Whether you’re a recent arrival or a long-time local, being familiar with Toowoomba hospitals is essential in the event of an emergency – so who’s who?
Just 130km west of Brisbane, Australia’s second largest inland city is booming thanks to the addition of a full service airport and the development of industries outside of agriculture. The city has transformed itself from a sleepy place atop the Great Dividing Range, into a thriving and diverse region that dared to reinvent itself.
Previously, Toowoomba wasn’t known for much else other than the Carnival Of Flowers. However, in recent years the city’s ‘cool’ factor has grown enormously thanks to newer additions like laneway cafes, street art festivals, rooftop bars and the CBD’s makeover.
The $500 million redevelopment of the city’s major retail precinct was also a vote of confidence from investors in regards to the anticipated population growth of the region – and Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) Chief Executive Officer, Ali Davenport, agrees. So much so that Ms Davenport said The Regional Institute of Australia predicts that the Toowoomba economy will experience a $10 billion boom in the next 15 years.
“Toowoomba’s Gross Regional Product is estimated at $11.56 billion, up $340 million on the previous year. The latest reported yearly figures equate to regional economic growth of 3pc per annum. This far exceeds national economic growth of 2pc, state growth of -0.3pc and a rise of 1.5pc across regional Queensland for the year to June 30, 2019.”
In conjunction with this city’s growth, it should come as no surprise that the whole of Queensland is currently experiencing an interstate migration boom. The global pandemic has changed the way we work, live and play, and when compared to our southern neighbours, Queenslanders have had it relatively lax in terms of lockdowns and social distancing restrictions. Interestingly, it’s the healthcare industry that is the biggest employer in Toowoomba. With just under 16% of the region’s population working within this field and an annual job growth looking quite promising indeed, this may help to explain the world class quality care available and their related specialities.
An Introduction To Toowoomba Hospitals
In the event that you or someone you love needs urgent medical attention in this part of Queensland, there’s a high chance that you will come across one of the Cairns hospitals that service this region. While there are both public and private hospitals that are found in the area, let’s explore the medical care that they provide and specialise in.
Toowoomba Hospital – Originally constructed in 1880, Toowoomba Base Hospital is a heritage listed healthcare facility that serves as the major medical centre for much of the Darling Downs and Western Queensland outback regions. The site contains around twenty five individual buildings, most of which date from the 1950’s onward. Today, the 320 bed hospital precinct provides a wide array of services such as primarily ambulatory care, specialist medical and surgical outpatient services, and acute inpatient care.
St Vincent’s Private Hospital – Established in 1922 by the Sisters of Charity, St Vincent’s Hospital Toowoomba is the largest acute private hospital on the Darling Downs. The hospital’s current services include a broad range of inpatient and outpatient services, such as anaesthetics, general medicine, orthopaedics, obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatrics, intensive and coronary care services, ear, nose and throat, palliative care, plastics, urology, general surgery and diagnostic and interventional cardiology.
St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital – In 1961, Rev J McConaghy established a Survey Committee to determine what community support could be obtained for a Presbyterian private hospital in Toowoomba. After a range of donations for funds and land, St Andrew’s opened its doors as a 42 bed hospital with two operating theatres in 1966. In 2021, the hospital is now a 152 bed acute care facility, with all profits reinvested back into the hospital to provide expansion of buildings, additional services, new equipment and staff training.
Baillie Henderson Hospital – Situated on the northwestern outskirts of Toowoomba, Baillie Henderson Hospital is a heritage listed psychiatric health care facility. Although it was originally established as a lunatic asylum in 1890, it now provides psychiatric care to more than four hundred patients, and is the most intact nineteenth century asylum in Queensland. With five in-house specialised clinical programmes, it provides treatment for people suffering from a wide range of mental disorders, severe behavioural problems, and intellectual disabilities.
Needless to say, if you find yourself in the event where you need access to state of the art healthcare in Toowoomba, you’re in good hands – but what if you want to be one of the ones administering that care?
Pursuing A Medical Career In Toowoomba
If you’re on the hunt for GP or doctor roles in the Sunshine State, there’s a chance that you’ll either want to work a little, a lot – or somewhere in between. Toowoomba based opportunities with House Call Doctor offer flexibility, with shifts that fit around your current workload, personal commitments, or even just lifestyle preferences.
Whether you’re looking to increase your earning potential, gain experience, or even just have a desire for greater job satisfaction, Toowoomba based opportunities with House Call Doctor offers local medical practitioners a chance to explore what out of hours healthcare is like, while still retaining a sense of freedom and flexibility. If you’re looking for an opportunity to broaden your career horizons, are you –
Are you –
- An Australian or Internationally Trained Medical Graduate
- Have full registration with the Medical Board of Australia
- Have two years post graduate experience, including experience in paediatrics, accident and emergency, general medicine and surgery
If you can answer yes to all of the above, then why not consider registering your interest for doctor jobs with House Call Doctor today, and be a part of the medical revolution.
