RDWA

Pika Wiya Health Service

The Vacancy

Pika Wiya Health Service is currently seeking a full time General Practitioner.

Essential Skills	Desirable Skills	Remuneration Package
Aboriginal health, clinical skills, emergency medicine, mentoring and teaching/training.	The ability to liaise effectively with other agencies and have well developed communication skills: interpersonal, verbal and written. Possess good time management skills and exercise a high degree of professional judgement and clinical competence as a member of a multi-disciplinary team and setting.	An attractive package is available and includes a fully furnished three bedroom house. Water, electricity, rates and standard maintenance requirements all met by Pika Wiya Health Service. Saturday Clinic overtime monies paid in addition to Medicare monies generated. Payment for any work conducted in the Port Augusta Hospital outside normal contract hours are paid directly to individuals.

 

The Practice

Pika Wiya Health Service Inc is an independent and well established Aboriginal Health Service based at Port Augusta, South Australia.

We have a Community Health Centre located in the city, and also a clinic based at Davenport Aboriginal Community which is located 5km from the city centre.

We also provide services to Copley, situated some 8 km from the mining town of Leigh Creek 300 km north of Port Augusta, and Nepabunna Community which is 90 km east of Leigh Creek.

Pika Wiya Health Service aims to provide a culturally appropriate service to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, addressing preventative, promotive and curative aspects of health, which encourages our community to achieve greater dignity and quality of life equal with all Australians.

The doctors are supported by a team of Aboriginal Primary Health Care Workers (APHCWs), clerical staff and nurses. At present the service has a total of 22 APHCWs; 10 based throughout the clinics and 12 based within specific program areas.

As a team the APHWCs, clerical staff and nurses deliver a high lever of support, information and assistance to clients; building and maintaining a high level of rapport and trust with clients and their families; maintaining a well informed and culturally appropriate library of resources; are instrumental (whilst maintaining a high degree of awareness of Aboriginal cultural issues) in the development and delivery of specialised workshops/seminars; maintain up to date and accurate client files; develop, implement and evaluate resources and strategies to meet the need of Aboriginal clients and their families within the communities we serve; liaise with relevant community groups, health professionals, organisations and agencies.

The operating hours are Monday to Friday 9.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm.

The doctor will be required to provide a minimum of 20 sessions per fortnight Monday to Friday (except for public holidays where no session is required) plus (1) Saturday on a rotation basis (1 in 4).

After hours are provided to the Port Augusta Hospital (PAH) on a roster basis:

• Monday to Friday 6.00pm to 8.00am the following day
• Saturday - 12midday to 8.00am the following day
• Sunday (& public holidays) - 8.00am to 8.00am the following day

This on-call roster is shared equally among the General Practitioners working in Port Augusta.

Doctors will receive 25 days annual leave, 12 days sick leave, 10 days approved study leave per annum plus 9 days long service leave accrued for every completed year of service - payable on completion of 10 years service.

 

Discover Port Augusta

Port Augusta is 230 kilometres north of Adelaide and is known as the crossroads of Australia - where roads from Adelaide, the Flinders Ranges, Alice Springs and Perth all intersect. The city of Port Augusta has a population of approximately 14,000 people of which approximately one third are Aboriginal.

Port Augusta continues to develop economically, culturally and residentially and retains a relaxed, friendly, country atmosphere. Port Augusta is experiencing an economic boom to the area generating enhanced employment in tourism, construction and in the retail industry. Other industry includes the Power Station and mining.

Port Augusta has 5 medical centres including Pika Wiya Health Centre (Aboriginal Health Clinic), 2 nursing homes, Jones & Partners X-Ray, mental health services, dental services and allied health services.

Also located within Port Augusta is The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Port Augusta is one of 14 Flying Doctor bases that serve the healthcare needs of people living in Australia's Outback. Opening hours for the RFDS are basically from 10.00am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday.

The Port Augusta Hospital is a large modern facility with intensive care, renal dialysis unit, operating theatres with surgeons and anaesthetists working daily. The 82 acute bed Hospital was opened in December 1997. The hospital is a regional hospital serving Port Augusta and the sparsely populated Flinders and Far North area of South Australia (total population serviced by Port Augusta is 20,802). Aboriginal patients from Port Augusta and the remote areas make up 30% of admissions and 37% of occupied bed days. The hospital has resident specialists in Obstetrics and Paediatrics.

Services provided by the Hospital include:

• Accident & Emergency, Acute Care, High Dependency
• Paediatric/Neonatal
• Obstetric/Gynaecology
• Orthopaedics
• Ophtalmology
• ENT
• Gerontology
• Cardiology
• Rheumatology
• Surgery - Day/Elective/Emergency
• Medical
• Community Health/Allied Health Services
• Domiciliary Care Services/Palliative Care
• Renal Haemodialysis
• Specialist & Outpatient Services
• Pharmacy/Radiology
• Aboriginal Health
• Assessment & Rehabilitation
• Mental Health

Childcare facilities in Port Augusta include two child care centres, a family day care centre and after hours school care is also available. There are five public primary schools in Port Augusta and one public high school. There is a catholic college from Reception - Year 12.

The town is situated on the Spencer Gulf where water sports such as kayaking, yachting and fishing are popular. There is a swimming pool complex catering for all ages.

Recreational clubs and facilities that the town of Port Augusta offers include golfing, football, netball, swimming, horse riding, tennis courts, art gallery, museum, library, wine tasting, heritage walks and shopping.

There are many places of interest nearby including the Clare and Barossa Valley - wine growing areas with picturesque scenery, the Flinders Ranges - camping, hiking, touring, full tourist facilities including camping areas or hotel/motel accommodation, the West Coast and the Yorke Peninsula.

The Arid Lands Botanic Gardens is located in Port Augusta and Pichi Richi Steam Train Preservation Society is located nearby in Quorn, offering train trips through the hills.

 

Useful Links

Tourism	Health	Government	Accommodation
South Australian Tourism Regional Tourism Local Tourism	The Flinders and far North Division of General Practice	Australian Government South Australian Government Local Government	Real Estate Listings

 

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