2010 Winners

1. Winner 2010- Outstanding delivery in child &maternal health

Ngunytju Tjitji Pirni, WA

Ngunytju Tjitji Pirni is an incorporated Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Primary Health Care Service that was established during the early 1990\'92s to address the unacceptably high rates of Aboriginal maternal and infant mortality and morbidity in Western Australia, particularly the Goldfields region.

Ngunytju Tjitji Pirni works to address these problems by providing a community-owned and controlled agency which is governed, managed and staffed by Aboriginal women; who use culturally appropriate methods (along with local knowledge) and resources, to deliver health care to ante and post natal Aboriginal women and children from 0-5 years of age in their own homes. Their primary function and uniqueness is the Home Visiting Service conducted by a dedicated team of local Aboriginal Health Workers.

Ngunytju Tjitji Pirni strives to improve the state of health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by improving the health of mothers; making them better able to care for themselves and their families with the hope that their babies may expect longer and healthier lives.

2. Winner 2010- Environmental health initiatives

Department of Health, NSW

The NSW Housing for Health Program NSW Health has been managing the Housing for Health program since 1997. The program uses an evidence-based methodology developed by Healthabitat\'ae to survey and repair elements of housing infrastructure that are critical for healthy living. Since its inception, the program has fixed over 2200 houses and dramatically improved the health of more than 9000 residents.

A recently published evaluation of the program has demonstrated that hospitalisations for infectious diseases fell by 40% in the population exposed to Housing for Health compared to the rest of the rural NSW Aboriginal population. Thus, the Housing for Health program has made, and continues to make, a significant contribution to 'closing the gap' in NSW. Furthermore, with increasing evidence that recurrent childhood infections predispose people to chronic diseases in adulthood, the future benefits of this program are likely to be substantial.

3. Winner 2010- Improving access to primary health care

Inala Indigenous Health Service, QLD

Improving Indigenous access to a mainstream health service.
In 1994 nursing staff at the Inala Community Health Centre General Practice identified a problem with indigenous access to the unit. A focus on increasing attendance rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to the mainstream health service was commenced. The Inala Indigenous Health Service (IIHS) was established in 1995 (co-located with the Inala Community Health Centre General Practice) and has been successful in its attempt to increase indigenous access to the mainstream General Practice Unit. The IIHS has grown from 12 clients in 1994 to approximately 4500 regular clients in 2009, providing high quality primary health care, with over 1200 doctor consultations conducted per month. The success the IIHS has achieved by increasing client access is also reflected by the increase in stable staff members. Originally 1 Doctor and 1 Nurse in 1995 to over 23 staff members, and growing, as of 2010. The success of the IIHS was achieved by community consultation (including the Elders) and participation in removing barriers to service delivery.

2010 Finalists
Finalists 2010- Improving access to primary health care
  • Unity of the First People of Australia, WA
  • Freo Street Doctor, WA
  • Suncare Community Services, QLD
  • Hunter New England Health Service, NSW
Finalists 2010- Environmental health initiatives
  • Health Habitat, NSW
  • The Royal Life Saving Society, WA
Finalists 2010- Outstanding delivery in child & maternal health
  • Cunamulla Aboriginal Corporation for Health, QLD
  • NPY Women's Council, NT