Apunipima Cape York Health Council

What Apunipima Cape York Health Council does

Apunipima Cape York Health Council is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) headquartered in Cairns, Queensland, that delivers culturally safe primary health care and wellbeing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living across 11 Cape York communities. Established in 1994 at a health summit in Injinoo, the organisation transitioned under former CEO Cleveland Fagan (2005-2017) from an advocacy body to a primary health care service provider, growing staff from 20 to over 200. It now operates six RACGP-accredited Primary Health Care Centres (in Mapoon, Napranum, Mossman Gorge, Kowanyama, Coen, and Aurukun) and four Wellbeing Centres (in Mossman Gorge, Hope Vale, Coen, and Aurukun), supplemented by visiting and outreach services to communities without fixed infrastructure including Lockhart River, Pormpuraaw, Laura, Wujal Wujal, and the Northern Peninsula Area.

The service portfolio spans clinical services (GP services, child and maternal health, chronic conditions management including the Cape York Kidney Care nephrology outreach program, early intervention, and immunisations), wellbeing services (social and emotional wellbeing counselling, Elder Care Support, NDIS navigation via Aboriginal Disability Liaison Officers, Aftercare/Suicide Prevention, and Alcohol & Other Drug support), and health promotion programs (notably the federally funded Tackling Indigenous Smoking program across 16 communities and the Core of Life teen education program). The technology stack is modest: telehealth relies on industry-standard secure video conferencing with health-worker-assisted GP consultations, bulk-billed under Medicare. There is no proprietary AI/ML capability disclosed. Governance is delivered through community Health Action Teams (HATs) in each community, and the organisation is part of the national NACCHO and state QAIHC networks.

The business model is a federally and state-funded non-profit: revenue derives from Australian government health program grants and Medicare bulk-billing, with services provided at no cost to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. The "customers" are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of Cape York, while the paying entities are the Commonwealth (Department of Health and Aged Care, NACCHO initiatives) and Queensland government. The organisation is led by CEO Debra Malthouse and Board Chairperson Trevor Gibson. Recent strategic activity has focused on program diversification (Coordinated Case Care social prescribing pilot, Elder Care, NDIS support), infrastructure accreditation (RACGP zero-non-conformity accreditations in 2023-2024), and ecosystem consolidation via the December 2024 Cape York Health Summit.

Name

Apunipima Cape York Health Council

Legal name

Apunipima Cape York Health Council

Website

https://www.apunipima.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Apunipima Cape York Health Council is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation delivering culturally safe primary health care and wellbeing services through 6 Primary Health Care Centres and 4 Wellbeing Centres to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across 11 Cape York communities in remote Queensland, Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Services

NAICS

Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Care for Underserved Populations (e.g., migrant, homeless, refugee clinics) (HLAFAGAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL), Community-Based Preventive & Health Promotion Clinics (HLAFAGAO), Tribal/Indigenous Public Health Authorities (HLAJAAAD)

Keywords

• Aboriginal community health
• Primary health care
• Indigenous health services
• Remote community healthcare
• Social emotional wellbeing

Headquarters

HQ city

Cairns

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Health Funding: Apunipima operates as a funded health service provider delivering primary health care and wellbeing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Cape York. Revenue comes from federal and state government health funding contracts.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Apunipima Cape York Health Council is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) delivering culturally safe primary health care and wellbeing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across 11 Cape York communities. The organisation operates 6 RACGP-accredited Primary Health Care Centres and 4 Wellbeing Centres, supplemented by visiting and outreach services, and delivers clinical care (GP, maternal/child health, chronic conditions, telehealth), social and emotional wellbeing support (counselling, elder care, NDIS, AOD, aftercare), and population health promotion programs such as Tackling Indigenous Smoking.

Product overview

Apunipima Cape York Health Council is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) delivering a comprehensive suite of culturally safe primary health care and wellbeing services. The service portfolio comprises six RACGP-accredited Primary Health Care Centres offering clinical services (GP, child/maternal health, chronic conditions management, early intervention, Telehealth), four Wellbeing Centres providing social and emotional wellbeing support (counselling, therapy, elder care, aftercare, alcohol/drug support, NDIS navigation), and dedicated Health Promotion programs including the Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) Program. Key programs include the Integrated Team Care (ITC) for chronic disease, Cape York Kidney Care for nephrology outreach, Coordinated Case Care pilot for social prescribing, and the Bernie Singleton Scholarship supporting Indigenous health students. Services are delivered across 11 Cape York communities through a health worker led model with local community governance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Health Care Centres Six RACGP-accredited Primary Health Care Centres delivering culturally appropriate primary health care services including GP services, child/maternal health, chronic conditions management, early intervention, immunisations, and visiting specialist services across Cape York communities.
• Wellbeing Centres Four Wellbeing Centres providing social and emotional wellbeing services, counselling, therapy, advocacy, and community support programs including men's and women's groups, youth support, and domestic violence support.
• Child, Maternal & Family Health Comprehensive child and maternal health services including pregnancy care, immunisations, health checks, and family wellbeing support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in Cape York.
• GP Services General practitioner services delivered through Primary Health Care Centres providing medical consultations, health maintenance, and disease prevention for Cape York community members.
• Chronic Conditions Management Integrated Team Care (ITC) program coordinating care for people living with chronic conditions in Cape York, including the Cape York Kidney Care remote nephrology outreach services delivered with TCHHS.
• Telehealth Secure video conferencing-enabled health worker assisted GP consultations that reduce travel barriers and improve timely access to care for remote Cape York communities, bulk-billed under Medicare.
• Early Intervention & Prevention Early intervention and preventive health services supporting timely detection, immunisations, and population health screening for Cape York communities.
• Social and Emotional Wellbeing Mental health and social and emotional wellbeing support including counselling, therapy, advocacy, referrals, and cultural healing activities delivered through Wellbeing Centres and outreach.
• Elder Care Support Elder Care Support Program helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50+ understand and navigate the aged care system with trained connectors providing culturally safe assistance.
• Aftercare Support Program Suicide prevention and postvention aftercare service providing culturally sensitive support to Cape York communities through connectors who help individuals connect to appropriate services after a suicide attempt or loss.
• Alcohol & Other Drug Support Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) counselling support and the Breakthrough for Families (BFF) program providing education and compassionate support to families of individuals struggling with addiction.
• NDIS Support Aboriginal Disability Liaison Officer (ADLO) program helping Cape York families navigate the National Disability Insurance Scheme with eligibility guidance, application support, and service referrals.
• Tackling Indigenous Smoking Program Population health promotion program reducing tobacco and vape uptake through community engagement, education, smoke-free environment support, and culturally relevant media campaigns across Cape York communities.
• Health Promotion Culturally responsive health education delivered through school visits, community events, and workshops covering topics including immunisations, women's and men's health, youth health, RHD prevention, nutrition, and cancer awareness.
• Coordinated Case Care Holistic social prescribing trial connecting clients with key service providers to address social determinants of health including food security, fitness, housing, employment, and financial health for whole-of-family care.

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero non-conformities in RACGP accreditation for multiple Primary Health Care Centres
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Cairns & Hinterland Hospital & Health Service (CHHHS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2024Partner in Cape York Health Summit and Statement of Commitment signed to work together on four priority areas: access and equity, partnerships and collaboration, community participation and codesign.
• Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2024Signatory to Statement of Commitment at Cape York Health Summit to work together on Closing The Gap in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Care.
• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2024Represented at Cape York Health Summit. Apunipima is part of the NACCHO network of ACCHOs across Australia.
• Queensland Aboriginal & Islander health Council (QAIHC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2024Represented at Cape York Health Summit. State-level representative body for ACCHOs in Queensland.
• Torres & Cape Hospital & Health Service (TCHHS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2024Co-recipients of Queensland Reconciliation Awards 2024 for Cape York Kidney Care (CYKC) program. CYKC provides remote nephrology outreach services combining First Nations Health Workers from Apunipima with CYKC service delivery.
• Cape York Partnerships (CYP)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2024Partnered in response to December 2023 flooding in Wujal Wujal to provide services to displaced residents.
• WuchopperenmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2024Partnered in Wujal Wujal flood response, supporting pop-up clinics for displaced residents.
• CentacaremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2024Partnered in Wujal Wujal flood response to provide services to displaced community members.
• Grand Trine CreativeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with artist Dallas Woods from Aria Award winning 3% to produce music videos for TIS program engaging communities across Cape York.
• Weipa Community Care Association (WCCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2023Collaborating in the Coordinated Case Care trial focusing on social prescribing and holistic family care in the Weipa/Napranum region. WCCA provides social services including after-school care to domestic violence crisis management.
• Department of Treaty and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities & the ArtsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2023Partnered in Coordinated Case Care trial, working closely with Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council on strategic decision making.
• Puuya FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2023Partnered with TIS Team in Lockhart River for school holiday activities and film launch showcasing anti-smoking messages.
• Lockhart River Youth GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2023Partnered with TIS Team for school holiday Colour Fun Day and film launch event.
• NACCHO Culture Care Connect InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApunipima's Aftercare Program is part of NACCHO's national Culture Care Connect initiative supporting suicide prevention and postvention across Cape York communities.
• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) - Elder Care SupportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElder Care Support Program is supported nationally by NACCHO, with Apunipima tailoring the program specifically for Cape York communities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wuchopperen Health Service: Wuchopperen is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation based in Cairns delivering primary health care and wellbeing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Cairns region. Directly comparable ACCHO peer with similar service portfolio (clinical + wellbeing + health promotion) and overlapping Cape York/Cairns catchment.
• Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS): RFDS provides remote and rural health outreach, aeromedical retrieval, and primary care across Australia, including Cape York. RFDS is a direct operational peer for remote-area service delivery and a documented partner of Apunipima via the 2024 Cape York Health Summit Statement of Commitment.
• Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services Aboriginal Corporation: Gurriny Yealamucka is the ACCHO for the Yarrabah community near Cairns, delivering culturally safe primary health care and wellbeing services. Same ACCHO model, overlapping Far North Queensland catchment, and similar service breadth (clinical + social/emotional wellbeing).
• Mamu Health Service Limited: Mamu Health Service is the ACCHO for Innisfail and surrounding Babinda areas in Far North Queensland. Same ACCHO governance structure and primary care + wellbeing service mix serving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote/regional North Queensland.
• Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation Primary Health Care Service: Mulungu is the ACCHO for the Mareeba area in Far North Queensland, delivering primary health care and wellbeing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Same ACCHO model and overlapping Far North Queensland service footprint.

Regional players

• Torres & Cape Hospital and Health Service (TCHHS): TCHHS is the Queensland public hospital and health service covering the same Torres Strait and Cape York region as Apunipima. It partners with Apunipima (e.g., Cape York Kidney Care, Reconciliation Award) and provides overlapping primary and acute care to Indigenous communities in the same geography.
• Cairns & Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (CHHHS): CHHHS is the Queensland public hospital and health service covering the Cairns region, which overlaps Apunipima's headquarters and many communities served. It is a documented Statement of Commitment partner and provides secondary/tertiary care that complements Apunipima's primary care.
• Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO): VACCHO is the Victorian state peak body for ACCHOs, supporting a network of Aboriginal community-controlled health services in Victoria. Comparable as a regional ACCHO peak in a different Australian jurisdiction, representing the broader ACCHO model Apunipima operates within.

Others

• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO): NACCHO is the national peak body for the ACCHO sector in Australia. Apunipima is a member and partner; NACCHO programs (Culture Care Connect, Elder Care Support) are delivered through Apunipima. Comparable as the sector umbrella and program funder rather than direct service competitor.
• Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC): QAIHC is the state-level peak body for ACCHOs in Queensland and a documented partner of Apunipima via the Cape York Health Summit. Sector representative and capability-building body rather than a direct service peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9BIEMjnzOsZKoUgaT0qV2Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/Apunipima
• Xx.com/apunipima

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Apunipima Cape York Health Council