Providing accessible healthcare closer to home is a priority of the Territory Labor Government.
In 2018 the Territory Government established a combined oncology and cardio service at Alice Springs Hospital, celebrating 5 years of operations in September this year.
Since its opening, the service has treated 12,000 patients, and allowed residents to receive care locally.
The service provides culturally appropriate care to Aboriginal patients and their families and engages Aboriginal Liaison Officers to help continue to improve the experience of those from remote communities.
The rate of heart related hospital admissions in Alice Springs is 98.6 per 10,000, which is higher than the national rate of 42.3 per 10,000. Over the last five years, around 5,500 patients have received care through this service.
Ranging from nurses, doctors, an Aboriginal Health Practitioner, a cardiac technician, a cardiac echo-sonographer and administrative staff, the cardiology team provides comprehensive consultative services, including twice-weekly chest pain clinics, echocardiograms, stress echocardiograms, trans-oesophageal echo, CT coronary angiograms, cardiac MRI, pacing device monitoring, stress tests, holter monitoring and a wide variety of exercise testing.
The cardiology service provides outreach clinics in 12 remote communities across the Central Australia and Barkly regions, including in Tennant Creek, Elliott, Ali Curung, Ti Tree, Yuendumu, Ampilatwatja, Lake Nash, Harts Range, Utopia, Papunya, Nyirripi, Kintore, Hermannsburg and Mutijulu.
The Alice Springs Hospital oncology service provides care to around 1,300 patients both in the hospital and via telehealth each year.
Over the last 5 years, around 6,500 patients have received care through the service, which includes chemotherapy, immunotherapy, high risk infusions for a variety of chronic diseases, iron infusions, monocolonal antibodies, immunodeficiency treatment and blood transfusions.
Quotes attributed to Chief Minister and Minister for Health Natasha Fyles:
"We know when you receive healthcare closer to home you get better outcomes. This is why we invest in quality healthcare infrastructure in every region of the Territory.
"12,000 patients in Central Australia have used the new oncology and cardiac service since it opened in 2018.
"Congratulations to the health staff and clinicians working in these specialties on your 5 year anniversary, of providing vital healthcare in our urban and remote settings."
Northern Territory Government
