Caboolture Hospital Senior Pharmacist Belinda Chappell

Caboolture Hospital Pharmacy Director Tim Dunn received a mayday call from friends at Central West HHS on Friday 1 April, flagging a critical shortfall in their pharmacy workforce due to COVID-19.

This was no April Fool’s joke – they needed a hand at Longreach Hospital.

Enter superstar Caboolture Hospital Senior Pharmacist Belinda Chappell, who was on a plane flying to Longreach the next morning to provide core service coverage for a few weeks during the workforce shortfall.

“When I saw the urgent request for Pharmacist support for Central West HHS, my first thoughts were “well, why not?,” Belinda said.

“An opportunity like this does not arise often and I knew I was up for the challenge.

“The close-knit team at Longreach Hospital have made me feel extremely welcome and are very supportive.

“It has been very rewarding to be able to help my Queensland Health colleagues, particularly during times of extra staffing pressures due to the pandemic.

“Both the clinical and logistical elements of working in a large, remote region that services many locations require you to think outside of the basket.

“Longreach is a lovely small town and I am looking forward to seeing the sights whilst I am here, particularly the river cruise experience, the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and the QANTAS museum.”