COVID-19: Uncharted waters.

‘Uncharted waters’ is perhaps an understatement of where we are headed at this time. The situation is fluid, with government regulations for our society changing rapidly.

Alcohol management plans in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australian communities in Queensland: community residents have experienced favourable impacts but also suffered unfavourable ones.

Background: In Australia, 'Alcohol Management Plans' (AMPs) provide the policy infrastructure for State and Commonwealth Governments to address problematic alcohol use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. We report community residents' experiences of AMPs in 10 of Queensland's 15 remote Indigenous communities.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used a two-stage sampling strategy: N = 1211; 588 (48%) males, 623 (52%) females aged ≥18 years in 10 communities.

Changing paediatric emergency department model of care is associated with improvements in the National Emergency Access Target and a decrease in inpatient admissions.

Objective: To assess the impact on patient flow as noted by the National Emergency Access Target (NEAT), with the introduction of a new Paediatric ED (PEM ED) model of care.

Methods: This longitudinal observational study was conducted at the Logan Hospital, a 344 bed public hospital in metropolitan Brisbane, which opened a physically separate, dedicated PEM ED on 14 October 2014, incorporating approximately 30% more staff, limited changes in processes and no changes in governance. De-identified data of the entire clientele from the ED Information System were compared 365 days before and after the opening of the PEM ED.

Alcohol control policies in Indigenous communities: A qualitative study of the perceptions of their effectiveness among service providers, stakeholders and community leaders in Queensland (Australia).

Background: Favourable impacts are reported from complex alcohol control strategies, known as 'Alcohol Management Plans' (AMPs) implemented 14 years ago in 19 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) communities in Queensland (Australia). However, it is not clear that all communities benefited and that positive impacts were sustained. Service providers, key stakeholders and community leaders provided insights about issues and impacts.