Health Services
Even though the Gascoyne is a relatively sparsely populated region, it is well serviced by both public and private health care providers.
The National Health Services Directory is a valuable link for services available.
Carnarvon Hospital boasts a new maternity unit among many standard and specialist services. The hospital provides emergency, general, maternity, paediatric, palliative and permanent care, to the Carnarvon and broader Gascoyne community. Hospital doctors visit Denham/Useless Loop and the Burringurah Aboriginal Community, flying in twice weekly.
Gascoyne Population Health and Primary Health Care are also based at the Carnarvon Hospital providing a range of allied health services such as physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, diabetes education, dietician, child health services and an alcohol and drugs team, plus a visiting podiatrist.
Exmouth Hospital is the central health facility for the Exmouth community and offers a range of inpatient and outpatient services from emergency and intensive care to home and community care.
The Carnarvon Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation (CMSAC) offers primary and secondary health medical services, tertiary specialist, allied health services and a dental clinic to Aboriginal and other persons in the community of Carnarvon and surrounding areas.
The Carnarvon Medical Centre (CMC)has a number of rural general practitioners. These doctors perform home visits and participate in the on-call roster at Carnarvon Regional Hospital. CMC also offers allied health services such as an optometrist, podiatrist, psychologist and conducts mine medicals.
WA Country Health Services have remote area nursing posts at Coral Bay and the Burringurrah Community. The Silver Chain also operates state-of-the-art nursing post in Denham, Shark Bay where a nurse practitioner is available and doctors visit on a regular basis.
Other services available in the region include:
Royal Flying Doctor
St John’s Ambulance
Central West Mental Health Service and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
Private dental service in Carnarvon
Public dental service in Exmouth
Child health services in Carnarvon and Exmouth
Visiting child health services in Burringurrah
Meals on Wheels
Silver Chain services in Carnarvon and Shark Bay
Some private complimentary medical services are also available (for example, chiropractic, physiotherapy, reflexology, therapeutic massage and naturopathy).