Listening on Country with Pilbara Aboriginal Health Alliance (PAHA)
The Pilbara Aboriginal Health Alliance (PAHA) has spent the latter part of 2025 consulting with Community and stakeholders across the Pilbara, gathering insights into their current experiences and the challenges they face when accessing support, health, and wellbeing services. The work reflects a shared commitment to ensuring Aboriginal people in the region have access to culturally grounded, locally informed healthcare.
For IBN Group, strong partnerships are central to delivering meaningful services and support to our members. Working alongside PAHA enables us to help ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can access culturally conscious healthcare throughout the Pilbara.
At the beginning of November, PAHA facilitated a series of On-Country consultations and engagement activities, supported by Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service (PAMS) and Wirraka Maya Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (WMHSAC). Teams travelled to Tom Price to participate in the event, offering social and emotional wellbeing support and sharing knowledge with the Community about the capabilities and ways of working within Aboriginal medical services.
Held over two days, the gathering created a culturally safe space where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people could speak openly about their experiences with both fixed and visiting services in the region. Many participants shared practical challenges, service gaps, and stories that highlighted the need for greater coordination and improved accessibility for remote families.
Almost 100 Community Members and Service Providers attended across the two-day event – a strong show of support that reflected the importance of the work. The combined expertise from PAMS and WMHSAC brought a wide range of skills to the consultations, including a Senior Medical Officer and GP, a Midwife and Women’s Health Officer, a Social Worker, a Family Support Worker, an Aftercare Program Officer, a SEWB Counsellor, and members of management teams.
Through yarning circles, written surveys, and conversation, PAHA and partners took time to listen carefully and respectfully to what Community Members shared. These conversations highlighted not only individual stories, but the broader patterns shaping access to care throughout the Pilbara.
The insights gathered during these consultations will help inform future planning for PAHA, strengthen service delivery models, and ensure healthcare provision in the region is driven by the voices of the people who live there.
IBN Group is proud to walk alongside PAHA, PAMS, WMHSAC, and the IBN Community as we continue working together toward more accessible, culturally safe health and wellbeing services for all Aboriginal people in the Pilbara.
