Indigenous Wellness Connect launches to advance equitable care in border communities

Today, Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN (the PHN) joined key stakeholders from the Macintyre Health Alliance to launch the new Indigenous Wellness Connect program at Goondiwindi Medical Centre.

The Macintyre Health Alliance - a collaboration between the PHN, Goondiwindi Medical Centre, Darling Downs Health, Pius X Aboriginal Medical Service, Hunter New England Central Coast PHN (HNECC), and the Hunter New England Local Health District (LHD) – celebrated the news in July 2024 that the PHN’s application for an Innovative Model of Care (IMOC) Grant to implement the new program had been successful.

The $1.5 million grant will support a four-year trial of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander chronic conditions management service that uses the latest digital health technology and a multidisciplinary team model of allied health staff and GPs working together.

This is a localised model for the trial based across NSW and Queensland border townships, with the hub based out of Goondiwindi Medical Centre and embedded into general practice.

The Macintyre Health Alliance was formed to make recommendations on the delivery of health services within the Toomelah, Boggabilla and Goondiwindi region, and advocate for improved health services and outcomes for the people living in these communities.

Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN Chief Executive Officer, Ms Lucille Chalmers, said the border communities will feel the benefits of a service delivered through a unified, collaborative approach.

“The service will help to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with chronic conditions in Toomelah, Boggabilla, and Goondiwindi can access culturally safe, continuous care,” said Ms Chalmers.

Dr Sarah Gleeson, a practice partner at Goondiwindi Medical Centre, said the model’s extra layer of support would be crucial in working towards equitable health care and that the service is already making a tangible difference to the community.

“We’re seeing patients self-refer, including those who haven’t engaged with comprehensive health care for more than a decade. Many of our patients face challenges like transport, health anxiety, and competing life stressors, and a 15-minute GP appointment just isn’t enough to address all their needs.”

“We’re already seeing improvements in diabetes control in some patients, thanks to the team’s ongoing support with medication, injections, and diet,” said Dr Gleeson.

Care will be delivered through a connected network of community-controlled, government, and general practice primary care services, linked to Indigenous Wellness Connect at Goondiwindi Medical Centre and supported by telehealth access to specialists in major cities and towns on both sides of the border, in support of these underserviced rural communities.

The care model will include care coordination and team collaboration, as well as the use of a sophisticated telehealth cart system with diagnostic peripheral tools, enhanced digital satellite connectivity, and remote support from a multidisciplinary team of GPs, allied health, and specialists.

To learn more about the service, visit the Indigenous Wellness Connect Webpage.