Caboolture Hospital is among the Queensland hospitals where recruitment has started for specialist mental health nurses in emergency departments, as part of a $93.1 million plan to strengthen mental health support.
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The rollout will see 53 new specialist mental health nursing positions introduced in emergency departments across Queensland, with recruitment also underway at Cairns, Nambour, Bundaberg and Rockhampton hospitals.
Most hospitals involved in the rollout are receiving the equivalent of 3.5 full-time specialist mental health nurses through Mental Health Levy funding. Redcliffe Hospital was among the first facilities to recruit, alongside Redlands and Hervey Bay. It currently has 2.94 full-time equivalent mental health nurses in its emergency department and is still recruiting.
The new roles are intended to help people experiencing mental health concerns receive prompt assessment and be connected with appropriate care.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls said seeking mental health support in an emergency department can be a stressful experience. He said the specialist nurses would provide additional support to help people receive assessment and connect with suitable care as early as possible.
At Redcliffe Hospital, one of the nurses involved in the rollout is Angus Hannon, a Nurse Practitioner Candidate. His path into nursing was influenced by his own experience as a patient. Hannon was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 20 and underwent chemotherapy at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. The care and compassion shown by nurses and other staff left an impression on him and influenced his decision to pursue nursing.
His experience also shaped his desire to support people during difficult periods in their lives. Hannon has described nursing as a profession that involves both compassion and finding answers for patients. During his first nursing placement, he realised he wanted to help people through particularly difficult experiences while providing care with warmth and compassion.
Working in emergency care also means dealing with different situations every day. Hannon has welcomed the prospect of more Nurse Practitioners working in emergency departments and believes the additional roles could help reduce waiting times and pressure on emergency services.
The wider funding package includes $28.5 million each year after the initial $93.1 million allocation to continue mental health support in emergency departments. For Caboolture Hospital, recruitment has now started for the new specialist roles. The positions will bring additional specialist mental health expertise into its emergency department.
The initiative is intended to strengthen mental health support in emergency departments and help patients connect with appropriate care.
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The new roles are also being described as part of a wider increase in Queensland’s public health workforce, with more than 10,000 additional health workers reported across public hospitals and health services since the current administration was elected.
The recruitment will add specialist mental health nursing positions to Caboolture Hospital’s emergency department as the statewide rollout continues.
Featured image credit: Google Maps/Glenn Batten
Published 26-August-2026
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