Central West Hospital and Health Service

06/09/2026

💃 Red shoes rock in September! ❤️

This month, Central West HHS is supporting Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Month by rocking red shoes, and lighting up the Longreach water tower in red on Wednesday 9 September! 🤩

🫶 Our health professionals are reminding women and families that the safest choice during pregnancy is not to drink alcohol.

🗣️ Clinical Midwifery Consultant Tina Meynell said exposure to alcohol before birth placed babies at risk of lifelong harm through FASD.

“It’s timely for pregnant women and women planning a pregnancy to start considering their alcohol intake,” Ms Meynell said.

“We are working to raise awareness of this in conjunction with the Red Shoes Rock nationwide initiative which encourages communities to wear red shoes or socks during FASD Awareness Month to start conversations about FASD and the importance of alcohol-free pregnancies.’’

👀 You can read more here: https://www.centralwest.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/no-safe-amount-health-authorities-urge-pregnant-women-to-avoid-alcohol-to-protect-unborn-babies

🩴 For more information about the Red Shoes Rock initiative visit:
https://redshoesrock.org.au/

03/09/2026

🤩 Top health tips for the Birdsville Races! 🏇

👋 With the famous Birdsville Races riding into town over the coming days, please keep the following tips in mind so you can stay safe and healthy when the days get warm:

🫗 Stay hydrated (lead that horse to water and make sure it drinks!) 🐴
🌞 Wear sunscreen and dress sun smart as much as possible (your hat, sunglasses and long-sleeved look could set you apart in the fashions on the field!) 😎🤠
👇 Check out the Birdsville Primary Health Centre opening hours and medication advice below

Birdsville Races Diamantina Shire Council

02/09/2026

🥳 The NAIDOC festivities keep coming, as Bedourie and Birdsville recently commemorated the milestone occasion. 🎊

🎉 Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Team partnered with the Birdsville State School to celebrate NAIDOC, marking 50 Years of Deadly on Friday 14 August.

🚙 They continued the journey to Bedourie the next day on Saturday 15 August, partnering with the Diamantina Shire Council.

🫂 Community events such as these are important for our wellbeing, as they provide a valuable opportunity to connect, share stories, and check in with friends and family about how they’re going.

See some of the fun for yourself in these pictures from the Birdsville and Bedourie community events! 👀

30/08/2026

Find out what registered nurse Sally thought of the "great little town" of Alpha while working at our MPHS 😁👇

☀️Chooseday Tuesday
Today the spotlight is on ALPHA MPHS

The Central West Hospital and Health Service provides a range of healthcare services, including emergency and ambulance care, residential aged care, child and family health, sexual health, palliative care, diabetes management, and mental health services.

Alpha is a small rural town in Queensland's Barcaldine Region, located about 400 km west of Rockhampton and 247 km east of Longreach. The town is situated on the Capricorn Highway, with the Clermont-Alpha Road connecting from the north-east, making it an important service centre for the surrounding rural community.

Sally one of our RRC Registered Nurses who has recently completed a placement at ALPHA and sent us in some feedback and we felt it was selfish to keep it to ourselves!

27/08/2026

✨ Come work for us ✨

💰 Are you a finance professional ready to make a real impact through trusted financial advice and support?

Use your expertise to drive accurate reporting, analysis, accounts payable and financial systems support. 💹

🗂️ Manage invoices, workflows, supplier data and purchase orders while building strong stakeholder relationships.

Take the next step in your finance career…. apply now!
https://apply-springboard.health.qld.gov.au/jobs/QLD-CW6H691032

27/08/2026

🥳 It's Speech Pathology Week and our 'speechies' want to let you know what they can do for you! 🤗

Senior Speech Pathologist Jamie-Lee Tarver said this year's theme, Communication creates possibility, reflected what speech pathologists saw every day in practice. 🗣️

“When communication and swallowing needs are supported, people have more opportunities to connect, learn, make choices, participate and thrive,’’ she said.

“My colleagues and I are here to help adults and children up to school-age with any such swallowing and communication problems.

“Our Central West speech pathology team is based in Longreach and delivers outreach services to Alpha, Blackall, Barcaldine and Winton, as well as servicing Longreach.’’

Find out more about our speech pathology service here: https://www.centralwest.health.qld.gov.au/services/speech-pathology

24/08/2026

🗣️ Have a word with your local speechies! 🤗

It's Speech Pathology Week (23-29 August) and we'd like to share some of the good work of our speech pathologists. ☺️

🏜️ Ron Kent from Blackall has been a client of the Central West speech pathology service for the past month and has already seen the benefits.

Mr Kent was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease some years ago and was having difficulties in conversation.

“It’s very depressing when you lose your speech,’’ Mr Kent said.

“It makes you not very sociable because you are struggling to get people to understand you.

“But I’ve been working with my speech pathologist Samantha Nyman who has given me a therapy program that has helped me reduce my slurring at end of sentences and helped me speak more clearly.

“It’s made me more inclined to speak with people now because I know they can understand me better.’’

Mr Kent said the therapy program he had been given also included exercises to strengthen his throat muscles. 💪

“I do these exercises morning and evening for about 20 minutes each and it’s really made a difference.’’

📰 You can read more about Ron's story, and our speech pathology service here: https://www.centralwest.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/have-a-word-with-your-local-speech-pathologists

📸 Speech pathologists Jamie-Lee Tarver (left) and Samantha Nyman (right).

23/08/2026

🧑‍⚕️ When fourth-year JCU medical student Jono arrived in Longreach for his rural placement, he expected to learn new clinical skills. Find out what he didn't expect in the story below! 👀👇

18/08/2026

🤗 Meet Michael Ellison, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker! 👋

Based in Blackall and Tambo, Michael brings a strong passion for helping others, particularly those who may feel marginalised, unheard, or unsure where to turn for support. 🤝

“I am a Bidjara man, with a strong connection to Bidjara Country in Western Queensland,” Michael said.

“My connection to Country, culture and community is very important to me, and I am incredibly proud to have the opportunity to work on Country and support our mob throughout the Central West.”

🤩 Michael brings more than 15 years’ experience across healthcare, small business, community engagement and working with people from many different backgrounds.

“Living and working in rural and remote Queensland has given me an understanding of some of the additional challenges people can face when accessing healthcare,” Michael said.

“I want to play a part in breaking down those barriers, helping our mob navigate the health system and ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people feel culturally safe, respected, listened to, and supported.

“I’m extremely proud to be joining Central West Health as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker.”

Michael said he’s looking forward to building genuine relationships and trust with those he meets. 🫂

“I want to listen and learn from community, Elders and families and help people feel comfortable seeking healthcare and support when they need it,” Michael said.

“For me, making a positive difference in someone’s healthcare journey, no matter how big or small , makes the work worthwhile.”

👀 You may spot Michael in your town as he enjoys travelling around the region.

“I enjoy fishing and being involved in my local community,” Michael said.

“I also have a strong interest in local history and tourism and enjoy spending time out on Country and experiencing everything that makes the Central West such a unique place to call home.

“I’m excited about this next chapter and the opportunity to give back to the communities and Country that mean so much to me.”

09/08/2026

🤩 Check out this blog from Dr Lucy Harris, who recently completed an Australian Primary Care Prevocational Program – Rural (APCPP – Rural) rotation in her hometown of Longreach! 👇