Not for Profit community healthcare provider Gidgee Healing, which delivers culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across 640,000 sqm in northern Queensland, has announced it has transferred the operation of its three aged care services in the Gulf of Carpenteria to Queensland Not For Profit health and wellbeing services provider selectability as of 1 September 2023.

Gidgee announced in February that due to staff shortages and underfunding it would cease managing 15-bed Kukatja Place aged care facility in Normanton, the 10-bed Ngooderi House in Doomadgee, and the 15-bed Kuba Natha Hostel on Mornington Island. Gidgee Healing had operated the homes since 2021.

This week, a spokesperson from Gidgee Healing told The SOURCE, “Gidgee Healing is delighted selectability is taking over the management of these facilities — it’s a wonderful outcome for residents and their families. 

“We welcome the selectability team into our communities and will continue working alongside them as we strive for equitable health outcomes for First Nations peoples in Queensland’s North West and Lower Gulf. 

“The decision to discontinue these services was not made lightly, but in late 2022, it was clear we no longer had the capacity to fund these services and reached a point where renewal of management arrangements was unsustainable for the organisation.”

The SOURCE: It’s a win for communities in northern Queensland that the homes have found a new operator, but demonstrates the difficulties remote communities face, particularly in finding staff.