Make a Tax Deductible Donation to Support Bawrunga Medical Service

Bawrunga is an Indigenous owned and managed organisation incorporated under the Association Incorporated Act (1984) in September 1999. Our organisation has 120 Indigenous members and has been delivering primary health care and educational programs to the Aboriginal community since 2000. We are proud of our innovative programs and our record of independence of State or Federal Government funding. All donations made to Bawrunga Aboriginal Medical Service are tax deductible.

Background

The local Gumbaynggirr people were taken from their traditional lands and settled in various Missions around the North Coast and further a field. Some of the local Nambucca people were employed as labourers and these people, although not sent to Missions were not allowed to remain on their traditional lands. The combination of these actions had the effect of almost erasing the local culture and eroding the ability of the local people to access their traditional lands.

A group of Indigenous people came together from the Nambucca Valley area in 1999 to formulate a fully integrated and full-time medical service. This medical service was the only full-time, affordable and accessible service available to the communities at this time. Since beginning back in 2000 we now offer 3 clinics in the Nambucca Region that are located at Bowraville, Nambucca Heads and Scotts Head.

Bawrunga Aboriginal Medical Service Incorporated (BAMS Inc) has been operating its clinical components since 2001. The local Aboriginal people through their board of Directors manage and operate these services. This project has been self-sustaining for 11 years and provides health and medical services to the Aboriginal community without funding from either the State or Federal Governments.

The Board of Directors, the CEO and GPs continues to provide this service to the communities in which they operate. Bawrunga is proud of its achievements and the past eleven-year’s financial figures show that this enterprise is sustainable under its current operations. Additionally, there is room to expand to offer other worthy services that will deliver further sustainability.

The local Aboriginal people have worked hard to provide this service to their communities of Bowraville, Nambucca and Scotts Head. Bawrunga is proud of its achievements and the past three-year’s financial figures show that this enterprise is sustainable under its current operations. Additionally, there is room to expand other worthy services that will deliver further project sustainability, as the needs of the Aboriginal community are identified and met.

Our primary focus is on preventative health education, addressing early childhood nutrition and parenting, acute health issues, diet, substance abuse, healthy lifestyles and youth related issues. Other priorities we will focus on include: heart disease, diabetes and healthy ageing.

The Bawrunga initiative is important because it is the only autonomous Indigenous Health Education Centre in Australia that also delivers a medical service.

Bawrunga’s Mission is to continue to develop

1. A well managed Health Education Centre based on preventative best practice with an associated medical centre
2. Professionally qualified staff with the necessary competence to interface with Indigenous and the general community over a broad range of health, education, housing and employment issues that; are all interrelated with the cycle of poverty; that occurs within Indigenous Communities.
3. A Governance structure based on a Constitution and including an Indigenous Board of Directors supported by an Executive Management
4. Our self sufficient operation and continue our independence from welfare and Government assistance

Bawrunga’s goals for the next five years are to

1. Maintain the sustainable model of service provision for Aboriginal Communities which is being successfully replicated  in other regional and metropolitan areas;
2. Continue development of  creative self-funding models of medical service delivery;
3. Recruit additional General Practitioners in order to continue the delivery of medical services to the areas serviced by Bawrunga,
4. Continue to promote pride and respect for Aboriginal Culture and Tradition and in doing so, build strong and binding relationships and enhanced health outcomes for Aboriginal people and the broader community
5. To ensure that the future sustainability of the organisation is assured using strong and professional governance and social innovation as primary tools.
6. To broaden the organisation’s scope both as a consultative agency and a primary health care facilitator, by sustaining the joint partnerships with other bodies, and by delivering positive health outcomes and developing innovative community health and support programs.

Special Initiative Objectives

BAMS objectives are to provide primary health care throughout the Indigenous and broader communities within its service areas, in regional and metropolitan New South Wales. This is to be achieved by providing Bulk Billing services, promoting awareness and preventative health measures, and monitoring through appropriate clinical services available through Medical Centres which are welcoming and readily accessible to all clients and their families.

Services provided by Bawrunga

All services are provided free of charge by Bawrunga Medical Services are bulk billed to Medicare.

Profits from Bawrunga

Profits generated by Bawrunga’s Medical Services will be used to fund social and preventative programs, including: drug & alcohol, counselling, diabetes, women’s and men’s issues, youth programs, Indigenous training and employment, healthy lifestyle and emotional well-being programs.

Review Procedures

The Board of Directors conduct regular reviews and audit annually. Additionally, a needs analysis and a strategic plan are developed and reviewed every third financial year. The next cycle of this process is 2011 – 2014.

Lead Organisation/Agency

Bawrunga Aboriginal Medical Service

Type of Support Needed

Donations to Bawrunga Aboriginal Medical Service are tax deductible

Type of Mentoring Needed

Capital raising

Type of Investment Needed

Partnership

Subject(s)

Employment and training
Enterprise Development
Health
Youth Development

Region(s)

NSW – Mid North Coast

Most Recently Presented At

New Listing

First Presented At

New Listing

For further information