1 September 2023
A new purpose-built medical supply distribution centre has opened in Townsville, helping to improve the Queensland Health supply chain network across Queensland.
The North Queensland Distribution Centre (NQDC) will support Townsville and regional Hospital and Health Services throughout the north of the state.
Queensland Health A/Deputy Director-General Corporate Services Division Damian Greensaid the new centre marks a major milestone in enhancing Queensland Health’s vital supply chain network.
“This is an important addition to our integrated network of facilities, placing more capacity in the regions to make sure our frontline staff have the critical supplies they need to care for Queenslanders,” Mr Green said.
“As well as an expanded range of materials, the new warehouse and process enhancements will ensure these supplies make their way to our Hospital and Health Services quickly and efficiently.”
The 5000 square metre facility will hold around 4000 pallets and is four times the capacity of the previous facility in Townsville.
Built to meet Queensland Health’s specific requirements, half of the NQDC is temperature controlled to store medical consumables with temperature or sterile storage requirements.
Supplies stored in the NQDC include critical stock, such as intensive care consumables, personal protective equipment (PPE), medical dressings, sanitisers and cleaning products and critical pathology supplies.
The facility will also allow quicker delivery times enabled by new processes and technology systems designed to support frontline service requirements.
The new facility has been delivered as part of the Queensland Government Critical Supply Reserve (QGCSR) Strategy, launched in September 2020 and developed in response to the initial COVID-19 outbreak when global supply arrangements were significantly disrupted.
“The QGCSR was established to safeguard frontline services and protect against supply chain disruption resulting from a range of large-scale emergency events, not just the pandemic,” Mr Green said.
“These enhancements have enabled Queensland Health’s supply chain to meet significant surges in demand during the COVID-19 response and other major emergencies, such as the widespread flooding in South East Queensland in early 2022.
“This has ensured continued delivery of essential services and kept our frontline workers and the community safe.
“Thanks to the Queensland Government’s forward planning, we have been able to effectively increase Queensland Health’s ability to store supplies and improve delivery timeframes to guarantee our hospitals with continued access to medical supplies when and where they need it.”
The NQDC joins the South East Queensland Distribution Centre in Brisbane and regional warehouses in Cairns and Rockhampton in an integrated supply network, representing a 300 per cent increase in distribution centre and warehouse capacity.
From October, the new NQDC will also support the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) in North Queensland, helping to improve delivery times and supply resilience across the regions.
North Queensland Distribution Centre at a glance
- Opening 7 August 2023, the new NQDC will hold critical supplies with distribution to Townsville, Torres and Cape, Cairns and Hinterland, North West and Mackay Hospital and Health Services.
- The new NQDC facility spans 5000 square metres and is built to Queensland Health requirements.
- It will store approximately 4000 pallets, including an estimated 2000 temperature-controlled pallets.
- Half of the 5000 square metre facility will be temperature controlled to support the storage of consumables with temperature or sterile storage requirements.
- It has a four-fold capacity increase from the previous facility.
- Supplies stored in the NQDC include critical medical stock to support frontline services.
For more information on the QGCSR Strategy visit Queensland Government Critical Supply Reserve.
ENDS
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