General Medicine

The Queensland General Medicine Clinical Network is a multidisciplinary group responsible for the strategic direction and delivery of general medicine services across the care continuum in Queensland. The Queensland General Medicine Clinical Network aims to provide high level leadership, expertise and specialist clinical advice to the Department of Health, Hospital and Health Services, clinicians and other stakeholders to promote optimal health outcomes in the area of general medicine services in Queensland.

The Queensland General Medicine Clinical Network steering committee meets monthly and is co-chaired by Assoc. Professor Jeffrey Rowland and Erin Dunn, Metro North Hospital and Health Service.

The role of the network

  • Provide expertise, direction and advice to healthcare administrators and planners, the Department of Health and government whilst considering both statewide and local issues.
  • Provide leadership and guidance to key clinical streams and their advisory groups.
  • Participate in the planning, coordinating, service improvement activities and the sharing of evidence based best practice in the field of general medicine.
  • Provide expert advice and feedback on current and emerging general medicine issues (such as planning, priority areas, service improvement activities, equity issues and workforce requirements) considering both statewide and local issues.

Current priorities

  • Minimise low benefit care
  • Enhance service planning within Medical Assessment and Planning Units (MAPUs) across Queensland, incorporating integration of General Medicines services within Emergency Departments
  • Paediatric to adult clinical services transition (previously described as Transitional Care)
  • Digital systems
  • Combined Clinical Network Forums
  • Education and training, incorporating maintenance of the Capability Development Portal
  • Solutions for long-stay patients (incorporating planning for Complex Care Units)
  • General Medicine in Emergency Departments (for inclusion within the existing MAPU service planning work program)
  • General Medicine and subspecialty partnerships to improve access to specialist care
  • COVID preparedness, including management of sequelae (e.g. “Long COVID”)
  • Design principles in General Medical Units

Planned work supports achievement of one or more of these areas:

  • Improving access to care
  • Service planning
  • Quality and safety improvement
  • Education and training

Key initiatives

Contact us

Email: QldGeneralMedicineNetwork@health.qld.gov.au
Phone: +61 7 3328 9175
Postal Address: GPO Box 48, Brisbane 4001

Last updated: 27 March 2023