Integrating Health Care Planning for Health and Prosperity in North Queensland

Project locations: Townsville, Cairns, Torres Strait, Weipa, Mount Isa, Longreach, Mackay, Rockhampton, Darwin, Broome

Project partners: Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre Limited (TAAHC) ; James Cook University ; Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) ; Western Queensland Primary Care Collaborative Limited ; NT Department of Health ; The University of Western Australia - The Rural Clinical School of Western Australia

Project summary and impacts

This project developed and tested a participatory, place-based approach to health service planning in North Queensland, helping communities, health providers and decision-makers work together to identify local priorities and improve access to care.

The project was delivered in two phases. The first phase established the publicly accessible North Queensland Health Atlas and a comprehensive regional gap analysis, providing a shared evidence base to support health service planning and investment decisions across the region. The second phase worked directly with the communities of Clermont, Hughenden and Kowanyama to co-design locally relevant solutions through workshops, interviews and community-led planning processes.

The project resulted in a range of practical outcomes, including the reopening of a public midwifery clinic and establishment of a local service provider forum in Clermont, the creation of a Community Champions network, health and social service directory and community health expo in Hughenden, and workforce planning activities in Kowanyama that informed follow-on initiatives.

In addition to delivering local outcomes, the project produced lasting resources for communities and planners, including the North Queensland Health Atlas, a Data Sources Catalogue and published guidelines for participatory place-based health planning. Together, these resources support more coordinated, evidence-based and community-informed health planning across northern Australia.

The project demonstrated how locally driven planning can strengthen collaboration between communities and service providers, improve awareness and accessibility of services and create a foundation for more responsive and sustainable health systems in regional and remote areas.