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The Kimberley Aboriginal
Medical Services Council (KAMSC) Inc is a health resource body for
a group of independent Aboriginal community controlled health
services (ACCHSs) in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia.
KAMSC was established in 1986. The Council was initially formed as a
cooperative between the Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (BRAMS) and the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service (OVAHS) with membership
from the then developing Halls Creek health service committee and Fitzroy
Crossing community representatives.
These communities saw the benefit
of sharing pooled resources and collective effort in the region.
Under
the KAMSC constitution, the governing Council comprises representatives
of member Aboriginal community controlled health services, health service
communities and health committees from across the Kimberley. Meetings
are held quarterly and are typically run over 3-5 days. Council members
have portfolio responsibilities which helps ensure a high level of participation
in collective decision making.
KAMSC programs consists of service elements which are pooled among the
ACCHSs to improve efficiency, maintain specialised expertise or to address
issues of regional coordination and policy.
KAMSC cooperative
services include:
• Accounting, administration and human resource
management support (central
payroll, financial reporting,
identification of funding,
coordination
of grant applications, uniform policy, IR and industrial award
issues, occupational health and safety issues)
• Policy
support, representation and advocacy at a regional, state
and national level.
• Centralised
purchasing of pharmaceuticals, medical and other supplies.
• A
Registered Training Organisation for Aboriginal Health Worker training (KAMSC School of Health Studies).
The
cooperative strategy has been a highly successful one for Aboriginal
people in
the Kimberley. The success
is measured by the expansion of ACCHSs and provision of improved
access to quality primary health care. It is also reflected in the
number
of
successful central resources which have been been developed as well
as the significant impact on Aboriginal health policy. The expansion
of
health service provision and injection of additional funding has
been as a result of concerted effort by individual Aboriginal health
service committees, Council members and staff.
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