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CRANAplus is the professional voice of remote health in Australia. CRANAplus was founded in 1983 when 130 Remote Area Nurses from across Australia came together in Alice Springs to put Remote Health Issues on the national agenda. General concern about the poor health status of people who live in remote areas and the inequities, quality and accessibility in services available to these Australians was and remains the catalyst for action.

In 2008, CRANAplus members voted to extend membership to all remote health professionals and their supporters, reflecting the collaborative nature of remote area nursing which works closely with other professions to meet the challenges of remote health.

CRANAplusplus' aim is to promote the development and delivery of safe, high quality health care to people in remote areas of Australia and her external Territories (CRANAplus Constitution).

At the present stage of remote area health services' development, CRANAplus is primarily concerned that remote area consumers are at least guaranteed a minimum standard of health care. With this Action Plan, which was developed at the grassroots remote area level, CRANAplus calls for collaborative action and pledges our commitment to the achievement of this aim. Our objectives include:

  • Professional and personal support for remote health practitioners and their families
  • Quality assurance in remote health
  • Professional development for remote health practitioners
  • Improved information flow in remote health
  • Collaboration with major stake holders in remote health
  • Legislative change which supports remote health
  • Practical action research focused on remote health

CRANAplus acknowledges the Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of Australia, many of whom live in remote areas, as the first peoples of the Nation who have suffered and continue to suffer the impact of colonisation.

Remote health professionals are specialist practitioners who provide and/or coordinate a diverse range of health care services for remote, disadvantaged or isolated populations within Australia and her Territories and who undertake appropriate educational preparation for their practice.

Remote health professionals are guided by 'Health' as a whole-of-life concept, encompassing physical, spiritual and emotional well-being of individuals, family, community and the environment.