The Katherine West Health Board Aboriginal Corporation (KWHB) was established to implement the Katherine West Coordinated Care Trial, covering the communities west of Katherine to the NT/WA border.

Prior to the Trial, all health services in the region were delivered by the Northern Territory Government. The Trial involved the NT and Federal Governments ‘pooling’ funds which were put under the control of an elected Board of Aboriginal community representatives from throughout the region.

The NT Government contributed funds it would otherwise have spent on health services in the region, while the Commonwealth contributed funds based on a ‘cashout’ of the entitlements of the residents of the region to the Medical Benefits Scheme and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (based on average Australian utilisation rates).[1]

In this way, KWHB did not just complement the role of Governments in the region, it actually took over the role of Governments. Over the period of the Trial, the level of Health Services have increased dramatically:

• Residential GP services were provided for the first time ever.
• Staff numbers in clinics were increased.
• A mobile service was established to service the needs of pastoralists.
• The number of Aboriginal health workers trained and employed increased markedly.
• Community based health communities were set up.
• The level of public health services provided, particularly environmental, health and nutrition, increased many fold over pre-Trial levels.

Source: http://www.kwhb.com.au

[1] Pharmecutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) spending for Indigenous Australians is on average only one third of that spent on non-Indigenous Australians.