23rd February 2009: Flesh-eating, antibiotic resistant superbugs have been found in Kingaroy Hospital's waste water. The two bacteria - MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and VRE (Vancomycin resistant Enterococci) - were discovered in a 2006 study conducted by Central Queensland University scientists and since verified by the CSIRO. Kingaroy is one of 26 Queensland hospitals where the scientists found high levels of the superbugs. Scientists are now concerned that there's a risk they could leak into local water supplies. Yet although the study was tabled in State Parliament by Member for Moggill Dr Bruce Flegg in 2007 and the issue was raised in Parliament again last week by Member for Burnett Rob Messenger, the State Government has so far failed to act. The CQU scientists were paid $107,000 to carry out the study but Health Minister Stephen Robertson (pictured) has claimed the study cost taxpayers $2.6 million. You can read a full report about the issue on the Courier-Mail's website

18th February 2009: According to a new study released by Queensland Health this week, a total of 3195 people presented to Kingaroy Hospital's Emergency Department in the last three months of 2008. This represented a jump of 507 patients (or 18.9%) compared to the same period in 2007. Health Minister Stephen Robertson said that the sustained increase in presentations could be attributed to the hospital's full medical and nursing staffing establishment, and pledged to establish a primary care clinic to cope with the demand. Minister Robertson also said that the number of outpatient services provided at Kingaroy Hospital decreased slightly during the quarter, but this was because the gynaecology clinic ceased when the obstetrics and gynaecology specialist finished his contract at the hospital in November. Mr Robertson said the hospital expected to recruit a replacement this year at which time it would recommence the clinic. The arrival of a proceduralist at the hospital late last year to conduct Category 1, 2 and 3 endoscopies resulted in a slight increase in procedural activities. And in comparison with the same period in 2007 there was a slight increase in the number of babies born too (112).

11th November 2008: Queensland Health have produced a new range of 22 brochures covering a wide variety of parenthood topics to help indigenous mothers in the South Burnett give their babies the best possible start in life. The brochures were produced as part of the Department's Growing Strong: Feeding You And Your Baby programme, and each one focuses on a specific aspect of parenthood so that families can easily choose the ones that fit their particular circumstances or problems (eg: healthy eating during pregnancy, morning sickness etc). The Department has also produced a series of related A3 flip-charts which local ATSI health workers can use when providing one-on-one counselling or when talking to groups. The new brochures are available at local indigenous health centres, and also from the Department's web site. Non-indigenous mothers are also likely to find the brochures equally useful if they need help on parenthood problems. (Photo courtesy of the Qld Dpt of Child Safety)

7th November 2008: Hospital performance figures released today show Kingaroy Hospital is working harder than ever, with admissions and attendances far outstripping population growth. Health Minister Stephen Robertson (pictured at right) said the latest Quarterly Public Hospitals Performance Report showed a 25.9% increase in the number of patients treated at the hospital's emergency department in the last three months. "Kingaroy Hospital is responding well to this increased demand for services and I'd like to congratulate the dedicated hospital staff for keeping up with the extra workload," Mr Robertson said. "It's great to see Kingaroy Hospital operating with a full contingent of medical staff. The hospital now has seven permanent senior medical officers, which brings great stability to the clinical service unit". The September report also highlights a slight increase in Category 2 patients waiting longer for elective surgery as there is currently no surgeon at the hospital. "Category 2 waits have increased slightly, partly because of the focus on Category 1 elective surgery in hospitals and Surgery Connect's focus on mostly Category 3 "long waits"', Mr Robertson said. "This is something we will be focusing on this coming quarter."

27th October 2008: The South Burnett will get a specialist breast cancer nurse as part of a Federal Government programme to fund specialist breast care nurses in 44 locations across Australia, 90% of which are in rural and regional areas. The move has been welcomed by the Rural Doctors Association of Australia president Dr Peter Rischbieth who said women diagnosed with breast cancer would now receive "invaluable support" at a time when they are confronting a "frightening period of their life". "While this initiative is welcome, the RDAA hopes that the State and Federal governments will also address issues relating to the costs that rural families face in obtaining treatment for cancer," Dr Rischbieth said. "Many rural women who are diagnosed with cancer have to travel long distances, and be away from their families and communities, to have surgery or receive chemotherapy or radiation treatment. It's essential that the health system makes this process as easy as possible." In addition to the South Burnett, other Queensland locations that have received funding under the new programme are Cairns, Mackay, Mount Isa, Gympie, Hervey Bay, Gladstone, Warwick, Dalby and Roma.

21st October 2008: Palliative Care in the South Burnett is now being coordinated by RHealth (formerly known as the Southern Queensland Rural Division of General Practice). RHealth is a new health service provider that operates in rural and remote communities across southern and south-west Queensland, including the South Burnett. It's dedicated to advancing health care in rural and remote communities and providing support to rural health professionals through training, mentoring and professional development. Under the new system, GPs and health professionals refer patients to RHealth, who then refer the patient on to relevant local service providers (like Blue Care and Community Health). Volunteers are also available for social and grief and bereavement support through RHealth's Palliative Care Program. If you're interested in contacting RHealth, their offices are located at 180 Haly Street in Kingaroy and you can phone them on (07) 4162-5230. You can also find out more about RHealth's aims and services on their web site

15th October 2008: A special Men's Health, Welfare and Leisure Expo will be held at Kingaroy RSL at 126 Kingaroy Street, Kingaroy from 10:00am to 6:00pm on Wednesday 22nd October 2008. The Expo is being organised by the Kingaroy RSL Sub Branch and the RSL Memorial Club as a community service, and a wide range of exhibitors from the health, welfare and leisure industries will be in attendance to display and discuss their products and services. The Expo itself is supported by Queensland Health, the South Burnett Health Community Council, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other Government agencies, and it will be officially opened at 2:00pm. The opening will be followed by a special one-hour panel discussion by professionals specialising in men's health issues. Admission for the general public is completely free (women are most welcome too!) and exhibitors can mount a display for just $5.00. There'll also be free tea, coffee and bikkies all day as well. More details? Exhibitors should contact Sue at the RSL Club's reception on (07) 4162 1755 - or for more general ionformation, call Barry Krosch on (07) 4162-1755 or Warren Cockburn on (07) 4162-4881.

15th September 2008: The Murgon Rotary Club and corporate sponsors will be holding a special free forum on depression (and strategies to deal with it) at the Murgon Town Hall in Stephens Street West, Murgon at 7:00pm this evening (the seminar gets underway at 7:15pm sharp). The forum will follow the same format as the hugely successful event staged by Kingaroy Rotary in July this year (see story further below) and will be addressed by a panel of 3 experts who all have hands-on experience in how to recognise, deal with and overcome this incredibly debilitating illness. Free buses will be running from Kingaroy, Wondai and Goomeri (phone Pursers on (07) 4168-1533) and also from Proston (phone (07) 4168-9296), and the Lillypond Child Care Centre will be making free childcare available for people attending the seminar too (phone (07) 4168-2211 to book childcare places). Everyone is welcome, and you can get a flyer and more information about the event by clicking here

15th July 2008: The Kingaroy Rotary Club - supported by Incitec Pivot Ltd and Bean Growers Australia - will be hosting a Depression Awareness Forum in the Tobruk Room of the Kingaroy RSL Club in Kingaroy Street at 7:00pm on Wednesday 16th July. The forum is one of 40 being run in regional communities in the Eastern states and it will provide information about depression, dispel common myths and help people recognise any symptoms of depression in their friends, family and workmates. Depression is a devastating illness that can strike anyone at any time, but people living in rural and regional Australia seem to suffer from it slightly more than their city cousins - especially in stressful times like drought. The meeting will be addressed by Bev McDonald, a clinical psychologist at Kingaroy Hospital and Bill Jackson from South Burnett Counselling. Nina Temperton, CEO of South Burnett CTC Kingaroy, will emcee the event. Everyone is welcome and entry is free. There'll be a light supper available afterwards too. You can also obtain a press release about the forum by clicking here

13th June 2008: With colder weather now at full strength, Queensland Health is advising all at-risk people in the South Burnett to get vaccinated against this year's flu. The people most at risk are people aged 65 years or older; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years or older; and anyone (of any age) with a serious medical condition - particularly those with heart or respiratory diseases; diabetes; liver disease or asthma. Thanks to the National Immunisation Program, vaccinations for any of these groups of poeople are free. But since it generally takes about two weeks after a 'flu shot to build up full immunity, it's important that anyone planning a flu shot get it done as quickly as possible. Vaccinations can be performed by your local GP, and you can get a press release about this year's vaccination program by clicking here. You can also get a press release about the vaccination program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by clicking here