Director of Allied Health Andrea Leigh said the vision began some years earlier with the board, CEO and key staff at the time, looking toward the future with an Allied Health service as part of the comprehensive Primary Health Care.

“In May 2017, I was appointed as Director and tasked with the role of recruiting a team of Allied Health Professionals,” Ms Leigh said.

“We now provide bi-monthly services to smaller communities along with other Gidgee Healing programs and wherever possible we work in with community programs as well.”

Ms Leigh said there had been many challenges and highlights and achievements throughout the year.

“One of the highlights that stood out for me was the Reflective Cultural Practice.”

“These sessions provided opportunities to gain insights and understanding to the cultural contexts in which our team are working in and reflect on their clinical practice from a cultural perspective,” she said.

Gidgee Healing Allied Health have many goals for next year with one being to have Allied Health Assistants in each community.

“We want Gidgee Healing to be the preferred employer in northern Queensland by Allied Health professionals seeking remote employment, particularly Indigenous professionals,” Ms Leigh said.

Allied Health is situated at the Burke Street Clinic and services Mount Isa and the Lower Gulf regions.