Seeing a trusted familiar face who can offer advice makes a difference for community members accessing healthcare, Aboriginal health worker Vicki Gardner says.

Ms Gardner works one day a week each at a pharmacy in Gunnedah and Tamworth in regional New South Wales as part of a program designed to break down cultural barriers and improve health outcomes for local Indigenous people.

The program, launched in 2024, is now set to expand after funding was announced this week.

Ms Gardner is entering her third year as an Aboriginal practitioner, and is a multidisciplinary team leader at primary health care and social services provider HealthWISE.

HealthWISE delivers the program in partnership with Newcastle Permanent bank's charity foundation, with part of Ms Gardner's work done in the community.

"It's about having someone there that is maybe a face they know, trust, is Indigenous, and to have a yarn," Ms Garnder told National Indigenous Times.

In the pharmacies Ms Gardner offers assistance with medications, health checks, referrals, accessing the service and discussions with pharmacists.

"It's not just for people that we know, it's for people coming in that may be new to town. It's the perfect place for them to start," Ms Gardner added.

More than 70 clients engaged with the program it the first six months.

It's now set to expand to four more pharmacies in the New England-North West regional across the next three years.

The area is home to more than 20,000 First Nations people — around 12 per cent of the population, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

A need for better informed culturally-appropriate care was recognised.

"Trust and understanding is so important when it comes to giving and receiving healthcare, so providing access to a worker who appreciates the unique needs of First Nations peoples is invaluable," HealthWISE Executive Manager of services Sarah Dean said.

"It's also not just about the physical; having that safe place to talk about how you're feeling, your home life or your financial situation is another important way to identify barriers and take those vital first steps towards better health outcomes."

Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation spokesperson, Kirrah McClelland, said the program is working help close the gap in meaningful and practical ways.

An initial $70,000 in funding for the pilot has been buoyed by an additional $310,000.