- The Health Minister officially opened the $3.1 million Drayton Ambulance Station.
- Drayton Ambulance Station provides a 24 hour service to the Drayton community and supports the surrounding stations at Toowoomba and Fairview.
- The Darling Downs Mental Health Co-Responder team, which was funded in the 2023/24 Queensland Budget,
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman officially opened the $3.1 million Drayton Ambulance Station today, which has already proved a boost for the local community since becoming operational.
Minister Fentiman also announced today that the Darling Downs Mental Health Co-Responder team will be based at the Drayton facility, too.
The station is home to 17 Advanced Care Paramedics and an Officer-in-Charge, who have provided invaluable dedication and care to the community already.
The station is comprised of a four-bay plant room, patient care store, office space, day room and write up area, multifunctional rest and study rooms that can also be used as training space.
The Drayton Ambulance Station services the areas of Drayton, Wyreema, Cambooya, Westbrook, Preston and south-west Toowoomba.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman MP:
"I want to ensure the community's expectations are being met during medical emergencies and this state-of-the-art facility is supporting paramedics to deliver the best care possible to their patients.
"One of the most common callouts for our Darling Downs paramedics is for Acute Mental Health patients, so I'm proud to be part of a government that is investing in this specialist program which pairs mental health clinicians with our paramedics.
"I'm committed to improving access to health care across our regions and this station is supporting coverage in the Darling Downs and South West Region and contributing to improved response times."
Quotes attributable to Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) Darling Downs and South West Region Assistant Commissioner Michelle Baxter:
"This facility provides an incredible space to work and we have already seen the advantages of the multimillion-dollar station since it became operational.
"This facility was also designed for the QAS to relocate the headquarters of our Darling Downs and South West Region office from the previous location in the Toowoomba CBD.
"The premises will help our entire Darling Downs and South West team navigate what may lie ahead for the region."
"Our staff proudly put on their uniform day in, day out for the community and it's great to see them operating out of these premises."
