Townsville University Hospital

Summary

Townsville University Hospital (TUH), formerly The Townsville Hospital (TTH),[1] is a public tertiary care hospital on Angus Smith Drive, Douglas, Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It is the largest facility within the Townsville Hospital and Health Service (HHS) geographic area. TUH is the major trauma centre for northern Queensland and all medical and surgical specialties are represented. It provides healthcare across the entire North Queensland region, with patients from as far as Mount Isa and Cape York being airlifted or transported to the hospital on a daily basis. This is the third general hospital to be built in Townsville with construction completed in 2001. The next main tertiary referral hospital is the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in Herston, Brisbane, some 1,375 kilometres (854 mi) distant.

Townsville University Hospital
Townsville University Hospital, with Ross River bridge and the (previously) Davies Laboratory CSIRO visible to the right and JCU entrance on the left
Map
Geography
LocationAngus Smirth Drive, Douglas, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
History
Opened1951
Links
ListsHospitals in Australia

Activity edit

 
Townsville University Hospital from the Douglas Arterial Road

The Townsville University Hospital is the largest facility in the Townsville HHS, and is the only tertiary referral hospital in northern Australia. Townsville HHS provides public healthcare services across an extensive range of specialties in acute, community and outreach settings.[2]

The Townsville HHS covers a geographic expanse extending north to Cardwell, west to Richmond, south to Home Hill, and east to Magnetic and Palm Islands. As northern Australia's only tertiary hospital and health service, the HHS services an extensive catchment stretching from Mackay in the south, north to the Torres Strait Islands, and west to the Northern Territory border. The catchment population is more than 695,000 people.

The HHS has a geographic footprint of 148,000 square kilometres and is home to a resident population of 238,614 or around 4.8 per cent of Queensland's overall population.

The HHS is a major economic driver for the region with approximately one in 17 people in paid work employed by the HHS. The Townsville HHS employs 6,248 clinical and non-clinical staff who deliver person-centred care defined by quality, safety and compassion to diverse communities across North Queensland.

The Townsville University Hospital currently has 775 beds. The Townsville University Hospital is the major teaching hospital of the James Cook University School of Medicine. The current Chief Executive of the Townsville HHS, which includes the Townsville University Hospital, is Kieran Keyes and the current board chair is Mr Tony Mooney AM.[3]

The Townsville HHS comprises 20 facilities across its catchment. These are:

In 2017–2018, the Townsville HHS achieved level one performance status; one of only two HHSs to achieve this rating. Performance levels are determined by the Department of Health against key components described in the ‘Delivering a High Performing Health System for Queenslanders: Performance Framework’.

The HHS is accredited against the Australian Commission on Healthcare Standards and in 2017- 2018 demonstrated achievement against prescribed measures in the HHS Strategic Plan 2014-2018 (2017 Update). These included a decrease in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rate of discharge against medical advice, improved treat and seen-in-time rates, an increase in followers on social media[24] and a budget surplus.

History edit

 
Townsville Hospital, c. 1906.

There have been three general hospitals in Townsville over the city's 150-year history. The First Townsville Hospital was established in 1882 in North Ward.[25] The two story brick building accommodated 70 patients. When Cyclone Leonta struck Townsville in May 1903, it caused extensive local damage and the hospital partially collapsed.[26] The Second Townsville General Hospital opened in North Ward on 21 April 1951.[26] The old Townsville General Hospital psychiatric service was the focus of intense scrutiny in the 1980s after it was revealed 65 people had died in the psychiatric ward.[27] The deaths and subsequent inquest gave rise to the Burden Inquiry, Report of the National Inquiry into the Human Rights of People with Mental Illness 1990. The North Ward hospital could not expand any further due to its urban location and was regularly reaching absolute capacity. However the heritage-listed hospital buildings, with their landmark white art deco appearance, enviable location, and water views, were retained and were turned into exclusive apartments.[28]

The third and current Townsville hospital at Douglas began construction in 1998 and opened in 2001.[29] It is co-located with the James Cook University.

References edit

  1. ^ "Townsville University Hospital | Townsville Hospital and Health Service". Townsville University Hospital | Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  2. ^ Hospital and Health Service, Townsville. "Townsville University Hospital". www.townsville.health.qld.gov.au. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Townsville Hospital and Health Service Board". www.townsville.health.qld.gov.au. Townsville HHS. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Ayr Health Service". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Cambridge Street (Vincent) Health Campus". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Cardwell Community Health Centre". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Charters Towers Health Service". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Charters Towers Rehabilitation Unit". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Eventide Residential Aged Care Facility". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Home Hill Health Service". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Hughenden Multi-Purpose Health Service". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Ingham Health Service". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Josephine Sailor Adolescent Inpatient Unit and Day Service". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  14. ^ "Joyce Palmer Health Service". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  15. ^ "Palm Island Primary Health Care Centre". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Kirwan Community Health Campus". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  17. ^ "Magnetic Island Community Clinic". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  18. ^ "North Ward Health Campus". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  19. ^ "Palmerston Street Health Campus". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Parklands Residential Aged Care Facility". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  21. ^ "Richmond Health Service". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  22. ^ "Townsville University Hospital". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  23. ^ "Townsville Public Health Unit". Townsville Hospital and Health Service. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  24. ^ "Townsville Hospital and Health Service". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  25. ^ Townsville Council website: A Chronological History of Townsville 1770 to 1900 Archived 2009-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
  26. ^ a b Townsville Council website: A Chronological History of Townsville 1901 to 1969 Archived 2009-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ Maria, William De (1999). Deadly Disclosures, William De Maria, ebrary, Inc, p207. ISBN 9781862544574. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  28. ^ Raggatt, Tony (1 June 2016). "Luxury units close to completion on former Townsville hospital site". Townsville Bulletin. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  29. ^ Townsville Council website: A Chronological History of Townsville 1970 to 2003 Archived 2009-09-29 at the Wayback Machine

External links edit

19°19′13″S 146°45′40″E / 19.3203°S 146.7612°E / -19.3203; 146.7612