GHS provides a trauma-informed, person-centred approach, which takes into consideration the individual and their specific story and needs. You are the master of your own health, and we aim to equip you with knowledge and the power and ability to access services and care that you need and want.

A key tool that we use to help set health and wellness goals that align with each persons personal needs is the 715 Aboriginal Health Assessment. This is a great starting point for us to get to know you, and figure out what your health and wellness priorities are, so that we can start taking steps to help you be where you want to be! This also allows you to access Marumali services, who run programs and events, and can help you to pay for specialist appointments.

If you have some chronic and complex needs, your GP might recommend a GP Management Plan, which allows you to access the Aboriginal Chronic Care Program. This program provides care coordination, and can assist you to pay for appointments and equipment related to your chronic health needs.

GHS is also a strong advocate for routine Cancer Screening, and being aware of what is normal within your body and what is not. We can facilitate Cervical Screening, Bowel screening, Skin Checks, Breast Screening (via referral for individual or group bookings), as well as other types of testing for cancers that are tested for if symptoms appear. If you notice anything abnormal for your body, do not hesitate to book in with your GP and have it looked in to. Early detection means better outcomes and more treatment options. Please view the Gandangara Cancer Screening Toolkit here for more information.

Antenatal Care

The foundations of healthy and happy children and families begin when baby is in the womb.

At Gandangara Health Services we provide shared antenatal and postnatal care between your GP, your antenatal nurse and your obstetrician, for soon-to-be mothers, new mothers and infants. They will provide you with all your paediatric health checks. Our GPs can also make referrals to our inhouse Paediatrician.

Several of our fantastic GPs are Shared Care providers, which means that if you are pregnant you can opt to have your regular check-ups and appointments through your GP instead of having to go back and forth to the public hospital Antenatal Clinic. Many of our First Peoples community find it very daunting to go to the hospital, which can feel like a very rushed, unfamiliar and overwhelming place sometimes.

Through Shared Antenatal Care, our patients are able to have their regular check-ups at GHS with a provider they are comfortable with. The GP can also provide further referrals if needed, for ultrasound or further testing or investigation if required.

Infants and Children

Our young ones are the key to our future, and so we aim to raise them as strong, healthy and happy individuals. Do not hesitate to book in with one of our GPs at GHS to help start a healthy lifestyle at a young age!

In the first 4 years of a child's life, we can utilise the NSW Blue Book as a guide for health checkups, immunisations and developmental milestones. This resource allows a parent or caregiver to keep track of the childs health, and notice any potential issues early on. This then allows us to take early steps to help correct any issues, and then leads to healthier children and young people.

We have a visiting Paediatrician who can assist with specialist care of infants and children.

Marumali also runs community programs that provide cultural education, as well as health awareness and opportunities to link up with a supportive community.

We understand that many health and wellbeing concerns can be sensitive to talk about, and all of our staff are professional and capable. However, in some circumstances, it may be appropriate to opt for a male worker or a female worker. We have a variety of staff who can assist appropriately, and in most cases you have the flexibility to choose who you see. We have a variety or Women's and Men's services available in clinic.

GHS are also linked closely with both Men's and Women's Groups, and can facilitate referrals for these services. These may include social groups, as well as skills-based learning and connecting (ie weaving, craft, art, artefacts), and events such as BreastScreening Groups, BBQs, Museum outings, movie days and more.

For more info about getting involved with our Women's or Men's groups, please visit the Marumali Programs page, or call GHS on 9601 0700.

The GPs and health staff at GHS care for our community over the span of their lifetime. From infants and children, to our Elders. We walk with you on your health journey, side-by-side, and work with you to set goals for your health and wellbeing, and then achieve those goals.

Many of our community have a variety of chronic and complex health needs, and so our staff have become very good at working alongside you to get you the care that you require, and allow you to achieve the best outcomes possible. This can include referrals to other services such as the Aboriginal Chronic Care Program, to our variety of visiting Allied Health and Specialists services, or to our external partner services. Our close partnerships with Marumali and the Aboriginal Chronic Care Program mean that your financial situation should not impact your ability to access the care that you need, as they can assist with health brokerage to find more affordable services, and assist with payments where needed.

A new initiative led by our GPs and Nurses is the Diabetes Yarning Circle. This group is for people with Diabetes, or caring for someone with diabetes, regardless of which Type and how well you are managing your condition. We have a variety of health professionals involved, including guest dieticians and staff from Diabetes NSW. We encourage people who are coping well to come along to the group too, so that they may offer mentoring to other group members.

Many procedures in clinic are performed or assisted by our wonderful Registered Nurses, or Aboriginal Health Practitioners. This means that most procedures are available between 8am - 4:30pm Monday to Friday, when the necessary team members are available. These procedures will often take longer than a regular appointment, and so need to be booked in advance with the team.

The procedures are usually requested by your GP. Sometimes they will help us to see a more holistic picture of what is going on with your health, sometimes they can be used to diagnose certain things, and other times they will help to relieve a symptom that you may be having.

Some simple procedures that are offered in clinic include:

• Pathology - blood tests

Gandangara Health Services have three nurses trained in blood collection and cannulation from Monday – Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm for any pathology tests your GP has ordered for you. 

Please check the requirements of your blood tests as you may be required to fast overnight for some tests.

You will be notified of your results via phone or your Doctor may request that you attend the clinic once your results have been received.  It is important to follow-up on your test results to make sure you receive the necessary treatment.

• Minor Surgical Procedures - such as biopsies, removal of skin lesions, sutures, insertion/removal of Implanon (contraceptive rod)

• Immunisation

We can facilitate all childhood immunisations, as necessary, including creating and delivering catch-up immunisation plans. We can also give adult immunisations, COVID vaccinations, some travel immunisations and Flu vaccinations.

Seasonal flu vaccination is a safe and convenient way to protect yourself and your loved ones from the full effects of flu season. Flu vaccination is recommended in April of each year to optimise protection during flu season.

• Spirometry - to check your lung capacity and strength

• ECG - to check the electrical currents in your heart

• Wound Care - swabbing, cleaning, dehiscing, lancing and dressing wounds where necessary

GHS Nurses are trained in wound management, and can provide assistance with all your wound needs. This includes

• Surgical sites (post-op)
• Chronic wounds (ulcers, pressure sores)
• Acute wounds (injury)

We have a general stock of wound assessment, cleansing and dressing supplies.

If you require specialised wound care, we can facilitate a wound assessment and may be able to source some special dressings and cleansers as required. Otherwise, if you have your own dressings that you would rather use, or supplied by the hospital or specialist, we are able to use those for you in most cases.

• Nebulisers - allowing a person to inhale a vaporised medication to help with symptoms of acute or sometimes chronic breathing conditions

• Ear syringing - cleaning of excess wax from the ear canal with warm water (only if medically recommended)

GHS prides itself on bringing a very human and personal approach to health care.

Any individual who attends our clinic is not just the person who is in our waiting room, but a person with a range of unique backgrounds, histories, stories, experiences, personalities and goals. We aim to create a welcoming space for people to feel comfortable to be themselves and put their trust in us to walk alongside them in their health and wellbeing journey.

We have a robust Social and Emotional Wellbeing Team at GHS, and we have a range of services that can assist in creating a sense of connecting, belonging and thriving in your own lives, and with us. Please visit the Social and Emotional Healing Centre page to read more about our services such as yarning circles, mindfulness meditation, art and music therapy.

We have a variety of visiting Allied Health, specialists and clinics to assist our communities. In addition to clinical nursing duties, our Nurses coordinate the comings and goings of all our specialists and provide a recall service to keep you informed about any test results that require follow-up.

• Cardiac Clinic - assessment, treatment and referral for heart issues
• Exercise Physiologist - clinical exercise interventions for people with a broad range of health issues
• Gastroenterologist - to diagnose and treat disorders of the stomach and intestines.
• Hearing Australia Clinic - hearing assessment and treatment
• Oral Health Clinic - teeth, gum and overall mouth health
• Paediatrician - a medical practitioner specializing in children and their diseases
• Podiatrist - a person who treats the feet and their ailments
• Psychologists - assess, diagnose, and treat the psychological problems and the behavioral dysfunctions resulting from, or related to physical and mental health
• Skin Cancer Clinic - our GPs lead a skin cancer clinic to assess, diagnose and remove (or refer) for abnormal skin spots
• Drug and Alcohol Mental Health Nurse - individualised assistance through the recovery journey of drug and alcohol dependency, and the impact on mental health