Professional Development & Event Support

Health Workforce Queensland (HWQ) recognises the importance of helping rural health professionals maintain and enhance their skills, broaden their scope of practice, and create opportunities for networking with peers and relevant organisations. We take pride in offering our own professional development workshops and supporting conferences and events tailored to the needs of rural health professionals and the rural workforce.

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Professional Development Workshops

Professional Development Workshops: In the 2023-2024 financial year, HWQ delivered four hands-on, interactive professional development workshops designed specifically for rural practitioners, with 78 delegates attending—57% of whom are servicing MM3-7 locations. These workshops are led by specialist facilitators who possess a deep understanding of the unique challenges of practicing in remote and rural settings. Using the latest clinical knowledge and hand-on skills training, these practical, procedural-based workshops provide invaluable, high-caliber learning experiences.

Feedback from our participants consistently highlights the exceptional quality of our facilitators, who are not only GPs but also specialists actively working in Metro emergency departments. Our commitment to small group learning ensures a personalised and impactful experience, making our workshops a standout in the CPD space.

​Events

Health Workforce Queensland delivered two key external events for stakeholders in 2023-2024: the Healthy Outback Communities (HOC) Day in Windorah, and the 2024 RDAQ Conference, incorporating our Queensland Rural Medical Family Network (QRMFN) Family Program.

RDAQ Conference: As the conference partner, HWQ was proud to play a significant role in organising and participating in this remarkable event dedicated to rural doctors, health facilities, communities, and university students. Held in June 2024 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, the conference brought together 296 delegates and 51 students. HWQ sponsored and presented at the Rural Workforce Forum and supported 10 university students in attending the event. We have been a proud conference partner since 2006, and our Training, Events and Marketing team’s exceptional efforts once again made the event a success, complemented by a family program co-developed with QRMFN.

Pictured Above: HWQ Event Team. Image supplied by Rural Doctors Association of Queensland (RDAQ)

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QRMFN: HWQ continues to support the QRMFN, an initiative aimed at recognising and supporting rural medical families. During the RDAQ Conference, the QRMFN hosted an engaging program for spouses, partners, and children. With 16 spouses and 22 children participating, the program offered a range of activities over three days. A highlight was the presentation of the annual "Backbone of the Bush" Award at the Gala Dinner, with this year’s recipient being David O’Toole, who you can read more about here. We are grateful to our Training, Events and Marketing Team for their hard work in delivering yet another successful QRMFN program.

Picture Above: David O'Toole and his family.

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Healthy Outback Communities (HOC), Windorah: As proud Alliance Partner, HWQ supported the HOC project team in April to manage their Healthy Outback Community Day in Windorah, Barcoo Shire. This event, which marked the official launch of the HOC, brought together over 100 people, including Barcoo residents, alliance partners, and healthcare providers offering free health checks. It was a day of celebration and community engagement, filled with health and wellbeing services as well as children's entertainment. Find out more about HOC.

Pictured Above: HOC Alliance and Event Team