General News
6 December, 2025
Vollies improve healthcare
PATIENTS needing care at Tully Hospital will experience state-of-the-art comfort thanks to hard-working fundraising volunteers who have donated more than $80,000 worth of equipment.
Two patient monitors have been bought for the emergency department resuscitation and procedure rooms, pressure injury prevention mattresses provided to keep patients more comfortable if they do not move much in their bed and a helipad retrieval trolley to assist with transport of critical patients to and from the hospital.
Tully Hospital Friends of the Foundation president Suzy Reis said the patient monitors were bought through selling raffle tickets at the Euramo Hotel and Mt Tyson Hotel.
“One of the mattresses was purchased from a donation from the St Gerard celebrations held only a couple of weeks ago and the other equipment was from high teas, a colour run at Feluga School, Christmas street party, ham wheel, Tully Tigers canteen and donations from the general community,” she said.
Tully Hospital acting director of nursing Diane Brown said the hydraulic helicopter trolley had made transferring the sickest patients up to the helipad much easier and safer to navigate.
“It has made the ride up the incline at the back of the hospital a lot smoother and quicker, which is important when time is critical and the Tully weather is inclement,” she said.
“The pressure-relieving mattress are a welcome addition to the pressure injury prevention mattresses we already have.
“As part of comprehensive care of our patients, our aim is to reduce pressure, sheer and friction of our patients’ fragile skin and having more of these devices support our objectives.
“The Phillips monitors are essential for obtaining vital signs from our patients in all areas of the hospital.
“These monitors have been positioned in critical areas of the emergency department and will assist in providing comprehensive patient data promptly, to support early diagnosis and decision-making.
“The staff of the Tully Hospital are very grateful to the continued support of the local Friends of the Foundation. We appreciate the time and commitment towards assisting with purchasing much needed equipment and the ongoing fundraising efforts.”
Tully Hospital Friends of the Foundation is a subsidiary of the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation, a fundraising and volunteer charity supporting improved health outcomes from Tully to the Torres Strait.
Foundation CEO Gina Hogan paid tribute to the hard-working Tully volunteers for the many hours of work they had put into fundraising for their community.
“Groups such as Suzy and the team at Tully truly are what makes us the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation. They work so hard selling raffle tickets, raising funds and we know it is so rewarding for them to see the efforts of their work come to fruition in the form of more equipment for Tully Hospital. All funds raised locally truly stay local and we’re so proud to see these awesome pieces of equipment in use,” Mrs Hogan said.
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