Integrated primary care the key to closing Indigenous health gap
AMA Vice President and Chair of the AMA Indigenous Health Taskforce, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that appropriate primary health care services for Indigenous people would achieve dramatic results in reducing the health inequalities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Ahead of Close the Gap Day tomorrow, the AMA congratulates members of the Close the Gap coalition on five years of the campaign to achieve Indigenous health equality within 25 years, and reiterates its support for integrated primary health care for Indigenous people.
“There must be a focus on delivering appropriate primary health care services for Indigenous people,” Dr Hambleton said.
“The AMA believes that collaboration and partnerships are needed where all sectors of the primary care system work together to achieve integrated, high-quality and culturally accessible care for Indigenous people where it is most needed.
“This includes Aboriginal community-controlled services, other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services, and mainstream general practices and health clinics.
“The Close the Gap campaign has put Indigenous health on the national political agenda.
“Politicians have a common will to make change happen and a recognition that Indigenous health is everyone’s responsibility, but a lot more needs to be done if we are to provide Indigenous Australians with the level of health service and delivery they need and deserve,” Dr Hambleton says.
The AMA is investigating different models of best practice in integrated primary care for Indigenous Australians.
The AMA Indigenous Health Report Card, to be released in a month, will make recommendations to the Federal Government on how best practice and collaboration can be enhanced within mainstream health and medical practices and Indigenous health services.
23 March 2011
CONTACT: Geraldine Kurukchi 02 6270 5467 / 0427 209 753
