“We couldn’t possibly have passed this financial burden on to our patients so this is a relief to know patient care and GP services will be a priority.

“We have been working for many years to improve early access to health services for our clients as evidence shows early primary health care intervention and detection is better for the client and cheaper for the health service in the long run and full bulk billing increases access.”

Apunipima is dependent on income from Medicare in health services, to deliver programs and infrastructure that could not necessarily be funded through traditional funding streams like extra GP services in Coen and Hopevale, additional nursing and health worker hours and specialist medical equipment for our speech pathologist and midwives.

As a non-profit organisation, Apunipima relies on Medicare income to invest in health programs, services and infrastructure that would otherwise be unavailable to Cape York communities under traditional government funding streams.

Using its Medicare revenue, Apunipima has been able to employ extra GPs, increase doctor, nursing and health worker hours and purchase specialist medical equipment for our speech pathologist and an ultrasound machine for use by our midwives on pregnant mums who would otherwise have to travel to cairns to see their unborn child.