News

Koori community investing in a healthy future

Tue, 06 Oct 2015 12:14:00

A Koori community leader in the Mallee says he’s motivated by the growing investment his community is making in its own future, after another record year for the Mallee’s Aboriginal health service.

The Chief Executive Officer of Mallee District Aboriginal Services Rudolph Kirby said end of financial year figures show MDAS Health provided more than 28,000 consultations and services for the year.
“It’s an astounding number – more than 500 consultations and services a week to people across our communities in Mildura, Swan Hill and Kerang,” Mr Kirby said.
“The work we are doing through the design and implementation of culturally-appropriate health and lifestyle programs is clearly hitting its mark in engaging community members and bringing them back,” he said.
Mr Kirby said the number of consultations and services delivered by MDAS to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients increased by more than nine percent for the year and the number of Aboriginal health checks on men, women and children increased 40 percent.  
“The great thing is that it is the third year in succession we have made sustained improvement on these measures,” he said.
Mr Kirby said the encouraging trend for growing numbers of people to engage with the service was setting the foundation for long-term inroads to closing the gap that still exists for Aboriginal people on key measures of health and wellbeing.
“We have said many times the answer to closing the gap is not simple and it’s not quick – but we have to stop parking the ambulance at the base of the cliff and deliver programs that bring long-term health and lifestyle change,” he said.
“The services we are providing is in response to community feedback and that is why people are continuing to engage, and across the organisation our staff are doing a fantastic job at making sure people have a positive experience when they enter our service.”
Among the initiatives introduced by MDAS Health this year include: A Care Coordination Service, new specialist services in physiotherapy, psychiatry and paediatrics; a new Gambler’s Help Service; and outreach Health Services, which allow staff to undertake student health checks through district schools.
The Health Services report is one of several to be provided to the MDAS Annual General Meeting on October the 26th.