Dedicated Services to Industry
Northern Region of the QAS provides dedicated service to Mount Isa Mine and the Phosphate Hill Fertilizer Plant. These industrial sites utilise the expertise and training of QAS paramedic officers in providing emergency pre-hospital response to their sites.
Mount Isa Mine
The Northern Region is currently contracted to provide ambulance services to Mount Isa Mine, which is the largest underground mine in Australia. Paramedic Officers receive training to allow them to attend cases in the underground mining situation. Response to MIM site uses the existing communications and operational infrastructure of QAS, rather than having a dedicated crew on site. The mine site is in close proximity to the Mt Isa Ambulance Station, and calls are responded from that centre. However ambulance staff must undergo the same health checks as those undertaken by mine staff.
When an emergency call is received, the appropriate level of response is determined through the normal prioritising system, and appropriate resources dispatched to attend to the situation. Due to the nature of the environment, many of the cases attended at the mine site are industrial related cases. If required, medical advice or assistance can be sought through the mine’s medical centre or Mt Isa Base Hospital. More serious cases may be flown to Townsville, the nearest medical referral centre, via RFDS or other aircraft.
Phosphate Hill Fertiliser Plant
QAS also services Phosphate Hill Fertiliser Plant which is over 100 km SSE of Mt Isa. Two paramedics provide a full time clinic service to the plant, with the addition of rehabilitation of injured or ill workers, drug and alcohol testing, other general health testing such as spirometry, health and safety and emergency planning advice, and assistance with the emergency response teams. The site has a fully equipped clinic and QAS vehicle, and one paramedic is rostered at a time to provide services on a 24 hour 7 day per week service.
Because of the remote nature of the service, links with the nearest base hospital at Mt Isa and the RFDS is critical to maintain services. Information technology is used to enhance patient care, for example sourcing information on line, and sending digital images to medical authorities to aid in diagnosis.
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