Aboriginal Health
Improving Indigenous Access to Mainstream Primary Care
The aim of the Closing the Gap Improving Indigenous Access to Mainstream Primary Care Program is to contribute to closing the gap in life expectancy by improving access to culturally sensitive primary care services for Indigenous Australians. In GP Network Northside’s catchment area, the Aboriginal population is reported to be approximately 1008 (2006 Census data) which represents 0.24% of the Division’s overall demographics.
GP Network Northside is developing a number of strategies to assist GPs and practices in the region to provide culturally sensitive care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Some of the ways the Division is assisting GPs and practices regarding Aboriginal Health are listed below:
- Practice Kit being developed including an Introductory Practice Guide on Aboriginal Health & Medicare/PIP information.
- Access to Aboriginal Health resources and information.
- Cultural awareness training to be offered for GPs and practice staff.
GPNN hopes that the above measures coupled with assistance from your Practice Support Officer will work towards achieving:
- Increase in identification of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander patients within mainstream general practices.
- Improvement in the capacity of practices to provide culturally sensitive health care to Aboriginal Australians.
- Promote awareness, early detection and management of chronic diseases within the Aboriginal community.
- Increase in number of Health checks and follow up services being accessed by Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander patients.
Aboriginal Health Resources
- SIGN - Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners
- Practice Guide Cover Page
- Practice Guide
- Pamphlet for General Practitioners on why identification of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander patients is so important.
- Pamphlet for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander community on why they might be asked for their cultural identification.
- Poster for Reception/Waiting Rooms on why identification of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander patients is so important.
- Guidelines – Indigenous Health PIP Incentive (including PBS Co-Payment Measure)
- Medicare Fact Sheet – Indigenous Health Checks
- Fact Sheet: Follow up Services for Indigenous patients.
- National Guide to Preventative Assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Templates
- Template: Child Health Check
- Template: Adult Health Check
- Template: Older Persons (55+) Health Check
Links
- National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) www.naccho.org.au
- Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au
- Share our Pride – Indigenous culture and history www.shareourpride.org.au
- Australian Department of Health & Ageing www.health.gov.au/indigenous
- Closing the Gap – Tackling Chronic Disease (Department of Health & Ageing) http://health.gov.au/tackling-chronic-disease
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners www.racgp.org.au/aboriginalhealth
The artwork displayed on this webpage was sourced from the Making Two Worlds Work project, an initiative of Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation and Women’s Health Goulburn North East. The visual images were created by an Aboriginal parenting group and their children. The images represent taking care of your body both inside and out. The flowers surrounding the images represent blossoming health.
Event Calendar
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Oct » September 2010 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 GPNN acknowledges the support of the following organisations.
