“It’s really important to work with our partners on the community side of health care, because we have such a lot of interaction with them, in terms of our patients and their care.

“I need to know where our patients come from, and where they can find help and shelter if they need it. That’s an important part of our holistic health care,” Ms Davies Jones said.

Accompanied by respected Elder and Senior Health Worker, Aunty Fran Page, Ms Davies Jones visited all three organisations on Monday afternoon, the second such community visit, and it won’t be the last, she said.

For her, sitting down on the ground to yarn with people experiencing homelessness is part of meeting people where they are.

North West and Remote Health Case manager for homeless housing at the Burke Street Shed, Jamie Patullo, has about 30 clients to case manage, and her clients mainly sleep rough in the riverbed.

At 7am Monday to Friday, they will come to the shed for tea and toast, with bread donated from Woolworths.

“We have a number of activities for them. On Wednesday they get health checks, and visits from Centrelink, a cooking program by Community Health, Gidgee Healing is involved, as well as two employment services,” Ms Patullo said.

Clarence and Terrance McMillan, and their relatives and friends were happy to yarn with Ms Davies Jones and Aunty Fran, talking about the old ways, where they came from (near Alice Springs) and the art work they’ve completed at the Burke Street Shed.

The next stop was the Brilla Brilla Playgroup at Yallambee Aboriginal settlement, where community stalwart Val Hendriks works as Childcare Coordinator, along with playgroup support coordinator, Aurelia Fiebig. The two workers were making slime, which the children love for the tactile experience.

During the term, they provide breakfast, showers, clean school uniforms and school lunches for the children in the community, and are trying to sort out transport as the funding for the school bus has ceased.

Final stop for the day was the Jimaylya Topsy Harry Centre, a unique support and accommodation service for people who are homeless. Unique in that it has a designated wet area, so clients are able to drink alcohol under supervision, as Acting manager Barbara Webster explained.

“They have to sign in any grog they bring in, and the drinking is supervised and monitored, and only for a few hours a day.

“I believe it’s the only such centre in Australia. People can come and go as they want, but the gates are closed at 6pm for security.”

The Centre gets referrals from Mount Isa Hospital and the renal unit, and also takes in clients such as high risk patients with dementia, who are not eligible for nursing homes.

Clients must pay rent, and buy their own food, which they can cook in the spotless, well-appointed kitchen. All clients have chores to do, and the centre is well kept and tidy.

As well as separate men’s and women’s dormitories, there are outside sleeping areas, and five transitional houses at the back of the centre, where clients can learn to live independently before being rehoused in the community.

Ms Davies Jones said shelters and organisations such as Jimaylya and the Burke Street Shed and others in the city were vital to the overall health care of people in the community.

“We’re all doing what we can to improve our health statistics, especially for Indigenous people. We’re all chipping away at the challenges, and together I am confident we will see improvements.

“I am so heartened at the good will, the experience, the skills, and the hard work of people who have been working sometimes for years in these valuable support organisations.

“We can only achieve better health results by working together, and that’s what we’re doing,” Ms Davies Jones said.