MORE than $4 million in ACT government funding will boost access to primary care for vulnerable Canberrans, including through the creation of a mobile health clinic to help young people at risk of homelessness.

Anglicare’s Junction Youth Service will receive $210,000 to establish the van which will provide health care to people aged between 12-25 who don’t have a roof over their head.

“The van will be a clinic room on wheels, reducing barriers faced by young people who are struggling to access much-needed health care,” says Anglicare’s ACT Manager of Youth & Family Services Sarah Murdoch.

“We are excited to see the difference that such an innovative delivery model will make in the health and lives of young people in the ACT.”

It forms part of the government’s $4.3 million boost to primary care, which includes $900,000 in grants to be provided to charity organisations to operate support programs.

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith says the funding will improve access to care for housebound ACT residents, vulnerable young people, people from refugee backgrounds and gender diverse Canberrans all suffering from chronic health conditions.

The funding will see:

• Meridian receive $280,000 to establish a financially sustainable, culturally safe, gender-affirming primary health care clinic.
• Next Practice receive $250,000 to provide integrated primary care for up to 250 housebound ACT residents with complex and chronic health care needs.
• Companion House receive $170,300 to recruit community pools of ACT general practices willing to take referrals of people from a refugee background for long-term care, or on-arrival health assessments and short-term care.

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