impressive given the wider external pressures experienced during the year."
“We also have much to look forward to in the years ahead with welcome forward commitments through the statewide Hospital Rescue Plan to support the upgrade of vital Perioperative Services and Central Sterile Supply Department services at the Charleville Hospital, alongside the commitment to install a CT Scanner on site as part of a wider expansion of diagnostic medical imaging hub on site for the wider community."
Leigh added additional targeted funding for the forthcoming financial year also included provision for a dedicated renal and chemotherapy service at Roma Hospital, further investment in Flying Specialist Services managed by the health service for the wider Western Queensland region and ongoing statewide investments in Putting Queensland Kids First and Better Care Together initiatives.
“None of these key successes would be possible without the tireless dedication, compassion and strength of our local and service wide teams – where every role matters and each and every one of our employees make a huge difference – we look forward to continuing to work with you, alongside our wider partners and local communities, in the years ahead to deliver better health, together," Leigh said.