The new year will bring changes to local Aboriginal Medical Services (AMSs) in Western NSW following extensive reviews, with a revised Integrated Team Care (ITC) Program designed to improve the capacity of local services. 

The ITC is designed to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents living with a chronic disease, and has been delivered by Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation since 2016. 

Following a 2021 review, the redesigned program will change hands on January 1, changing how Coonamble, Gilgandra, Brewarrina, Walgett, Condobolin and Bourke implement ITC. 

CEO of Coonamble, Dubbo and Gilgandra AMSs, Phil Naden, has welcomed the funding from Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) for the ITC Program. 

“I’m looking forward to a strengthened approach in working with WNSW PHN and I’m keen to commence the project in our locations to service Aboriginal Clients in the region.” 

Under the 2021 review of the existing ITC program, it was found that there were various areas requiring improvement, including assistance patients to navigate complex pathways to receiving the right level of care, such as access to specialist services. 

Local delivery of the program was also identified as vital for residents to ensure the service can be tailored to specific community and individual requirements. 

Walgett AMS CEO Christine Corby said that local residents had been feeling the pinch of distance in maintaining their health and accessing services. 

“WAMS recognise the financial impost for some of their clients to receive allied health and specialist care outside of their place of residence. The ITC Program will enable clients to access much-needed care that could not necessarily be available to them,” said Ms Corby.

WNSW PHN CEO Andrew Coe, says that patients accessing the existing program are the priority focus as the transition of services takes place, reassuring that the service was never going to be defunded. 

“Maari Ma has been provided with full funding to continue delivering the existing ITC Program under the Marrabinya name through to the end of December (2022) and we will be corroborating diligently with the existing and new service providers to make sure the experience of patients is as smooth as possible during this transition period,” Mr Coe said.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with a chronic illness will be able to access the ITC program from their local AMS from January 1, 2023.