A consultancy was funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and Queensland Health for the Cape York Institute to look at what needed to be done to improve the health of Cape York people.
The report identified that the health system needed to be changed to reflect more community ownership and involvement and that adequate levels of funding should be provided in a pooled arrangement.
Apunipima was given the lead role in making these changes. Since 2006, ACYHC has been working on these health reforms through developing proper governance structures, developing organisational capacity, increasing community capacity and developing appropriate health systems that meet community identified health needs.
Apunipima is moving towards community controlled health services across the Cape; initially in two communities – Mapoon and Mossman Gorge and then gradually rolling out across other communities.
This is consistent with the ‘Deed of Commitment’ signed by Queensland Health, The Commonwealth Government and other stakeholders – which named Apunipima as the Community Controlled Health Service for the Cape York Region.