The Aboriginal Medical Service Western Sydney (AMSWS) was established in 1987 to provide wholistic comprehensive primary health care to the Aboriginal community of Western Sydney.
AMSWS is approximately 40km from Sydney and is located within the Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council area which covers 3,602 km from the east-west: Auburn/Lithgow to the north-south: Windsor/Liverpool.
According to the 2006 ABS Census, this area has an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of 17,137, making it the highest urban population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.
Our Purpose is the reason for AMSWS's existence and describes what we do, who we do it for, and how we do it.
Our Purpose
'Sovereign Aboriginal Peoples with a state of wellbeing, consistent with our wholistic concept of health, at least equal to that which existed prior to invasion and colonisation, enjoying all the rights and responsibilities inherent in our unceded sovereignty.'
Our Guiding Principles
AMSWS Guiding Principle have been adopted from the National Aboriginal Health Strategy 1989:
- Concepts of health as wholistic;
- The right of self determination;
- The impact of history in trauma and loss;
- the need for cultural understanding;
- The recognition of human rights;
- the impact of racism and sitgma;
- Recognition of the centrality of kinship;
- Recognition of different communities and needs;
- Aboriginal strengths;
- Universal access to basic health care;
- High quality health care services; and
- Equitable funding for health care.
AMSWS recognises and values:
- Self Determination through Aboriginal Ownership and Control;
- Wholistic, comprehensive Primary Health Care approaches;
- Trust, Loyalty, Respect, Courage, Listening, Leadership, Collaboration;
- Accurate history from an Aboriginal Perspective;
- Integrity of Aboriginal People;
- Cultural Diversity; and
- Aboriginal Strength and Resilience.