Health & Wellbeing

The Elders Visiting Program provides administrative and operational support to assist Elders to visit correctional centres in Darwin and provide cultural support and mentoring to Indigenous prisoners. Support may include engaging with community corrections and reintegration staff, travel to outlying communities, and other needs as required.

The service aims to deliver perinatal mental health services for expectant and new parents experiencing or at risk of perinatal mental illness including improve access to support services. Deliver prevention and early intervention support services for parents at risk of perinatal mental illness following birth trauma, miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death to prevent the development of mental illness. Deliver training and education initiatives aimed at improving perinatal mental health and wellbeing service delivery. Deliver awareness, information and stigma reduction initiatives for perinatal mental health and wellbeing and deliver and market services in a way that ensures inclusive, culturally appropriate and safe access for all people.

Miwatj Health’s mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of residents of the communities of East Arnhem Land through the delivery of appropriate and comprehensive primary health care and to promote the control by Aboriginal communities of primary health care resources.

Our service locations:

• Nhulunbuy Clinic (phone 08 8939 1999; fax 08 8987 3355)
• Galiwin’ku Health Centre, Elcho Island (phone 08 8970 5800; fax 08 8970 9292)
• Ngalkanbuy Wellbeing Centre, Elcho Island (phone 08 8970 5700; fax 08 8987 9061)
• Yirrkala Clinic (phone 08 8987 2650; fax 08 8987 3470)
• Gunyangara Clinic, also known as Marngarr or Ski Beach (phone 08 8987 3800; fax 08 8987 3271)
• Malmaldharra Clinic, Yurrwi (phone 08 8987 9903; fax 08 8987 9940)

Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS)

General medical services including acute care services are provided for indigenous families and singles.Miwatj Health also has medical clinics in Yirrkala, Galiwin’ku (Ngalkanbuy Health Service) and Gunyangara.

Alcohol & Other Drugs (AOD) Outreach Team

An AOD outreach team is available for indigenous people with alcohol & other drug problems.

Allied Health Services

Allied health professionals routinely visit the community toprovide ancillary medical services for community residents as well as support and advice for resident staff.Visiting allied health services include audiology, dentistry,dietetics, occupational therapy, optometry and podiatry.

Chronic Disease Outreach Team

A program focusing on the prevention of chronic diseases is provided.

Community Health Education

Provides public health awareness education including programs such as Tobacco Action, Social & Emotional Wellbeing, Strong Fathers, Strong Families, and Healthy Active Lifestyle.

District Medical Officer

A district medical officer is available twenty-four hours via telephone or radio for consultation as required.

Health Promotion

Health promotion programs are conducted to improve the health and wellbeing of the community.

Health Screening for Primary-School Children

An annual health-screening service is provided to monitor the health and well being of primary-school children.

Infant & Child Health Screening

Screening and monitoring of health for infants and children under five years old is provided as well as advice about health issues for parents with children in this age group.

Men’s Health Outreach Team

The Men’s Health Outreach Team focuses on health issues in indigenous men.

Mental Health Services

Mental health services are available to assist with problems of emotional and social wellbeing for indigenous people.

Specialist Medical Services

Specialist medical practitioners routinely visit the community to provide medical services for community residents as well as support and advice for resident staff. Visiting specialist services include cardiology, obstetrics & gynaecology and paediatrics. A visiting specialist physician and renal physician are also available.

Strong Woman

The Strong Woman is an Indigenous woman or elder in the community who provides cultural education & information about women’s issues for Indigenous females and provides support for Indigenous women and their children to maximise their health & wellbeing. The Strong Woman may speak to women at the Health Service, visit primary schools & secondary schools or visit other places in the community.

The MJD Foundation partners with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities to support families living with Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD) and Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 7 (SCA7) by providing specialised knowledge and supports. We collaborate to conduct research, providing hope for the future, and use our influence for change so people living with MJD and SCA7 live stronger for longer.

Exercise Physiologists (EP) specialise in designing and delivering safe and effective exercise programs for people with chronic health conditions, injuries or disabilities. When it comes to the prescription of exercise as medicine, they are the most qualified professionals in Australia.

EP’s use evidence-based movement and exercise intervention for chronic disease prevention and management, musculoskeletal injuries, neurological conditions and weight management.

Exercise can be used as medicine to help prevent and manage a wide range of chronic conditions, some of which include:

1. Chronic Health Conditions such as: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Chronic Pain, Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, Metabolic Disease and Hypertension
2. Mental Health and Psycho-Social Conditions
3. Neurological Conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, Stroke, TBI
4. Healthy Ageing
5. Falls Prevention
6. Cancer (pre, during and post treatment)
7. Disability
8. Chronic Fatigue
9. Cardiac Rehab
10. Pulmonary Rehab

The Murnun Men’s Shed is an initiative supported and managed by Mala’la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation and provides a community hub for men in the Maningrida community to meet.

It operates on a local decision-making structure with a cross-sectional committee including Traditional Owners and Leaders, and an affiliation of engaged volunteers.

The program is staffed by a part-time Coordinator and a part time Youth Worker.

The Murnun Men’s Shed provides opportunities for a variety of activities including:

• The opportunity to connect with other men and enable peer support
• Facilitate positive wellbeing
• Arts and crafts
• Education such as First Aid, Mental Health First Aid, Money Management

The Heart Foundation has been the trusted peak body working to improve heart disease prevention, detection, and support for all Australians.

Whilst our work has had a major impact on the survival rates of those suffering a heart attack and those living with heart disease, we will not be satisfied until it is completely eradicated. Coronary heart disease is still Australia’s number one killer, taking 50 lives every day.

To help us realise our vision of an Australia free of heart disease along with the teamwork and passion of our supporters and generosity of millions of Australians act to make a difference in the fight against heart disease by:

• Funding high-impact research, supporting emerging and leading heart health researchers
• Working to improve heart disease prevention, detection, care and support for all Australians
• Advocating to governments and industry for increased funding and resources for heart health
• Building community awareness about living a heart-healthy lifestyle. We do this through public health awareness campaigns, accessible information and resources
• Supporting health professionals in their work to prevent, diagnose, treat and manage heart disease.

Ngangkari are the traditional healers of the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara (NPY) lands in the remote western desert of Central Australia.

Ngangkari have looked after people’s physical and emotional health for thousands of years. The NPY Women’s Council Ngangkari Program supports Ngangkari to continue their work in communities, clinics and hospitals.

Northern Podiatrist Clinic is a leading Podiatry practice located in Darwin and Palmerston, offering the latest in technology and evidence-based practices. We specialise in the foot and ankle region, and treat many associated problems of the lower limbs including knee pain, hip pain and lower back pain.

Our Podiatry clinics are part of an Allied Health Multidisciplinary Team which consists of Podiatrists, Diabetes Educators, Physiotherapists and Dietitians. We believe that clients should receive a holistic patient-focused experience and we also work closely with your General Practitioners to ensure this.

Fully equipped with the latest in podiatry technology and additional skills set, Northern Podiatrists in Darwin and Palmerston set the gold standard in podiatric medicine within the Northern Territory. We are able to refer you for foot and ankle diagnostic imaging including X-ray and ultrasound.

To provide a seamless experience for our clients, all our podiatry clinics are set up with Hicaps to process on-the-spot private health fund rebates. No referral is required to visit any of our podiatry centres unless your GP has given you a Chronic Disease Management Care Plan Referral and Department of Veterans’ Affairs Referral.