The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) is the national peak body for all Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs). NACCHO describe an ACCHO as:

“a primary health care service initiated and operated by the local Aboriginal community to deliver holistic, comprehensive, and culturally appropriate health care to the community which controls it, through a locally elected Board of Management”.

There are more than 140 ACCHOs across Australia, with peak representative organisations across all states and territories.
To find an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) or Affiliate near you, visit NACCHO.org.

If you choose to undertake a placement in an ACCHO, you can expect to:

• Experience immersion in the oldest living culture in the world.
• Make a practical contribution to closing the gap on health equality and improving. health outcomes for Aboriginal people.
• Work as a member of a multidisciplinary team made up of nurses, Aboriginal health. workers, allied health professionals and experienced practice managers.
• Gain transferable cross-cultural communication skills.
• Work with remote supervisors who have extensive experience in Aboriginal health.
• Work 9am to 5pm with no weekend or on-call work.
• Receive pastoral care to support your own wellbeing.
• Undertake cultural and practice orientation programs.

JCTS ensures that support systems are in place for all registrars undertaking a placement in an ACCHS. These supports are tailored to each individual registrar’s needs.

If you’re placed in an ACCHO, you will be supported by a cultural educator will also be available to offer any additional support and education that you may require throughout your placement.

Cultural educators may provide additional and individualised cultural support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander registrars who are navigating living and working on country that’s either their own or that of another Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander group.

Cultural mentors are also a valuable additional support for you to ask questions to enable you to better understand and learn more about the local cultural history, local cultural protocols and sites.

For further information about placements in the Australian General Practice Training Program (AGPT), visit racgp.org.au.