Croakey has been hearing plenty of rumblings of concern about the impact of Queensland Government cutbacks upon public health services and programs.

The Health Media Club (which was recently profiled at Croakey) will seek to bring the potential impact of such cuts to media and public attention with an event featuring Mike Daube, Professor of Health Policy, Curtin University in WA.

In a blurb promoting the September 4 event (you can book tickets here) the Club says:

“It appears preventive health measures are in the firing line, with changes to BreastScreen Queensland and cuts to healthy lifestyle programs, prevention and early intervention initiatives.

With health care costs constantly increasing, strategies and programs to help people be well and stay well are even more important.

There are interstate and international lessons from when health systems are reorganised in haste and public health programs targeted.  Ahead of our September 11 state budget, Western Australia’s Professor Mike Daube reflects on how not to throw the health baby out with the bathwater.”

Fund-raising for HIV prevention

Meanwhile a fund-raising campaign has been launched in an effort to sustain the work of Healthy Communities (previously known as the Queensland AIDS Council).

Twenty-four years of Queensland Health funding to the organisation ended last week.

A Health Communities statement says 22 staff have been made redundant, and its Sunshine Coast office in Maroochydore closed, but that it plans to continue to delivering HIV prevention programs and services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

 • Croakey is keen to hear from any readers with insights into the changing public health environment in Queensland.