Annual Report 2025–26

Our priority areas

Six priorities, and the projects delivered under each during 2025–26.

Introduction

Where we invested, and why

NQPHN organises its work into six priority areas. Each is set by the Joint Regional Needs Assessment, which draws together regional health data, service mapping and consultation with clinicians, providers and communities.

The needs assessment tells us where the gap between need and available care is widest. Our commissioning decisions follow it, and our evaluation reports back against it. What follows sets out each priority area and the featured projects delivered under it during the year.

Priority area 01

Population health

Prevention, early detection and chronic condition management delivered closer to where people live. Population health work targets the conditions that drive the greatest burden of disease across northern Queensland, and the communities where access to care is hardest.

Multidisciplinary Allied Health Teams

Multidisciplinary allied health teams bring physiotherapy, dietetics, podiatry, exercise physiology and diabetes education into communities where those services have historically been thin or absent.

Teams work on a hub-and-spoke model out of Cairns, Townsville and Mackay, travelling to smaller centres on a scheduled rotation so that patients and referring GPs can plan around reliable visits rather than ad hoc availability.

The model has reduced avoidable travel for patients managing chronic conditions, and has given local general practices a consistent allied health partner to refer into.

Pharmacist in General Practice

Non-dispensing pharmacists embedded within general practice teams conduct medication reviews, support deprescribing, and advise clinicians on complex regimens for patients taking multiple medicines.

Practices participating in the program have reported fewer medication-related presentations and more confident management of polypharmacy in older patients and those with several chronic conditions.

The role also builds capability across the practice team, with pharmacists contributing to case conferencing, quality improvement activity and practice-level audit.

Social Workers in General Practice

Social workers placed in general practice respond to the circumstances that sit behind many presentations — housing insecurity, family violence, financial stress, grief, and social isolation.

Having the social worker on site means a GP can make a warm handover in the same visit, rather than issuing a referral that may never be taken up. Uptake has been strongest in practices serving communities with high socio-economic disadvantage.

The program has also relieved pressure on GPs, allowing consultations to focus on clinical care while psychosocial needs are met by an appropriately qualified practitioner.

Priority area 02

Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD)

Our largest area of investment, spanning low-intensity supports, psychological therapies, suicide prevention and aftercare, and alcohol and other drugs treatment across the region.

Service contacts from NQPHN-funded mental health services

Stepped Mental Health Care

A tiered model matching people to the level of support they need, from digital and low-intensity options through to intensive clinical care.

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Suicide Prevention and Aftercare

Follow-up support for people after a suicide attempt or crisis presentation, delivered in partnership with hospital and health services.

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Alcohol and Other Drugs Treatment

Counselling, withdrawal support and case management, with a focus on rural communities where treatment options are limited.

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Priority area 03

GPs and other Primary Care Professionals

Practice support, education and digital health capability for the general practices, nurses and allied health professionals who deliver the majority of care across our region.

Occasions of support through 397 face-to-face practice visits

Practice Engagement Visits

Face-to-face support for practices on accreditation, data quality, workforce and access to NQPHN-commissioned services.

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Education and Training Program

Ninety-one events delivered to 1,321 participants, covering clinical updates, cultural safety and system navigation.

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Digital Health and Quality Improvement

Support for secure messaging, My Health Record participation and practice-level quality improvement activity.

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Priority area 04

First Nations Health

Our largest area of investment, spanning low-intensity supports, psychological therapies, suicide prevention and aftercare, and alcohol and other drugs treatment across the region.

Integrated Team Care services coordinated by 12 providers

Integrated Team Care

Care coordination and supplementary services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic conditions.

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Cultural Safety and Capability

Training and practice support to improve the cultural safety of mainstream primary care services across the region.

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First Nations Workforce Development

Pathways, mentoring and professional development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and practitioners.

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Priority area 05

System Integration

Connecting services so that people, particularly those with complex needs, can move through the health system without repeating their story or falling between providers.

Care Finder client engagements delivered across the region

Care Finder Program

Face-to-face assistance for older people with no support network to access aged care and connected services.

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HealthPathways

Locally agreed clinical and referral pathways giving GPs consistent guidance on assessment, management and referral.

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After Hours and Urgent Care

Commissioned after hours services and coordination to reduce avoidable emergency department presentations.

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Priority area 06

Foundational

The needs assessment, commissioning discipline, data and evaluation capability that underpin every other priority area and hold our investment to account.

2025–28

Joint Regional Needs Assessment cycle guiding all NQPHN commissioning

Joint Regional Needs Assessment

The evidence base for all NQPHN commissioning, refreshed through consultation with clinicians, services and communities.

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Commissioning and Contract Management

Procurement, contracting and performance management of the services NQPHN funds across the region.

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Data, Evaluation and Reporting

Measurement of outcomes and service performance to inform reinvestment and continuous improvement.

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Explore the report

In this report

Home

Welcome to the NQPHN Annual Report for 2024-25.

Board Chair and CEO message

Reflections on the year and the road ahead.

About NQPHN

Our purpose, the Three Cs, and our values.

Our priority areas

Six priorities and the projects delivered under each.

Board and governance

How NQPHN is led and held to account.

Financials

A summary of income and expenditure for the year.

Good news stories

Impact from communities across the region