Aboriginal Health - Healthy North Coast

aboriginal health

We support the wellbeing and resilience of Aboriginal people through our efforts to address health inequities.

Healthy North Coast acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community.

We know that our Aboriginal community members often experience poorer health than non-Aboriginal people; these inequities are unacceptable. We recognise that improvement relies on effective cross sectoral partnerships and leadership of Aboriginal organisations and communities.

We aim to improve access to, and the quality of, primary healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within our region and to support disease prevention and health promotion.

We employ a Deputy Director for Aboriginal Health and a team of Aboriginal Health Coordinators to provide leadership on local health issues. This team ensures there is a focus on Aboriginal health and aims to improve the integration of care across the region.

This work includes needs assessment and planning, developing multi-programme approaches and cross-sector linkages, and supporting commissioned programs and services.

Find your nearest Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) on NSW North Coast

Aboriginal Health Fact Sheet

As part of our Needs Assessment, we explored the Aboriginal health needs specific to our region. Download to find out more.

Related information

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Get in touch with our Aboriginal Health team

Healthy North Coast acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands across our region and pays respect to the Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise these lands were never ceded and acknowledge the continuation of culture and connection to land, sky and sea. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s First Peoples and honour the rich diversity of the world’s oldest living cultures.

Healthy North Coast is an independent, not-for-profit organisation proudly delivering the PHN program in North Coast NSW. We are committed to improving the health of our communities through quality primary health care.

The PHN program is an Australian Government Initiative.

The following guidelines are provided to set out the Department’s objectives for this funding. 

1. The funding is provided to Healthy North Coast to fund a program of infrastructure repair and relocation grants for health care providers in Lismore, NSW Local Government Area. 

2. Infrastructure refers to buildings, fitouts, and equipment.

3. Eligible grant recipients are: primary health care providers with infrastructure located within the Lismore Local Government Area (LGA) that was damaged by the 2022 floods. 

4. For the purposes of this program, primary health care providers are: general practices, allied health (including mental health), dental practices, pharmacies, private specialists, pathology providers, drug and alcohol treatment services, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. 

5. Under funding for this grants program, eligible grant recipients may receive up to $150,000 per applicant for the purpose of rebuilding flood-damaged infrastructure (buildings or fit-outs), replacing flood-damaged equipment, or relocating to alternative premises within Lismore, NSW LGA. Where an applicant’s rebuilding, repair, or relocation costs are less than $150,000, the grant amount will not exceed the rebuild, repair, or relocation cost. Where those costs exceed $150,000, the grant amount will not exceed the $150,000 cap (apart from the exceptions noted in point 6).

6. Applicants who have received support under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) and/or NSW grants remain eligible to apply for the grants, but prior support will be factored into determination of the level of support available. For example, an applicant requiring $80,000 to replace flood-damaged equipment who had already received $25,000 under DRFA or NSW grant support would receive $55,000 under this program.

7. Healthy North Coast will assess applications for support using appropriate documentary evidence of repair or relocation costs already incurred, or estimates by qualified persons of likely costs. Number of active patients will also be taken into consideration as part of the assessment. Qualified persons include licensed construction contractors (for rebuilding or refitting), representatives of equipment supply companies (for equipment replacement), or commercial real estate agents (for relocation).

8. Healthy North Coast will ensure that grants are made only in respect of damage caused by flood events during 2022 and only for the purposes of rebuilding flood-damaged infrastructure (buildings or fit-outs), replacing flood-damaged equipment, or relocating to alternative premises within Lismore LGA. 

9. Grants may only be provided in respect of damage to premises or equipment that was uninsured, or for which insurance was prohibitively expensive.

10. There will be additional flexibility for additional assistance highly impacted applicants to be determined by Healthy North Coast in line with all the above criteria. 

11. Healthy North Coast will provide applicants with a simple application process and make available clear explanations of the eligibility criteria, supporting documentation requirements and application process.

North Coast Health Connect Overview

North Coast Health Connect provides 24/7 clinical advice from experienced triage nurses (registered nurses) via phone or webchat for North Coast consumers with acute clinical symptoms.

The objective of the service is to support consumers to find the right care at the right time and place, whilst also empowering them to manage their own care when safe to do so.

The service is funded by Healthy North Coast through the North Coast PHN Program, delivered by Amplar Health (Amplar) and evaluated by The George Institute.

The triage process

Triage is conducted by registered nurses who are experienced in taking calls from health consumers. Each assessment commences with the collection of pertinent demographic information and ruling out life-threatening emergencies. Triage nurses then conduct a clinical assessment to gain an understanding of the relevant acute clinical symptoms and determine the best course of action.

The nurses are guided by over 180 clinical decision support algorithms which; in turn, are informed by strong clinical evidence and practice globally. Amplar has used and continually improved these algorithms for over a decade, undertaking many millions of interactions with consumers in Australia. In addition, they have also improved the algorithms to fit our local conditions here on the North Coast.

Despite the robustness of these decision support tools, all registered nurses maintain the autonomy to override the algorithm outcome if they make the clinical determination the patient needs higher acuity care (or lower care in limited circumstances).

Triage outcomes

Where it is determined the caller is not able to manage their symptoms at home, the nurse who conducts the triage assessment may refer the caller to a wide range of services in the acute and primary care health system including:

ambulance response — 000
the nearest Emergency Department
see a general practitioner (GP) in 2 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 1-3 days or by routine appointment. View more information.
where no face-to-face GP appointments are available, attend an HNC GP telehealth appointment in 2 hours, 6 hours or 12 hours. View more information.
dental services
see a community pharmacist within 24 hours (read more below)
connection to a mental health support phone line or other phone lines where appropriate.

Clinical governance

Amplar monitors the clinical quality of the triage service to ensure it continues to align with best practice (ISO 9901:2015). Amplar has a dedicated Clinical Governance Team, overseen by a medical practitioner, who ensures patient safety and service effectiveness are always front of mind.

Referral to a general practitioner

In partnership with participating general practices in the Healthy North Coast region, North Coast Health Connect will provide a more integrated approach to patients who need a consultation with a GP urgently.

When the triage assessment indicates the patient should consult with a doctor, the triage nurses will endeavour to assist the patient to find an available appointment with their own general practice in the first instance. Where that GP clinic is integrated with the triage service, the nurse will also be able to book that patient into a GP appointment directly, saving time and stress for the patient and GP clinic admin staff.

This integration will also focus on increasing access to those without a regular GP, by booking the patient directly into an integrated GP clinic where possible.

Healthy North Coast’s GP Telehealth service will be available to callers who are triaged as needing a GP appointment when no face-to-face appointment can be found and the presentation is suitable for a telehealth appointment.

Referral to a community pharmacist

In partnership with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, North Coast Health Connect has developed a new low-acuity referral option to see a community pharmacist within 24 hours. These referrals are arrived at through the standardised clinical algorithms. Referrals are restricted to the current scope of Australian pharmacist practice.

The consumer will receive a private 1:1 consultation with a community pharmacist, supported by evidence-based guidelines. The type of management interventions provided by the pharmacist include:

Provision of tailored health education and care advice
Supply of a non-prescription medicine
Escalation to another health professional

The inclusion of community pharmacists as a North Coast Health Connect referral point provides an additional option for face-to-face healthcare advice and reassurance, as well as access to evidence-based treatments for patients who do not need urgent care. It also assists North Coast Health Connect to leverage maximum health system capacity for North Coast health consumers.

North Coast Health Connect Overview

North Coast Health Connect provides 24/7 clinical advice from experienced triage nurses (registered nurses) via phone or webchat for North Coast consumers with acute clinical symptoms.

The objective of the service is to support consumers to find the right care at the right time and place, whilst also empowering them to manage their own care when safe to do so.

The service is funded by Healthy North Coast through the North Coast PHN Program, delivered by Amplar Health (Amplar) and evaluated by The George Institute.

The triage process

Triage is conducted by registered nurses who are experienced in taking calls from health consumers. Each assessment commences with the collection of pertinent demographic information and ruling out life-threatening emergencies. Triage nurses then conduct a clinical assessment to gain an understanding of the relevant acute clinical symptoms and determine the best course of action.

The nurses are guided by over 180 clinical decision support algorithms which; in turn, are informed by strong clinical evidence and practice globally. Amplar has used and continually improved these algorithms for over a decade, undertaking many millions of interactions with consumers in Australia. In addition, they have also improved the algorithms to fit our local conditions here on the North Coast.

Despite the robustness of these decision support tools, all registered nurses maintain the autonomy to override the algorithm outcome if they make the clinical determination the patient needs higher acuity care (or lower care in limited circumstances).

Triage outcomes

Where it is determined the caller is not able to manage their symptoms at home, the nurse who conducts the triage assessment may refer the caller to a wide range of services in the acute and primary care health system including:

ambulance response — 000
the nearest Emergency Department
see a general practitioner (GP) in 2 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 1-3 days or by routine appointment
where no face-to-face GP appointments are available, attend an HNC GP telehealth appointment in 2 hours, 6 hours or 12 hours
dental services
see a community pharmacist within 24 hours (read more below)
connection to a mental health support phone line or other phone lines where appropriate.

Clinical governance

Amplar monitors the clinical quality of the triage service to ensure it continues to align with best practice (ISO 9901:2015). Amplar has a dedicated Clinical Governance Team, overseen by a medical practitioner, who ensures patient safety and service effectiveness are always front of mind.

Referral to a general practitioner

In partnership with participating general practices in the Healthy North Coast region, North Coast Health Connect will provide a more integrated approach to patients who need a consultation with a GP urgently.

When the triage assessment indicates the patient should consult with a doctor, the triage nurses will endeavour to assist the patient to find an available appointment with their own general practice in the first instance. Where that GP clinic is integrated with the triage service, the nurse will also be able to book that patient into a GP appointment directly, saving time and stress for the patient and GP clinic admin staff.

This integration will also focus on increasing access to those without a regular GP, by booking the patient directly into an integrated GP clinic where possible.

Healthy North Coast’s GP Telehealth service will be available to callers who are triaged as needing a GP appointment when no face-to-face appointment can be found and the presentation is suitable for a telehealth appointment.

Referral to a community pharmacist

In partnership with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, North Coast Health Connect has developed a new low-acuity referral option to see a community pharmacist within 24 hours. These referrals are arrived at through the standardised clinical algorithms. Referrals are restricted to the current scope of Australian pharmacist practice.

The consumer will receive a private 1:1 consultation with a community pharmacist, supported by evidence-based guidelines. The type of management interventions provided by the pharmacist include:

Provision of tailored health education and care advice
Supply of a non-prescription medicine
Escalation to another health professional

The inclusion of community pharmacists as a North Coast Health Connect referral point provides an additional option for face-to-face healthcare advice and reassurance, as well as access to evidence-based treatments for patients who do not need urgent care. It also assists North Coast Health Connect to leverage maximum health system capacity for North Coast health consumers.