After completing a scholarship under the Women's and Girls Health Improvement Program, physiotherapist Imogen Lewis from the Cape York Allied Health Outreach team is bringing new skills to remote communities.
Helping people regain their physical functionality is what drives Imogen Lewis to show up at work with passion every day.
As a physiotherapist with the Cape York Allied Health Outreach team, Imogen empowers patients across the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service to rebuild strength and work toward living full, meaningful lives.
“If I can help someone regain their functionality and return to their normal life, I feel like I’ve made a real difference for that person,” she said.
With six years of experience, Imogen recently completed the Queensland Health Physiotherapy Scholarship through the Women’s and Girls Health Improvement Program.
The one-year scholarship focuses on women’s pelvic health, offering specialised training to Queensland Health physiotherapists.
“The course, run by the Australian Physiotherapy Association, has been incredibly beneficial,” Imogen said.
“It’s comprehensive and has taught me a great deal about the pelvic floor, bladder, and bowel function, along with practical skills for assessing and managing a range of women’s pelvic health conditions.”
Armed with this new expertise, Imogen has expanded her skillset to provide specialised women’s health physiotherapy services to remote communities—bringing essential care closer to home.
She frequently travels to remote areas of Cape York, where women’s health physiotherapy services have historically been limited.
“With the skills I’ve gained from this scholarship, I can now offer more specialised, comprehensive care for a broader range of pelvic health conditions in the communities I serve.
“I’m also looking forward to completing supervision with our advanced women’s health physio in Weipa to continue growing in this field.
“Having more trained professionals working remotely will improve access to specialist women’s health services for those living in rural and remote areas.”
Imogen completed the scholarship in Women’s Health – Women’s Pelvic Health Physiotherapy Level 1 and 2, and was among 22 Queensland Health physiotherapists statewide selected for the inaugural 2024–2025 cohort.
Women’s and Girls Health Improvement Program Scholarships
The Women's and Girls Health Improvement Program Physiotherapy Scholarship is a Queensland Health initiative aimed at ensuring women and girls receive timely, effective healthcare tailored to their specific needs.
The program also offers scholarships to Queensland Health nurses and midwives to study with the Australian College of Nursing focused on pelvic health care, including endometriosis and pelvic pain or continence management.
By supporting physiotherapists, nurses, and midwives to complete these scholarships, Queensland Health is working toward improved community access to specialised care, helping women and girls manage their pain and symptoms early, and reducing the need for hospital-based care.
Up to twenty scholarship opportunities are available annually over the next three years for the specialties of physiotherapy, and nursing and midwifery.
Visit the Women’s and Girls Health Improvement Program for further information about improving the health outcomes for women and girls in Queensland.
Queensland Health employees interested in undertaking the physiotherapy or nursing and midwifery scholarships can find more information on the Queensland Health intranet.
Queensland Health is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace that celebrates diversity across all groups, including First Nations peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse and LGBTIQ+ communities, people living with disability, and women. We uphold a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment, ensuring a safe, supportive, and equitable environment for all employees.