Queensland’s health sector is facing increasing challenges driven by a growing and aging population, an increasing burden of chronic diseases, a complex health system, increased demand for services and a constrained funding environment. A key priority for Queensland Health is to address these challenges, ensure patient safety and provide quality care.
In 2016, the Nurse and Midwife Navigator Program (Navigator) was introduced in Queensland. Led by the Office of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Clinical Excellence Division, the navigator service supports patients with complex healthcare needs.
The Navigator Program aims to improve health literacy in addition to assisting patients to navigate the healthcare system from their referring general practitioner (GP) and/or other primary care providers, through hospital, the community, and back home again. By working across multiple specialties, the program aims to reduce service fragmentation and improve access for patients through care coordination, advocacy and education.
The highly experienced navigators have an in-depth knowledge of the health system and help to improve patients’ health literacy and capacity to self-manage their conditions. Navigators help ensure patients are treated in the right place, at the right time, by the right healthcare professional.
Lived Experiences
“I was in a desperate state, no one could help me, and I was seeing many different doctors – 45 appointments in eight months. Now I have more confidence in managing my own illnesses and getting the right care. I have a hope for a better outcome. Someone is listening to me at last.”
Paul – Complex Chronic Disease – Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service
“Honestly, you have broken the barrier of fear of hospitals and health care workers. I would never have up and come to hospital even when I needed help; now I have more trust and knowledge. If I ended up in hospital I used to just sit quietly and wonder when I could leave, now I ask questions and the staff explain things to me which makes me feel better about being there.”
Irene – Identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patient – South West Hospital and Health Service
“The navigator made it possible for me to think I could manage my baby when he came home. She sat with me when talking to the medical staff about his surgeries and would make sure that I could understand what they were saying – she made the doctors use normal talk instead of big medical words. Before my baby was ready to come home the navigator arranged a meeting with all the people (doctors, social workers, speech pathologists, physiotherapists) who were telling me what to do when we went home and I was able to ask questions which was good.”
Missy – mother of neonatal patient – Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
Contact us
Email: ocnmo-corro@health.qld.gov.au
Postal Address: GPO Box 48 Brisbane, Queensland 4001 Australia
