The Macintyre Health Alliance, comprising Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN (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), has secured a $1.5 million Innovative Model of Care (IMOC) Grant. This funding will support a four-year trial of the Indigenous Wellness Connect program, designed to improve chronic conditions management for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The initiative, led by Allied Health Primary Care, focuses on delivering culturally safe, patient-centered, and digitally connected primary care services. The program aims to enhance care continuity and access for Indigenous people in the Queensland/New South Wales border regions.
Ms. Lucille Chalmers, CEO of Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN, emphasized that Indigenous Wellness Connect will use a multidisciplinary approach. Professionals in Boggabilla and Toomelah will collaborate with General Practitioners and Indigenous Health Workers at the Goondiwindi Medical Centre. These three telehealth hubs, linked via video, will provide clinical and cultural support, reducing travel time and improving access to medical services.
The model will be executed with the help of medical clinicians, a care coordinator, and Indigenous Health Workers, all connected digitally. This approach addresses workforce and service shortages in these communities, Ms. Chalmers added.
Mr. Todd Williams, Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, highlighted that the project will create a network of connected primary care services in underserviced rural areas. Using telehealth carts with diagnostic tools and satellite connectivity, the project will allow remote support from a team of General Practitioners, Allied Health professionals, and Specialists. Additionally, it will facilitate data sharing across borders, ensuring patients need only tell their story once and enabling healthcare professionals to access up-to-date health information.
Dr. Sarah Gleeson of Goondiwindi Medical Centre expressed enthusiasm about the recognition and addressing of cross-border health needs. She praised the collaboration with the Macintyre Health Alliance and the successful IMOC grant application, which marks the culmination of a decade’s work by various groups. Dr. Gleeson emphasized the project’s importance in helping community members manage chronic health conditions and avoid hospitalizations.
The program will also offer clinical placements for allied health students interested in rural health, thereby building local workforce capability and capacity.
Dr. Alison Koschel of HNECC PHN expressed excitement about partnering with colleagues from Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN and local healthcare providers. She stressed the importance of ensuring timely, quality primary care for rural communities, made possible through this grant.
The grant will fund the recruitment of a Project Coordinator, Indigenous Health Coordinator, and Telehealth Care Coordinator, who will oversee the project, provide strategic direction, and participate in governance and working committees. Additionally, the grant will finance key IT resources and enhance internet reliability in remote communities through satellite tower installations.
Patients will have access to new digital health technologies at the telehealth hubs, with Wi-Fi provided to encourage use of health-related resources. The multidisciplinary telehealth teams will receive training in new digital health technologies and educate patients on tools such as My Health Record and health apps.
