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A new general practice centre operated by four Aboriginal doctors on Palm Island is streamlining healthcare in the region and creating a blueprint for Indigenous healthcare across Australia.

The move heralds a new dawn in healthcare in the remote corner of Australia, a fantastic milestone for the community.
The centre named The Palm Island Children and Family Centre was established by Dr Raymond Blackman with his colleague Dr Vicki Stonehouse. A key focus of the centre is to encourage all kinds of professionals to work in Aboriginal health and to work on Palm Island.
Dr Blackman said he was relieved the people of Palm Island no longer had to endure 鈥渟econd-class medical treatment鈥� as he believes primary healthcare, one where there is an on-going relationship between GP and patient, has been proven to have better medical outcomes over time, something that he is now realising within the Palm Island community.
He also said that until now, tertiary hospital system medical care was all that was available.
鈥淲e have GP skills, an interest and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and in our clinic we have the necessary support structures to enable better outcomes on Palm Island and this needs to be replicated throughout the country,鈥� Dr Blackman said.
Dr Blackman鈥檚 leadership and commitment 聽to his peers was officially recognised last week when he won the 2014 Wakapi Anyiku Doctor Oomparani Award 聽(Warramungu language for 鈥楢boriginal doctor for everybody鈥�).
[caption id="attachment_7137" align="alignright" width="166"] IGPRN Chair Dr Aleeta Fejo[/caption]
The award was presented on Wednesday 5 March 2014 by the Indigenous General Practice Registrar Network (IGPRN) at the Future of General Practice conference in Canberra. It was聽announced by IGPRN Chair Dr Aleeta Fejo, who applauded the team for their leadership and commitment to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.聽鈥淚 would like to acknowledge the significant contribution that Dr Blackman has played in both setting up this centre and in supporting and encouraging his GP registrar peers across Australia.
鈥淭he new centre on Palm Island is for everybody within the community but its real strength and focus is in its significant impact providing culturally appropriate primary health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families,鈥� she said.
Dr Blackman, on receiving the award, prepared the following comment:
鈥漈here wasn鈥檛 a GP clinic on Palm Island before November 2013. We have created a clinic as part of the Child and Family Centre with four Aboriginal male doctors working together with two non-Aboriginal female doctors. To my knowledge, this centre is the first of its kind in Australia.聽鈥淓ach of the four Aboriginal doctors working in the newly created clinic have been participants of the IGPRN and have been instrumental in getting the centre off the ground.
鈥淥ur whole team is made up of diverse people, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff and our achievement comes from being connected. Whilst we are all different people, from different backgrounds, we have a commonality in our commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and this enables our success,鈥� Dr Blackman said.
鈥淢y links are to Palm Island. I love Palm Island and that we are now able to offer equitable health services.鈥�
The IGPRN is made up of a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander general practice registrars. As a member of this group Dr Blackman created an online study forum especially for these important registrars.
Chair of the IGPRN and member of GPRA Dr Aleeta Fejo acknowledges Dr Blackman鈥檚 efforts.
鈥淭he forum represents an opportunity to study in a non-threatening, culturally safe environment,鈥� she said.聽鈥淚t is also a forum where peer support is shared between registrars.鈥�
The members of this group are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GP registrars from all over Australia and have now also included newly fellowed GPs.
Dr Blackman, 聽who is currently enrolled in the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program, works across Townsville and Palm Island and has been a shining example of Aboriginal general practice leadership in his role at Palm Island.