Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory

14/11/2025

Recently, AMSANT hosted an Ear Health Workshop in Mparntwe, bringing together primary care practitioners from across the region to strengthen their ear and hearing health skills.

Participants upskilled in ear assessment techniques, learnt what it is like for those living with hearing loss, and shared practical insights on how ear and hearing health can be embedded into everyday primary care, helping improve outcomes for communities across the NT.

A big thank you to everyone who joined, shared knowledge, and contributed to building stronger, healthier futures together!

Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Selena Uibo: Member for Arnhem
Northern Territory PHN
Ampilatwatja Health Centre Aboriginal Corporation
Urapuntja Health Service
Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation

13/11/2025

Our Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory team and Central Australian Aboriginal Congress have launched two new community resources: a foot health promotion brochure and an additional poster to help people living with diabetes look after their feet and reduce preventable amputations.

We're are also urging communities, health professionals and policymakers to prioritise prevention; through regular foot checks, early podiatry care, and access to affordable, good-quality footwear in remote communities.

Read more: https://nit.com.au/12-11-2025/21234/nt-aboriginal-health-leaders-mark-diabetes-feet-day-with-call-for-greater-investment-in-foot-health

Check out Congress' Looking after feet resources online at https://www.caac.org.au/looking-after-feet-ingke-arntarnte-areme/

Looking After Feet Ingke Arntarnte-areme Looking after your feet is important, especially if you are living with diabetes. Your feet are at a greater risk of injury when you have diabetes, because you may lose feeling in your feet which makes it harder to notice cuts and sores. These can lead to inf...

12/11/2025

The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory and Central Australian Aboriginal Congress have called for greater awareness and investment in foot health to prevent avoidable amputations and improve quality of life for people living with diabetes in the Northern Territory.

Across the Territory, Aboriginal people experience some of the highest rates of diabetes and diabetes‑related foot disease in the world. The NT also has the highest rate of diabetes-related lower‑limb amputation in Australia.

Diabetes Feet Australia estimates that the cost of diabetes-related foot disease (DFD) alone to the health system is $1.6 billion annually.

On Diabetes Feet Day, Wednesday, and ahead of World Diabetes Day - this Friday, AMSANT and Congress launched two new community resources: a foot health promotion brochure and an additional poster to help people living with diabetes look after their feet and reduce preventable amputations.

The resources were launched at the Strong Feet Community Day, a free community event at Tamarind Park in Darwin.

The two organisations are also urging communities, health professionals and policymakers to prioritise prevention; through regular foot checks, early podiatry care, and access to affordable, good-quality footwear in remote communities.

Foot care, wearing good footwear, and having regular foot checks annually are vital for people living with diabetes," said Podiatrist and Strong Feet Project Coordinator, Frances Elcoate

Diabetes is the leading cause of lower limb amputation in Australia.

Aboriginal people in Central Australia have among the highest rates of diabetes globally, with Top End Aboriginal people not far behind.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples have a 3-6-fold increased risk of experiencing diabetes foot disease (DFD) and are up to 38 times more likely to undergo a major amputation and 27 times more likely to undergo a minor amputation compared to non-Indigenous Australians. It is estimated that of the 510,000 people living with DFD, 6300 will have a lower-limb amputation each year.

The Northern Territory has the highest rate of diabetes-related lower limb amputation (65 per 100,000 people) in Australia (four times higher than the national average) with people in the NT also being significantly younger than in other jurisdictions.

In response to unmet need, the Ingke Arntarnte-areme (Looking After Feet) program at Congress and the Strong Feet Project coordinated by AMSANT was established in 2020. They form part of the broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foot Complications Program, coordinated by the South Australian Health Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care.

The program operates across the Northern Territory, South Australia, the Kimberley region in Western Australia and Far North Queensland.

AMSANT is the peak body for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in the Northern Territory and Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (Congress) is one of the largest Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in the Northern Territory.

More information about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Diabetes-Related Foot Complications Program is available online

https://sahmri.org.au/research/themes/aboriginal-health/programs/health-systems-research/projects/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-diabetes-related-foot-complications-program

Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Danila Dilba Health Service
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Selena Uibo: Member for Arnhem
Northern Territory PHN

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

Congratulations Katherine West Health Board team

Our Aboriginal Health Coaches are growing stronger than ever!💪

The team in Yarralin received Stay Strong training last week from Menzies School of Health Research, giving the coaches more skills to support their mob with big worries.

A big thank you to the team for delivering this training on-Country for our coaches!

10/11/2025

In remote NT, healthcare is pushed to its limits.

Urapuntja Health Service supports 16 homelands in the Utopia community outside Alice Springs, where unsealed roads, extreme heat and high costs make access to care challenging.

Staff, like clinic manager Yvette are going above and beyond – delivering outreach care, healthy food and medication on Country so no one misses out.

Investment in stronger infrastructure is essential in remote areas to keep health workers on the ground and communities well. Stronger healthcare builds stronger communities.

🎥 Watch the Urapuntja team in action

Visit the website to learn more about Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) in the NT: https://www.amsant.org.au/

09/11/2025

Join us for a foot-friendly day November 12, yarning, learning and connection as we mark Diabetes Feet Day with our AMSANT) Strong Feet Project.

WHEN: 10 am – 3 pm Wednesday 12 November

WHERE: Tamarind Park (corner Mitchell & Knuckey Streets, Darwin City)

Help us launch and share our new resource; “Steps to keep your feet healthy and connected to Country.”

Enjoy art activities and children’s book readings

Sit down and yarn about why it’s important to keep our feet healthy — and how strong feet help keep us connected to Country, family and community.

Learn about choosing good footwear and footcare to prevent and manage diabetes-related foot problems.

Come along, have a yarn, and take a step toward stronger, healthier feet for you and your mob.

Footcare packs (donated by Footscape) for people living with diabetes.

Everyone welcome!

Diabetes Feet Day is an annual national initiative led by Diabetes Feet Australia (DFA) to raise awareness about diabetes-related foot health and disease.

DFA provides national guidelines and education for consumers and health professionals. To improve foot health outcomes for people with diabetes.

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Danila Dilba Health Service
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Northern Territory PHN

07/11/2025

AMSANT welcomes NT Police anti-racism strategy full media release

The Aboriginal health sector looks forward to working in partnership with the NT Police to implement the strategy.

Protecting the safety of all Territorians contributes to closing the gap and improving health outcomes.

The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) has welcomed the Northern Territory Police Force’s anti-racism strategy as an important step towards addressing systemic racism and rebuilding trust with Aboriginal communities.

The strategy contains several promising commitments, including trauma-informed policing, improved racism complaint handling, co-designed cultural training, and stronger recruitment, retention and leadership pathways for Aboriginal staff.

AMSANT Chair Rob McPhee says the success of the strategy will depend on strong accountability, clear consequences for racism, and genuine partnership with communities.

“This strategy is an important step, recognising that racism does exist and that it must be confronted directly. That honesty matters,” he said. “Aboriginal Territorians deserve policing that protects them and treats them with dignity, respect and equality. We had hoped for the inclusion of Aboriginal community representatives in the oversight of implementation of the strategy, as well as an independent mechanism to investigate complaints against police, but this is a good first step.”

“But the success of this strategy will depend on what happens next, including ensuring that its implementation is properly resourced. There must be real powers, transparent processes and consequences to investigate and act on racism when it occurs. Without that, this will become yet another wasted opportunity for critical reform—and that would be unacceptable.”

To improve safety and strengthen relationships with Aboriginal people, the NT Police must not only commit to eliminating racism, but demonstrate every day that it applies the law without fear, favour or racism.

“Trust will only be rebuilt through action,” Mr McPhee said. “In this respect, AMSANT acknowledges the positive way that consultation on the strategy was undertaken with Aboriginal organisations and how it was led by the NT Police’s Executive Director, Community Resilience and Engagement Command, Leanne Liddle.”

The Aboriginal health sector looks forward to working in partnership with the NT Police to implement the strategy. Protecting the safety of all Territorians contributes to closing the gap and improving health outcomes.

07/11/2025

Our Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) has welcomed the first NT anti- racism strategy, calling it an important step toward rebuilding trust between police and Aboriginal communities.

"There must be real powers, transparent processes and consequences to investigate and act on racism when it occurs," AMSANT Chair Rob McPhee said.

"Without that, this will become yet another wasted opportunity for critical reform-and that would be unacceptable."

Mr McPhee said acknowledgment was only the beginning.

"Aboriginal Territorians deserve policing that protects them and treats them with dignity, respect and equality," he said.

He added AMSANT had hoped for greater Aboriginal oversight of the strategy's implementation and for an independent body to investigate complaints, but said "this is a good first step."

Read the full AMSANT press release here

https://newshub.medianet.com.au/2025/11/amsant-welcomes-nt-police-anti-racism-strategy/127597/

Or the National Indigenous Times article below ⬇️

After years of criticism over racism within the force, the Northern Territory Police have launched their first-ever anti-racism strategy.

The strategy, led by the NT Police's Cultural Reform Command director, Arrernte woman Leanne Liddle, follows widespread revelations of racism that surfaced during the inquest into the 2019 death of 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man Kumanjayi Walker.

Unveiled in Alice Springs/Mparntwe on Thursday, the first stage of the anti-racism strategy is "not a witch hunt," newly-appointed NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole said, but rather "a pathway forward".

"It's about building a police force that truly reflects the Territory that we serve, where every officer and every Territorian is treated with fairness and respect," he said.

Ms Liddle, a former police officer tasked with the task of leading internal reform, acknowledged the issue was "confronting," but said it was one that had to be addressed directly.

"It is about accepting that racism has informed the structures that have shaped policing for generations," she said.

Read more

https://nit.com.au/07-11-2025/21148/nt-police-launch-first-anti-racism-strategy-following-years-of-systemic-racism-accusations

06/11/2025

Health Strong Diabetes Gone courses NOW LIVE on NACCHO Online Learning❗💻

These engaging new modules are designed to strengthen the skills and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners to support Mob living with, or at risk of, diabetes.

Courses include:

- Introduction to Diabetes
- Screening, management & support for diabetes care

👉Start learning today: https://learn.naccho.org.au/

✅CPD-endorsed by National Association of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Workers



Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
Danila Dilba Health Service
Marion Scrymgour MP
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Selena Uibo: Member for Arnhem
Red Lily Health
Northern Territory PHN
Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation
Wurli-Wurlinjang Aboriginal Health Service
Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation
Katherine West Health Board
Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation
Urapuntja Health Service
Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation
Ampilatwatja Health Centre Aboriginal Corporation
Mala'la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation

05/11/2025

The Culture Care Connect Su***de Prevention Team was awarded the 2025 Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healthcare Award at the National Rural and Remote Health Awards held in Canberra on Wednesday night.

The CCC team, based at the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress in Mparntwe / Alice Springs, is an all-Aboriginal, trauma-informed aftercare service supporting individuals, families, and communities across remote regions surrounding Mparntwe. Their work focuses on providing culturally safe, holistic support following su***de attempts, suicidal distress, or deaths by su***de.

CCC team member Wayne Clarke said he believes the CCC's "strength is that we're all Indigenous, and we make sure the space is culturally safe".

"When we respond to people, we don't bring it from a Western model," he told Rural Health Pro.

CCC team member Emele Radinitoga said the team genuinely cares enough "to go sit with people where they are".

"We've all been there at some point in our lives, so we can say, 'it's okay to be where you are, we just want to make sure you're strong enough to carry on to your normal'," he said.

Between July 2024 and June 2025, the CCC team supported more than 200 clients, delivering care grounded in the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) framework. Their approach integrates cultural healing practices such as yarning, bush medicine, and Ngangkari support with clinical pathways, ensuring services are trusted, respectful, and responsive to local needs.

"It is a really hard role, but it's also rewarding. It can be sad at times...but it also brings a lot of happiness and joy. And, you know, working with the most vulnerable people within our community; it's just a really good feeling," Mr Clarke said.

Read full story

https://nit.com.au/06-11-2025/21120/culture-care-connect-su***de-prevention-team-wins-national-rural-and-remote-health-award-for-excellence-in-indigenous-healthcare

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
Selena Uibo: Member for Arnhem
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Northern Territory PHN

05/11/2025

Congratulations to Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Culture Care Connect program for being recognised through the Rural Health Pro Award for Excellence in Indigenous Healthcare.

This team provides trauma-informed aftercare service supporting individuals, families, and communities impacted by su***de in Mparntwe and surrounding remote communities.

An award like this is important in bringing attention to the need for an Aboriginal-led, culturally responsive approach to this extremely sensitive and devastating issue.

Read full story below ⬇️

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Selena Uibo: Member for Arnhem

The Culture Care Connect Su***de Prevention Team was awarded the 2025 Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healthcare Award at the National Rural and Remote Health Awards held in Canber...