Client: Gulf Savannah Development

Undertake Regional Health Service planning project for the Gulf Savannah catchment shires, including completion of comprehensive health and community needs assessment to assist in future planning and implementation of the Gulf Regional Development Plan.

Timeline: December 2001 – September 2002

Brief description:

• Environmental scan of target region, including sourcing and review of previous needs assessments

• Community consultation to validate and prioritise health issues, and provide context for the development of solutions applicable to target communities.

• Preparation of planning paper to identify raft of issues and strategies for action, with decisions by the steering committee with respect to agencies responsible to progressing strategies.

• Preparation of a Regional Health Service delivery application

Outcome:

Review of Needs Assessments completed February 2002. Initial community consultation completed March 2002. Service map and Planning Paper completed April 2002. Feedback via community consultation completed September 2002. Application with budget submitted end September 2002.

The Regional Health Service is auspiced by Oxfam, implementing a community development approach to implement preventative health initiatives in the Gulf communities.