How did Unicare Health grow to become Australia’s leading hospital, aged care, and disability equipment provider? It all began in 1985, with a caring man and a family in need.
A Wacky Start
Russel "Bill" Dartnall, known as Wacky to his friends, was a brilliant inventor with a habit of knocking his knuckles against his hip - whack! Bill was a family man who cared deeply about his wife, mother, and sons. So, when his mother’s knees began to fail, he took her to America to get the surgery she needed. Inspired by the mobility innovations he witnessed, he became determined to make a difference back home in Australia.
Humble Beginnings
With his sights set on improving accessibility, Bill imported Perth’s very first three-wheeled electric mobility scooters from Canada.
Commitment to care
After borrowing a trailer from a family friend, he brought these home and started a business from his home garage. Bill was committed to exceptional service, so he personally drove each scooter to his customers—no matter where they were.
River Abilities
With his commitment to empowering people in need, Bill sold an impressive 26 scooters each month. Growing more and more popular by the day, he knew it was time to expand his impact. So, Bill started River Abilities; a workshop dedicated to inventing custom wheelchair accessories and mobility solutions. From his workshop, he pioneered many innovative solutions that delivered comfort and independence to people living with disabilities.
Passing the Torch
Although Bill's health began to decline, his legacy did not. When he stepped back from the business, his sons—Greg, Nick, and Sam—stepped up and carried on their father's tradition of innovation, compassion, and care.
ISO Certification
The brothers’ unwavering dedication paid off with ISO certification, which globally recognized them for their commitment to quality, reliability, and excellent business management. The ISO 9001 recognises effective processes and well-trained staff, who consistently deliver flawless products and services.
Building The Business
As the years went by, the brothers founded many brands like Fortress, Ansa, and Cura, with a goal to deliver expert-led services and product designs to meet their customers' unique needs. Together, they continued to expand the business to new heights.
Customised Care
Every person is different and has different needs. So, the brothers made it their mission to empower people with custom assistive technology solutions. Whether they were building fitted wheelchair ramps for cars or making custom scooter accessories like child carriers and sunshades, they helped each individual find more independence in their daily lives.
Embracing Mobility
One example of their dedication to care was the invention of raised seating technology for wheelchairs, which enabled people to lift or lower themselves throughout the day. That way, users could enjoy more freedom to navigate the world.
Reclaiming Independence
The brothers also helped people embrace life with innovative equipment customisations. For instance, by attaching unique input controls to mobility chairs, they opened up a world of control and independence for individuals without the use of their arms or hands.
Unicare Health is Born
Seeing their impact spread far and wide, the brothers realized they could achieve something extraordinary together. And so, River Abilities was rebranded to Unicare Health, with a focus on 'the Enabling Power of Applied Knowledge' - a promise to promote health, happiness, and empowerment through education and expertly designed products.
Why is Unicare Called Unicare?
Our name reflects our commitment to caring for individuals by delivering unique solutions to match their needs. It also reflects our dedication to comprehensive care in hospitals, homes, and beyond. Our mission is to empower people with compassion and expertise through every step of their journey. We understand that care is more than just rehabilitation - it's about providing support and relief to those who need it most. We are driven to care for all people, no matter what stage of life they are in.
Stop the Pressure
Our commitment to caring above and beyond continued with Stop the Pressure: an ongoing campaign to raise awareness of pressure injuries, which cause significant harm and cost Australian hospitals billions every year. Thanks to Stop the Pressure, early warning signs are reported more often, which has led to more reliable protection from pressure injuries.
Safe Seniors
Ensuring the safety and comfort of our older community has been in Unicare’s heart ever since Bill set out to support his mother. These values led us to create Safe Seniors: an impactful campaign to encourage healthy ageing through helpful tips and tricks. At Unicare, we care about empowering older people to stay safe, confident, and active every day.
More Than Care
After many years of exceptional care, Unicare’s spirit of compassion and innovation only continued to grow. Thus, we promised to ‘More Than Care’, making our commitment to always go above and beyond for our community. With compassion and expertise, we strive to constantly evolve our products and services to change peoples’ lives for the better and make Australia a more caring place.
Unicare Expands
As Unicare grew, it was time to expand beyond Bill’s workshop. So, we built a brand new office and showroom right next door, designed to provide an exceptional experience. Bill’s historic building still holds a special place in our hearts, and now it serves as part of our training central.
Assistive Technology Collaboration Centre
With passion and ambition to innovate customer-centric care, Unicare established Australia’s first Assistive Technology Collaboration Centre. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the world of assistive technology, we invite you to learn, share, and explore new discoveries in our premium showroom, studio, and gallery experience.
Our Ongoing Commitment
At Unicare, our dedication to more than care guides our every step. The spirit of compassion, dedication, and innovation that Bill embodied continues to inspire us to this day, as we strive to support people through even their toughest challenges. We aim to make the world a more caring place, one act of kindness at a time.
