It was officially launched in Bunbury last Thursday by Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls,

The state government-funded South-West Aboriginal Medical Service’s Kaarbapiny Maar clinic includes a nurse station and examination space.

Royalties for Regions and the South West Development Commission

gave the South West Aboriginal Medical Service $200,000 to “get the wheels turning on this new health service”, Mr Grylls said.

The clinic on wheels would give people living outside Bunbury the opportunity to consult general practitioners and allied health staff without having to travel top the coastal city.

“Kaarbapiny Maar means ‘healing hands’ and this new service is on track to improving health in regional areas by providing people with access to important services closer to home,” Mr Grylls said.

“The service will initially be trial.ed in Collie and Brunswick Junction, with the opportunity to expand to other south-west communities once the trial has come to a conclusion.”

The outreach program had been designed to complement existing health services.

“The clinic will help improve access to health services by providing a culturally sensitive outreach service, and where possible it will deliver services in partnership with other service providers,” he said.

“While the clinic has been designed to respond to Aboriginal health needs, non-Aboriginal people in need of the mobile clinic will also be welcomed as clients.”