Newman health clinic set to close

WA Country Health Service has denied claims the closure of an Aboriginal health clinic in Newman will put pressure on mainstream health services.

The Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service last week confirmed the closure of Newman's Parnpajinya Health Clinic, which had been operational for 12 months.

PAMS chief executive Des Martin stopped short of suggesting the closure would leave a gap in services, but emphasised the cancellation was "a step backwards".

"When Aboriginal people front to the mainstream services here they are made to wait…and they're not serviced in the way other people are serviced," he said.

"But with us establishing the clinic it meant they had timely access to healthcare.

"In some cases people fronted to the GP service here and they were told 'no you have to go to the after hours clinic at 4.30pm at the hospital' and then they'd have to go and wait to be seen… a lot can happen in that time."

When asked if the closure would place more pressure on mainstream services Mr Martin replied "it must". "There will be additional pressure placed on the doctors at the hospital," he said.

PAMS acting health services manager Rebecca Vele said the decision to close the clinic due to inadequate funding had not been made lightly.

She said the service, which treated approximately 60 to 80 people a week, had made a difference to patients visiting from Western Desert communities.

"It was an access point for the Martu to go where they felt they received culturally appropriate health care delivery," she said.

Mr Martin said PAMS had stretched previous funding to support the opening of a clinic in Newman, because they identified there was a need.