Aboriginal Health Checks - One Stop Screening Shop

Cancer is the second most common cause of death among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and is anticipated to become the primary cause of death in the next 10 years1.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people diagnosed with cancer are usually younger2, have more advanced and more lethal types of cancers than other Australians and are significantly less likely to survive five years after their initial cancer diagnosis3.

The One Stop Screening Shop is a key initiative under the Premier’s South Australian Aboriginal Affairs Action Plan 2019-20 to offer multiple cancer screening and chronic disease testing, on the same day, at the same location, in an effort to reduce the incidence of cancer and chronic disease / chronic liver disease in Aboriginal communities.

The aim of this project is to increase accessibility and utilisation of cancer screening services, specifically:

  • cervical, bowel and breast cancer screening for women; and
  • bowel screening for men.

These cancers have the strongest evidence of screening effectiveness and are the only cancers screened under the national population based screening programs (PDF 524KB).

This SA Health led project is being implemented in partnership with the Aboriginal Chronic Disease Consortium, Wardliparingga Aboriginal Research team at SAHMRI, Cancer Council SA, Adelaide Primary Health Network (PHN), Country SA PHN and Aboriginal Health Council.

Where are the One Stop Screening Shops days being held?

The first One Stop Screening Shop days were held in Port Adelaide in July 2019 and Elizabeth GP Plus in August 2019. Aboriginal people living in these areas can still get up-to-date with their cancer screening by booking an appointment at Wonggangga Turtpandi on (08) 8240 9611 or Women’s Health Service on (08) 8444 0700.

Planning is currently underway to organise additional One Stop Screening Shops with Muna Paiendi (Elizabeth Vale), Moorundi Aboriginal Corporation (Murray Bridge and Raukkan) and Pangula Mannamurna Aboriginal Corporation (Mount Gambier and surrounds) in 2019.

How can I find out more?

For more information, please contact Julie Patterson at Health.PrevandPopHealth@sa.gov.au or (08) 8226 7029.


Doherty, T., et al., South Australian Aboriginal Cancer Control Plan 2016-2021, in Translating knowledge into action to improve the lives of Aboriginal people affected by cancer. 2017, SA Health, Government of South Australia: Adelaide

2 Banham, D et al (2017), Disparities in cancer stage at diagnosis and survival of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal South Australians, The International Journal of Cancer Epidemiology, Detection and Prevention

3 Doherty, T., et al., South Australian Aboriginal Cancer Control Plan