Darwin Remote Health Services

Clinic Profile

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Location
Darwin District Medical Service is based at Casuarina Plaza in Darwin but is a fly-in fly-out service by Remote Medical Practitioners (RMPs) to remote Indigenous communities.

Category
Prevocational Doctors (PGPPP) and GP Registrars

Population
Darwin has a cosmopolitan population in excess of 130,000 people. The RMP services are supplied to 25 communities with a total population of approximately 20,000 people, with the Telehealth services also including an additional 5000 people who have health care provided by Aboriginal Medical Services (AMSs).

Major Language Groups
English, Local Aboriginal Languages

Access via Road
Darwin can be accessed via the Stuart Highway which runs the length of the Northern Territory from Darwin through to Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and on to Adelaide.

Access via Air
The Darwin International Airport has domestic flights available between all major Australian cities and international flights to some oversea destinations. Many remote communities can be accessed via smaller operators from Darwin Airport.

Seasonal Access
The climate of Darwin is heavily affected by the monsoon season from November to March. The majority of the yearly rainfall occurs during this time, a period in which tropical cyclones can occur. The Darwin International Airport may close in the event of a cyclone warning.

Outstations Serviced
NA

Programs
The provision of primary health care services in remote areas of the NT is provided by the NT Department of Health through its RMP services which covers GP services to remote communities, provision of a 24-hour, seven days a week telephone consultation service available to all remote areas (including those areas where non-departmental GP arrangements exist and pastoral stations) and medical retrieval tasking. These services cover adult medicine, Paediatrics, Obstetrics, Chronic Disease (particularly in the Indigenous context), Aboriginal Medicine, Sexual Health, Emergency Medicine and Psychiatry. Some RMPs from this service live in Aboriginal communities.

Additional information
Darwin Remote Medical Services manages the Telehealth service as far as Wadeye (West) and Maningrida (East) across the Top End. The area to Lajamanu is covered to the South. RMPs travel by charter planes to NT Health operated communities around Darwin to provide face to face patient consultations. RMPs are either employed in a position that is dedicated full time to remote areas or, as is the case in East Arnhem, the RMP / Hospital Medical Officer (HMO) role may be combined.

The Darwin RMP on-call service is provided over two shifts per day and the roster is structured on a daily rotation of RMPs for each week.

Training Details (info for trainees)
Darwin RMP Service offers a training experience for GPRs with a strong interest in rural/remote health with an Aboriginal Health focus. It is RACGP and ACRRM accredited and currently taking Level One GPs in their GPT1, GPT2 and GPT3 terms. GP Registrars working with this service would generally be living in Darwin with some nights spent in Aboriginal Communities.

Open Times
24/7

Contact Details
Dr Rodney Omond
Remote Health Services
Department of Health NT
PO Box 40596 Casuarina NT 0811
P: 0418 623 080| F: (08) 8922 7799
E: [email protected]

Community Profile

Community Information
Darwin is the Northern Territory’s capital city situated on the Timor Sea, on the shores of Darwin Harbour which is seven times the area of Sydney Harbour. It is the smallest and most Northerly of the Australian capital cities, and acts as the Top End’s regional centre. It is the home of Northern Territory commerce and business and with its world-class natural and cultural attractions it is also a thriving hub of activity in terms of tourism, nightlife and retail. Boasting a unique, laid-back lifestyle, Darwin enjoys warm weather all-year round and is a vibrant tropical harbor city. Today, more than 50 nationalities make up its population, including the traditional landowners, the Larrakia Aboriginal people.

History
The Larrakia Aboriginal people are the first inhabitants of the greater Darwin area. They had trading routes with Southeast Asia, and imported goods from as far afield as South and Western Australia. Darwin Harbour was discovered in 1839 by the Captain of the Beagle, John Lort Stokes, who named it after a former shipmate, British naturalist Charles Darwin. It was first settled as the capital of the Northern Territory in the 1860s. Originally the settlement was named Palmerston, with its port being named Port Darwin. The town’s growth was accelerated when gold was discovered 200km South at the town of Pine Creek in 1871. The town name of Darwin over Palmerston came to be widely used by the inhabitants, and in 1911 the town name of Palmerston was officially changed to Darwin. Darwin has a tragic history. In 1942 during WWII Darwin was bombed by the Japanese and suffered loss of life and property. In 1974 the city was almost completely leveled by Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve. A pioneering spirit has overcome these events, and the twice-rebuilt city has thrived.

Art and Culture
The East Point Military Museum is Darwin’s first museum and features war memorabilia, equipment and vehicles. The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory holds collections of Aboriginal art and material culture, visual arts, craft, South East Asian and Oceanic art and material culture, maritime archaeology, Northern Territory history and natural sciences, as well as a display on Cyclone Tracy. The Darwin Festival staged in August showcases local, national and international talent through music, art, dance and theatre.

City/Shire Council
Darwin City Council

Local & Government Services
Darwin has over 35 primary and preschools, 12 secondary schools (including both government and non-government and a small number of Christian, Catholic and Lutheran institutions), Charles Darwin University, 2 libraries, several police stations, Royal Darwin Hospital (public).

Facilities
Darwin has all the basic facilities of a modern city - shady parks, a pedestrian mall, shopping precincts, sports grounds, motor race complex, horse racing track, a great range of restaurants, three cinema complexes (including the open air Deckchair Cinema), trendy pubs and clubs and nightlife strip.

Attractions
There is an array of rich and interesting historical World War II artifacts and preserved sites, a multicultural mix of alfresco restaurants and diverse outdoor markets (Mindil Beach, Parap, Rapid Creek and Nightcliff), wildlife parks and prized fishing grounds popular for fishing trips and charters. The beach-side SkyCity Casino is one of many local venues that host live music and other entertainment, Darwin is also a hub for Top End tours to surrounding spectacular natural attractions including Kakadu National Park (140km East), Adelaide River (112km West), and Litchfield National Park (170km South).

For more attractions and activities around Darwin, please visit Tourism Top End

Telecommunications reception and internet access

• Phone access
• ADSL Internet/email access
• Satellite

Coverage available from three major carriers: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.

Permits required ie camping, alcohol, beach etc
Northern Territory law requires all visitors to obtain a permit to enter Aboriginal land. The exceptions are designated public roads, which pass through Aboriginal land. There is no permit required to enter the Darwin city and a number of jointly managed National Parks. A permit/park pass may be required for the Kakadu National Park. Liquor is not prohibited in Darwin. Swimming in the sea is not recommended due to deadly box jellyfish and crocodiles, especially from October to May.

Useful Links
www.theterritory.com.au
www.tourismtopend.com.au
maps.travelmate.com.au
www.rahc.com.au