Indigenous Health (General Practice)

Closing the Gap

Mainstream primary care provides a first point of call for health services in Australia. However, cultural barriers can limit usage of these services by Indigenous Australians. This program aims to ensure that mainstream primary care services (including but not limited to general practice, allied health, specialists) are able to provide culturally sensitive care for Indigenous Australians.

The Capricornia Division has been allocated by the COAG CTG program an Indigenous Health Project Officer and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Outreach Worker. The funding for these positions is supported by an identified population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples within the Capricornia Divisional boundaries.

The Indigenous Health Project Officer and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Outreach Worker work collaboratively to achieve program objectives.

The Objectives of the program are to:

• Increase access to mainstream primary care services by Indigenous Australians.
• Improve the capacity of general practice to deliver culturally sensitive primary care services.
• Increase the uptake of Indigenous specific MBS items including Indigenous health checks and follow up items.
• Support mainstream primary care services to encourage Indigenous Australians to self identify.
• Increase awareness and understanding of the CTG measures relevant to mainstream primary care.
• Foster collaboration and support between the mainstream primary care and the Indigenous health sectors.

Intended Outcomes include:

• An increase in the overall health of the Indigenous population;
• Improved access to culturally sensitive primary care services for Indigenous Australians; and
• Improved management of chronic conditions in Indigenous Australians.

Care Coordination & Supplementary Services (CCSS) Program

The Capricornia Division of General Practice, with the support of Central Queensland Rural Division of General Practice has recently secured funding for a Care Coordination and Supplementary Services program

Program Background:

The Australian Government’s Indigenous Chronic Disease Package supports Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander people with chronic disease to better access specialists, GP and Allied Health Services.

Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander people who are identified as needing more complex chronic disease management or support to access services can be referred to the Care Coordination and Supplementary Services Program (CCSS).

There are specific Provider and Patient eligibility criteria’s for the program.

As this program is still in an infancy stage of roll out, further information will be disseminated to Providers and consumers shortly as the program commences.

For more information on these activities please contact the Closing the Gap Coordinator.