Ngangganawili Aboriginal Health Service (NAHS) in Wiluna, remote Western Australia, will enhance care for nearly 1,000 patients with the addition of three staff housing units. This follows the Australian Government's $1.3 million investment, which will enable the Aboriginal owned medical service to recruit and keep clinical staff.
While this investment will directly benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the area, it will also help NAHS provide health services to the whole Wiluna community.
Funding was provided through a Closing the Gap Major Capital Works grant under the Indigenous Australians' Health Programme (IAHP).
As part of its commitment to Closing the Gap, the Government is investing $254.4 million to address seriously deteriorating or non-existent health infrastructure for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS).
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney MP:
"Safe and comfortable housing is something many of us take for granted - and in remote and regional communities available housing is what makes or breaks integral services, like healthcare, running. It brings me so much joy to see all the new Wiluna homes.
"Across the country I've met with health providers and consistently they've stated their biggest challenges are staff recruitment, retention and unfit-for-purpose infrastructure. We're changing that.
"Through the Albanese Government's Closing the Gap Major Capital Works program and the Service Maintenance Program, we are supporting the ACCHS sector to continue delivering the high quality and culturally safe care they're known for."
Quotes attributable to Richard Whittington, CEO Ngangganawili Aboriginal Health Service:
"Our organisation at the time we submitted our application had provided 586 nights of accommodation to a broad range of professionals visiting our clinic from July to June.
"This was achieved only by asking NAHS staff to share their accommodation.
"The three new two-bedroom, two-bathroom staff houses will certainly assist our organisation to free up accommodation for our permanent medical staff."
