Rural and Remote Health

 

​Berni Morris-Smith brings deep, practical experience working across regional, rural, and remote health settings throughout Australia, informed by decades of engagement in healthcare delivery, clinical research and system-level strategy.

​

Her dedication to improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health has taken her to remote regions across the country, where she has witnessed firsthand the healthcare disparities, access challenges, and resource limitations experienced by Indigenous communities. This lived experience has shaped a grounded, respectful approach to health strategy — one that recognises the importance of place, culture, trust, and community-led solutions. This experience has strengthened her passion for developing equitable and culturally informed healthcare solutions. Her work includes pharmacy practice in the Kimberley region, where the realities of distance and access are central to care delivery.

​

Berni has partnered with regional health services, primary care providers, government departments, research organisations and community partners, supporting models of care and research that are feasible, culturally informed, and effective beyond metropolitan settings. Her leadership in teletrials and telehealth-enabled research has expanded access to clinical trials and new treatments for people living in regional and remote communities.

 

Berni has also completed a Graduate Certificate in Aboriginal Studies, reflecting her ongoing commitment to cultural understanding and health equity.

​