Cloncurry’s Flinders Medical Centre increases services following major upgrade
Media release
Cloncurry residents are enjoying greater access to essential health services, with expanded facilities at Flinders Medical Centre funded by Glencore now open for business.
The renovations, valued at more than $150,000, have resulted in additional consultation rooms, three new nursing bays, a dedicated assessment room where sound booth facilities will soon be installed as well as education and staff room areas.
The new rooms are already in use and will be celebrated at an official opening to be held on Wednesday 29 May at the practice.
Senior GP at Flinders Medical Centre, Dr Leonie Fromberg, said the upgrades provide a permanent, fit-for-purpose base for visiting chronic disease specialists, mental health and other allied health professionals to provide services locally more easily and more often.
“The project also provides us with increased capacity to support training for medical and nursing students’ onsite and the ability to offer more workplace rehabilitation and occupational medicine,” Dr Fromberg said.
“With the extra space we have already been able to increase our mental health support, which is especially timely following the February rain event, and we’ve also commenced collaborations with North West Rural Health (NWRH) to provide monthly rotating visits from a Dietician, Podiatrist, Psychologist and Exercise Physiologist.
“We know that patients have better treatment outcomes when they are close to home and the support of their family and friends, so Glencore’s support for this project has helped us deliver a real win for health in Cloncurry.”
Chief Operating Officer for Glencore’s copper operations in north Queensland, Matt O’Neill, said the company targets it support towards initiatives with broadreaching and long-lasting benefits such as this one.
“We conduct a community survey every three years and local residents told us in our 2016 survey that health and medical facilities were their biggest infrastructure priority for Cloncurry,” Mr O’Neill explained.
“We are proud to be able to take that feedback and act upon it to provide important infrastructure and meaningful health outcomes for the Cloncurry community.”
The project was managed by Central Queensland Rural Health (CQRH), which currently provides management services for Flinders Medical Centre and other regional medical facilities to ensure they remain sustainable.
Long-time rural teaching doctor, Doctor Sheilagh Cronin, will oversee the opening of the extension and also celebrate her retirement the following day after 15 years of servicing the Cloncurry community.
For further information, please contact:
Nadine Roberts
m: +61 436 341 650
e: Nadine Roberts
Notes for editors
About Glencore
Glencore is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 90 commodities. The Group's operations comprise around 150 mining and metallurgical sites, oil production assets and agricultural facilities. With a strong footprint in both established and emerging regions for natural resources, Glencore's industrial and marketing activities are supported by a global network of more than 90 offices located in over 50 countries.
Glencore's customers are industrial consumers, such as those in the automotive, steel, power generation, oil and food processing sectors. We also provide financing, logistics and other services to producers and consumers of commodities. Glencore's companies employ around 146,000 people, including contractors.
Glencore is proud to be a member of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and the International Council on Mining and Metals. We are an active participant in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
About Glencore Australia
Ernest Henry Mining is an underground copper and gold mining and processing operation, located near Cloncurry in north-west Queensland. The mine commenced commercial production in March 1998 as an open pit mine, transitioning to underground operations in December 2011. A new kilometre-deep underground shaft was opened in June 2014 marking the start of hoisting operations.
Mined ore is processed at our on-site concentrator and copper concentrate containing gold is transported by road, using local contractors, to Glencore's copper smelter in Mount Isa. Ernest Henry provides work for around 500 employees plus contractors.