There are two others, Allawah Grove and Derbarl Bidiar (52 beds and 28 beds) but these are both short-stay and Allawah is a multipurpose hostel that only takes low care patients. In the past three years more than 200 people have used the centre, which costs $550,000 a year to operate. Derbarl Yerrigan chairperson Jackie Oakley said the WA Country Health Service withdrew recurrent operational funding three years ago, and the centre had since been unable to get the McGowan government to commit to stable funding. In November, WACHS provided one-off funding of almost $80,000, which covers six of the centre’s 32 beds, and only for six months. Derbarl Yerrigan has attempted to self-fund 70 per cent of the centre’s operations and recently had to introduce a nightly gap charge for each client and carer in an effort to stay open.

It has also cut staff costs associated with clinical, transport, activities and liaison services. Ms Oakley said further cutbacks would compromise safety and service quality and said management had “battled” to keep operating, “acutely aware of the overwhelming need” for their service. She said getting medical treatment in Perth was financially taxing and stressful for people from remote areas who were from low socio-economic backgrounds, very unwell and away from their family support pillars. “We have been driven by an overwhelming sense of compassion for these patients and their circumstances and have pulled out all stops to continue the service, despite concerns that it may prove detrimental to the financial viability of the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service,” Ms Oakley said. “Without a serious commitment of funds, we will have no alternative but to withdraw as a service provider.”

Ms Oakley said the recent closure of Genesis House in Salter Point effectively removed 60 beds from the system. The state government itself had estimated Perth was now short of at least 25 hostel beds for Aboriginal patients. Health Minister Roger Cook said the government had an election commitment to support Aboriginal patients and their carers visiting Perth for medical treatment, including ensuring availability of culturally appropriate accommodation. WACHS had advised him a further grant would be provided to enable the Autumn Centre to operate “beyond March 31”. In addition, WACHS had commenced “analysis of existing culturally appropriate Aboriginal accommodation arrangements to assess future demand”.

But WAtoday understands since Derbarl Yerrigan still does not know how much the funding will be or when it will arrive, it must proceed with the anticipated closure date of March 31 and find somewhere to place its patients before then. The WA Country Health Service did not respond to questions about how much stopgap funding had been offered and when it would arrive. A spokeswoman said a 2014 Holman Review had evaluated all WA Health Aboriginal health programs, including services at the Autumn Centre, and "in instances where services were not deemed effective, funding was reduced in line with government directive." She said the one-off six-month grant had been "consistent with their initial request for additional funding." She said discussions continued between WACHS, the Aboriginal Health Council of WA and Derbarl Yerrigan to consider options to "support the availability of culturally secure accommodation available in the metropolitan area."

"The WA Country Health Service is committed to supporting Aboriginal people and their carers visiting Perth for medical treatment, including through Meet and Greet services and funding for and collaborating with a range of providers offering culturally appropriate accommodation," she said. The centre released its distress call to the media after several letters to the government had gone unanswered, and just as as the annual Closing the Gap report was released. The 11th yearly report showed just two of the seven Closing the Gap goals were on track, with no improvement shown in Indigenous life expectancy and infant mortality.