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Aboriginal Health
Aboriginal Australians today still have poorer health and poorer access to health care, social services and education than other Australians. This as well as the history of dispossession and exclusion helps to explain the life expectancy gap of 17 years between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. Despite the enormous impacts of European colonisation on Aboriginal ways of life, Aboriginal people have survived and their culture is alive and strong today.
Dandenong Casey General Practice Association respectfully acknowledges the traditional owners of this land, the Bunurong People, their spirits and ancestors. We are committed to supporting local efforts to build a high quality, accessible and culturally appropriate health service system for Aboriginal people. According to census data, there are at least 1568 Aboriginal people living within the Dandenong Casey area.
The Association supports the work of the Dandenong & District Aborigines Co-operative, such as their Spiritual & Emotional Wellbeing Program with funding through the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care Initiative and their general practice, the Bunurong Health Service.
The Association recognizes that Aboriginal people attend other general practices in the area. We are committed to supporting all practices in their endeavors to provide high quality, integrated care for Aboriginal people.
We offer:
- Practice visits
- Support through email, telephone (8792 1900) and this website
- A chance for you to have your say, through the Association, into government initiatives such as Closing the Gap, both state and Commonwealth
- A series of newsletter articles with a focus on Aboriginal health and wellbeing
Dandenong Casey General Practice Association is supported by funding from the Australian government under the Closing the Gap - Improving Indigenous Access to Mainstream Primary Care Program.
Health Service Contacts
Dandenong & District Aborigines Co-operative
Provides services such as Home & Community Care services, Koori Maternity services, Mental Health services, Youth services, Family services and Innovation Project services, Aboriginal Best Start (early childhood learning) services, Spiritual and Wellbeing services, Stolen Generations services and Primary and Allied Health services.
62 Stud Road, Dandenong
Phone: (03) 9794 5933
Fax: (03) 9791 1247
Southern Health
For assistance with referrals, contact:
Leanne Sumner
Koori Hospital Liaison Officer
Phone: (03) 9594 2290 or 0410 423 963
www.health.vic.gov.au/koori/icap
Refugee Health
The City of Greater Dandenong and surrounding region is one of the principle destinations for Refugee and Humanitarian Entrant resettlement in Victoria, with up to 1000 new arrivals each year. This population group presents with a wide range of unique health, wellbeing and social issues.
The Association has been involved in a range of initiatives focusing on refugee health including: direct support to General Practices, assisting General Practitioners to provide comprehensive Refugee Health Assessments for new arrival refugees, working in partnering with the Adult Migrant Education Service (AMES Settlement) in refugee resettlement health issues, working with the Southern Health Network to build refugee-specific services, and coordinating regional refugee health activities with stakeholders.
The Association has also been supporting GP services to Asylum Seekers, assisting those who are ineligible for Medicare benefits to gain basic health services which would otherwise be unavailable to them.
Regional Health Services:
Refugee Health Nurse Initiative
Seeks to assist refugee access to primary health services, develop refugee service capacity and enable refugee individuals, families and communities to improve their health.
Dandenong Refugee Health Nurse: Sue Willey
Telephone: 0420 301 634
Dandenong Hospital Refugee Health Clinic
A specialist and multidisciplinary tertiary referral clinic which seeks to meet the Infectious Diseases, Maternal and Child Health, and Psychiatric needs of the refugee population in the Greater Dandenong region.
Contact: Dr. Andrew Block
Telephone: 9554 1000
Adult Migrant Education Service (AMES Settlement)
Provides intensive resettlement assistance to people from refugee and humanitarian backgrounds during their initial period of settlement, generally for the first six months after arrival in Australia.
Building D, 60 Douglas Street, Noble Park 3174
Telephone: 8558 8870
Web address: http://www.ames.net.au/settlement
Foundation House - Dandenong office
Provides direct services to refugee clients in the form of: counseling, advocacy, family support, group work, psycho-education, information sessions and complementary therapies.
Level 5, 280 Thomas Street, Dandenong 3175
Telephone: 8791 2450
South East Migrant Resource Centre
Empowers and assists people who are migrants and refugees in Melbourne's south-east to establish themselves and achieve their aspirations.
Level 1, 314 Thomas Street, Dandenong 3175
Telephone: 9706 8933
Email: sermrc@sermrc.org.au
Web address: http://www.sermrc.org.au
State Refugee Health Services:
Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture
The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VFST) or 'Foundation House' provides a range of services ot people from refugee backgrounds whom have survived torture or war related trauma.
6 Gardiner Street, Brunswick, 3056,Victoria
Telephone: 9388 0022
Email: info@foundationhouse.org.au
Web address: www.foundationhouse.org.au
Victorian Refugee Health Network
The Network provides a forum for health services and practitioners to work collaboratively to address refugee health needs. The website provides information on: news, services, protocols, resources, training opportunities, policy developments, research, reports and other useful websites.
Web address: www.refugeehealthnetwork.org.au
National Refugee Health Services:
Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) Doctors Priority Line
Free interpreter services are provided to private GPs who are providing a Medicare-related service. GPs can call the dedicated line 1300 131 450 and are given priority access. A telephone interpreter will be arranged immediately as available or alternatively will be booked for a later time if requested. On-site interpreter bookings need to be made two weeks in advance.
Telephone service operator: 1300 131 450
Telephone for advance bookings: 1300 655 082
Fax for advance bookings: 1300 654 151