Inala Primary Care is a charitable general practice that serves Queensland’s most disadvantaged suburban region.

Amongst our 5,000 active patients we count 119 different ethnicities. One third are from refugee backgrounds, 49% come from the lowest 10% of household incomes in Australia, and two-thirds are on pensions or have health care cards.

Our patients are some of the most complex in our region which is counted in the 12 most disadvantaged regions in Queensland (the other 11 being remote indigenous communities). Last year alone, our practice grew by 20% as patients struggle to find the care that they need in other bulk-billed practices.

The majority of the complex patients we see have had difficult lives. Many are socially isolated and very dependent upon us as their care team. Too often, we have to treat the end result of social issues.

We pilot innovative models of care aimed at bridging the divide between health and social care, as we know that bringing health care into the community is a powerful way to improve people’s lives by addressing the complex circumstances that impact their health. This is a growing area of our innovation and one where no regular government money is available.

Through social care initiatives, and building a case for change through research, we seek to lessen the burden on the public health system by creating a healthier, more resilient community. We aim to make high quality health care mainstream and accessible.