New Indigenous Support Service Takes Aboriginal Health in Aboriginal Hands to New Level
Tomorrow marks an auspicious day for Aboriginal people across the entire western NSW region with a new service established to link Aboriginal people who have a chronic disease with the care they need.
Called the Indigenous Health Support Service (IHSS), the new service has been established by Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation, in conjunction with Bila Muuji Aboriginal Health Services, funded by the Commonwealth Government’s Integrated Team Care program via the Western NSW Primary Health Network.
The IHSS aims to assist Aboriginal people to access and attend the care, services or aids they require as recommended by their GP.
This includes making specialist appointments, arranging transport, or having medications packaged in Webster packs and walking frames, as some examples.
Maari Ma Chief Executive Officer, Bob Davis said as a consortium between two peak Aboriginal community controlled health organisations from the region, the IHSS will see ‘Aboriginal health in Aboriginal hands’ taken to the next level.
“Bila Muuji Chairperson, Jamie Newman, and I have been extremely pleased to be able to put together a team positioned across the 440,000 square kilometres of the Western Region to provide services to more than 36,000 Aboriginal residents.
“With a budget of more than $2.7 million per year, the IHSS will be allocating considerably more money for services than has previously been available” Mr Davis said.
IHSS Manager, Donna Jeffries, said the IHSS is looking forward to helping clients stay well.
“It’s very important to be able to support Aboriginal people to access the care that their doctor recommends for them.
“The IHSS will be working closely with GPs from across the Western Region to support their Aboriginal clients with their health needs.
“We have established a 1800 number where both GP’s can refer their clients and clients themselves can contact if they are unsure whether their future services are being organised.
“That way we are able to minimize any possibilities of clients being overlooked during this transition time.
“The number is 1800 940 757. A fact sheet is also available on the Western NSW PHN website www.wnswphn.org.au” Ms Jeffries said.
ENDS
31st October 2016
Available for interview
IHSS Manager, Donna Jeffries Ph 0439 204 125