Kamilaroi man Jason Trindall-Rynkowski recovered from hepatitis C almost two years ago but would never have known he had the virus if it wasn't for a unique health outreach program operating on the NSW Central Coast.
"I'd probably still have it," he said.
He said he didn't have time to talk to doctors when the illness was picked up.
"I still don't have a GP to this day."
The 28-year-old is among hundreds of people who rely on Health on the Streets — a mobile health service that was set up two years ago to help the region's homeless and vulnerable communities.
But its future remains uncertain, with federal funding due to run out this week.
Not-for-profit organisation Coast and Country Primary Care is behind the service, which runs a specially-fitted van with a small team of registered nurses and outreach workers who provide wholistic health assessments.
Success on the streets
The program was recently recognised for its success treating hepatitis C amongst the region's most vulnerable, with rates found to be significantly higher than the average.
Health on the Streets nurse Katrina Russell said the overall incidence of the blood-borne virus in the community was 0.04 per cent but through routine screening, the rate among her clients was 19 per cent.
The treatment for hepatitis C, which attacks and damages the liver, involves two types of medications that can be taken over eight or 12 weeks.
Ms Russell said it was not just about treating the illness but also about education and reducing the risks.
The nurse recounted how a patient scoped out the van from a distance for about month before he "just walked up to me and put his arm across the table and said, 'OK you can treat me now'".
"Part of our program is trust and rapport," she said.
Mr Trindall-Rynkowski agreed, and said he had recommended the service to others.
"There are a lot of locals around here … that need help," he said.
"They do it for you."
Can't keep up with demand
Staff said they were struggling to keep up with demand for the health service, particularly as the rental crisis on the Central Coast worsened.
James Wilkinson said he had been living in a van for the past six years and had been accessing Health on the Streets services for six months.
"I'd advise people, [get] just a general check-up even if you don't want to see your doctor."
No funding commitment
The LNP pledged to extend funding for the program as part of its election campaign but the new Labor government remains uncommitted.
Coast and Country Primary Care warned it could be forced to fold if funding, worth $2.2 million over three years, couldn't be secured.
Newly-elected Robertson MP Gordon Reid said he had raised the matter with the Health Minister, who was seeking a briefing from his department.
The federal government has been contacted for comment.
