Mrs Sonia Mupotaringa1, Ms Helena Lane2
1WA Country Health Service, Pilbara , Australia, 2Karratha Health Campus, , Australia
Biography:
Sonia Mupotaringa is WA Country Health’s inaugural Chronic Kidney Disease NP, leading a groundbreaking, culturally secure model of care across the remote West Pilbara. Passionate about health equity, Sonia delivers advanced nephrology assessment, diagnostics, prescribing and longitudinal management directly On Country, bridging vast distances through outreach clinics, telehealth and strong partnerships with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. With over 15 years’ experience in rural and remote Indigenous health, Sonia’s visionary leadership is transforming outcomes for First Nations people with kidney disease, offering a scalable blueprint for Closing the Gap in Australia’s most isolated communities.
Abstract:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) disproportionately affects remote and Indigenous Australians, with prevalence rates up to twice the national average and limited access to specialist nephrology services in regional Western Australia.
In 2025, WA Country Health Service launched the state’s inaugural Specialist CKD Nurse Practitioner (NP) service, the first dedicated nephrology NP model of care in Western Australia. Based in the West Pilbara, this innovative service delivers specialist CKD assessment, risk reduction, diagnostics, medication management, and longitudinal care directly On Country through regular outreach clinics and telehealth integration. Operating under an innovative, culturally safe model, the NP delivers specialist CKD risk reduction and management directly On Country through regular outreach clinics, community screening, diagnostic testing, medication optimisation, and longitudinal follow-up.
By integrating with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and primary care providers, the service enhances CKD awareness, promotes early intervention, and strengthens health literacy using culturally appropriate education. Preliminary data demonstrate improved engagement, earlier detection of CKD, and reduced referrals to distant tertiary centres.
This pioneering NP-led model exemplifies Distance overcome through outreach, Dedication embodied in specialist workforce innovation, and Difference made through culturally secure, community-partnered care. It offers a scalable blueprint for sustainable specialist chronic disease management in Australia’s most isolated communities, aligning with Closing the Gap priorities and the future of equitable remote health delivery.