OUR HISTORY
The Healthy Communities Foundation Australia (THCFA) was founded as a charity in by a group of dedicated doctors with the support of rural, remote and Aboriginal communities. Formerly known as Rural and Remote Medical Services, we have been helping Australian communities for over 20 years.
A trusted partner of 25,000 families, friends and professionals in rural and remote communities.
In 2001 our founding doctors saw first-hand the devastating impact of limited primary health services on vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. Together with local support, they formed the Healthy Communities Foundation Australia (THCFA) charity.
The Foundations mission was to assist disadvantage communities to run sustainable and quality health centres. In turn, ensuring local access to primary health care services for more than a dozen rural and remote communities that would otherwise have lost access to local care.
Over the next 20 years, the Foundation delivered doctors and nurses to some of the most disadvantaged communities in Australia. The included health services to more than 25,000 people in Brewarrina, Collarenebri and Walgett. The majority of the community health services we helped to become sustainable continue to operate to this day.
WHAT WE DO TODAY
Today, the Foundation's work focuses on addressing the social determinants of health - the reasons why people in disadvantaged communities get sick - and building community capacity through the application of a community development approach.
The Foundation relies on the support of government, donors, charities, businesses, and income we generate from our social enterprises.
We also rely on the support of our local communities.