For an overview of the services we fund for Aboriginal Health, Chronic Disease, After Hours and other services, head to our Services We Commission page.


Our commitment to Aboriginal Health

Building capacity and improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people is central to the work of the Western NSW PHN. We are committed to Closing the Gap between the health outcomes for Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal People.

10.5% of people that live in our region identify as Aboriginal People (compared with 2.8% nationally). This is the third highest proportion behind the Northern Territory and Western Queensland PHNs.

We work in collaboration with our region’s Aboriginal communities and peoples to improve their health, emotional and social wellbeing. WNSW PHN’s Aboriginal Health Council plays an important role advising the Board on locally relevant Aboriginal Community perspectives and needs.

WNSW PHN funds a range of services for people living in Western NSW, and in addition there are services focused on the needs of Aboriginal People for:

Find out more about how Primary Health Networks and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations work together: PHN and ACCHO Guiding Principles.  


Closing the Gap

WNSW PHN is committed to closing the gap in health outcomes for First Nations communities in Western and Far West NSW. Guided by a vision of equitable healthcare, we strive to design and deliver services that are impactful, meaningful, and culturally appropriate.

By 2031, we aim to:

  • Close the gap in life expectancy within a generation.
  • Increase the proportion of babies with a healthy birth weight to 91 percent.
  • Raise the proportion of children assessed as developmentally on track in all five domains of the Australian Early Development Census to 55 percent.
  • Reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45 percent.
  • Achieve a significant and sustained reduction in suicide rates towards zero.

We acknowledge the importance of listening to, learning from, and engaging with First Nations communities. Building strong, respectful partnerships with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) is essential to our approach, and we are committed to ensuring that mainstream healthcare providers are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to deliver culturally safe care.

This commitment is not only to the principles of reconciliation but to practical, sustained efforts in creating a healthcare system that works for all. We will continue to focus on measurable outcomes and work collaboratively towards closing the gap in health outcomes for First Nations peoples.

View the National Agreement on Closing the Gap

View the Closing the Gap Information Repository


Cultural Safety 

Cultural safety in healthcare means designing and providing services that meet the needs of patients through a process of self-reflection, awareness of cultural biases and processes to actively respond to benefit patient’s health and wellbeing.

The WNSW PHN Cultural Safety Framework provides information and a comprehensive self-assessment evaluation tool to help health care providers progress towards achieving cultural safety. The principles of cultural safety are integrated in the work we do and our procurement of health services.


In our region 

Aboriginal nations within our region include:

  • Wiradjuri
  • Gamilaraay / Gamilaroi / Kamilaroi
  • Wailwun
  • Wongaibon
  • Ngemba / Nyemba / Ngiyampaa
  • Murrawarri
  • Barkindji / Barkandji
  • Barindji
  • Barundji
  • Nyirrpa
  • Karenggapa
  • Wadigali
  • Wilyakali / Wiljali
  • Wandjiwalgu
  • Danggali
  • Muthi-Muthi
  • Kureinji
  • Gunu
  • Barranbinya
  • Bandjigali
  • Malyangaba
  • Dadi Dadi

On this website the term ‘Aboriginal’ is used to describe the nations, clan and language groups across NSW including all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within this region.