Major health groups call for action on Aboriginal substance misuse

Australia's peak Aboriginal health body - the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) - the Australian Medical Association (AMA), and the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia are calling on the Federal Government to urgently fund a national strategy to tackle Aboriginal drug and alcohol misuse.

CEO of NACCHO, Mr Craig Ritchie, said Drug Action Week this week was a perfect opportunity for the Government to show it was serious about addressing substance misuse in Aboriginal communities.

"We already have our national strategy - Substance Misuse in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Primary Health Care Setting - that was developed by Aboriginal communities over a year ago - but it's been sitting on the shelf because of lack of funding," Mr Ritchie said.

"The five-year strategy was developed with funding from the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health but there's no money available to actually implement it."

AMA Federal President, Dr Kerryn Phelps, said substance misuse was a priority area that the Government could not afford to ignore.

"It is devastating entire communities. The Government must recognise and act on the real life tragedies behind the misuse.

"NACCHO's 'grass roots' strategy presents a serious way forward to address the problem, and it should be funded," Dr Phelps said.

Mr Ritchie said the priority areas addressed in Substance Misuse in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Primary Health Care Setting include:

reducing access to specific substances;

providing advice on early intervention measures;

ensuring access to intervention and treatment options and programs;

and ensuring people in custody have access to appropriate polydrug services.

Meanwhile, NACCHO welcomed the launch of the National Indigenous Substance Misuse Council in Canberra today.

Mr Ritchie said NACCHO is keen to work with the Council to share expertise and achieve better health outcomes for Aboriginal people.

"Aboriginal community controlled health services have been providing culturally appropriate health services to communities for 30 years," Mr Ritchie said.

"They already offer a vast range of substance misuse services - but often do so on a shoestring budget.

"It is important that funding for new bodies such as this Council stems from new allocations, not at the expense of existing representative Aboriginal bodies and programs," Mr Ritchie said.

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Comment: Mr Craig Ritchie 0418 678 809

NACCHO Contact: Kirstie Hansen 02 6282 7513 or 0402 226 649

AMA Contact: Sarah Bucknell 02 6270 5472 or 0419 440 076