Napranum

Napranum is a small Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community located around nine km south of Weipa.

Formerly known as Weipa South, Napranum was established in 1898 by Moravian missionaries on behalf of the Presbyterian Church. Napranum is now governed by a local Aboriginal council.

On 30 March 1985, the Weipa South community elected five councillors to constitute Weipa South Aboriginal Council. An Aboriginal reserve held by the Queensland Government was transferred to the Council on 27 October 1988 under a Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT).

In 1990, the Weipa South community became known as Napranum, which translates as ‘meeting place’ and is currently home to around 1,100 people.

Apunipima began providing services in Napranum in 2010, starting with chronic disease services and building up to a full comprehensive primary health care service including doctors, nurses and allied health services. In August 2016 Apunipima opened Charkil-Om Primary Health Care Centre – the first community - owned, community – led health centre to be established in Napranum.

With over 250 patients, Charkil-Om Primary Health Care Centre (which means bone fish in a local language) is a family centred practice focusing on improving and maintaining the health and wellbeing of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Napranum and surrounding communities.

Charkil – Om Primary Health Care Centre offers a full range of culturally appropriate comprehensive primary health care services including  doctors, nurse and maternal and child health worker supported by a range of visiting services.

Charkil-Om Primary Health Care Centre is open on Mondays 9:30 am – 4:00 pm, Tuesday – Thursday 8:30 am – 4:00 pm and Friday 8:30 am – 12:00 pm.

Download the Charkil Om Primary Health Care Centre brochure here.

The Apunipima Way

All Charkil –Om Primary Health Care Centre’s services are underpinned by Apunipima’s Model of Care, known as the Apunipima Way which means our services are:

• Driven by community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership
• Embody Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Environmental and Cultural Wellbeing
• Address Social and Cultural Determinants of Health
• Based on a Community and Family Centred Approach
  
  

Community Control in Cape York

Apunipima Cape York Health Council is the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) Cape York.

In January 2017, Apunipima provides health care and advocacy services to 11 Cape York communities, including Napranum, and advocacy services only to another six situated in the Northern Peninsula Area (NPA).

Apunipima currently has primary health care centres in Mossman Gorge, Napranum, Aurukun (with one soon to open in Coen) and a maternal and child health centre in Kowanyama.

Our staff in Hopevale, Kowanyama, Laura, Lockhart River, Mapoon, Pormpuraaw and Wujal Wujal share facilities with Queensland Health.

ACCHOs provide culturally appropriate health care services based on community need and held accountable through community based Health Action Teams and elected Directors Board voted in by community based members.

Transition to Community Control

Cape York communities (with the exception of Mossman Gorge which has had only community controlled primary health care services since 2009) receive primary health care services from a number of providers including Queensland Health, Apunipima and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

In late 2016 the Queensland government made a landmark commitment to transition five communities, including Napranum, to a community controlled health model by December 2019. This means that all primary health care services in Aurukun, Mapoon, Napranum, Coen and Lockhart River will be culturally appropriate, controlled by the community and underpinned by the Apunipima Way.

Apunipima and Queensland Health, the two major health providers in Napranum, have agreed to implement an integrated care model to deliver comprehensive primary health care and maintain responsive acute/emergency services in the community.

The model contemplates a single entry point for health care, ensuring the service operates as if it were a single health provider. The integrated model will align primary health protocols and systems and enable Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service staff to work within Apunipima - led programs whilst maintaining essential emergency, X-Ray and pharmacy services.

Social and Emotional Wellbeing Services

Apunipima is hoping to expand its scope to include social and emotional wellbeing services in the near future.

Click on Image to download brochure