Practical steps to improve Indigenous health

Dr Pesce – accompanied by AMA Vice President, Dr Steve Hambleton, and AMA NT President, Dr Paul Bauert – has been in the Northern Territory this week meeting with health service providers and non-government organisations (NGOs) and visiting communities to experience first hand the delivery of health services to Indigenous Australians at the local level through successful models of care.

Dr Pesce said that these local successes and local ideas will need to be examined closely to judge whether they are appropriate to be implemented in other settings around the country.

“Improving Indigenous health must be a priority for the new Government and the new Parliament,” Dr Pesce said.

“The health of Indigenous Australians must not be a political football.  There must be unity of purpose to build on the positive messages of support for Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders from our political leaders in recent weeks.

“There is a health reform process currently underway and we must use it to improve the health and living conditions of Indigenous Australians, and not just those who live in the remote communities of the Territory and northern Australia.

“First, we must ensure that the transfer of 100 per cent of primary health care funding to the Commonwealth does not disadvantage Aboriginal Health Care services at the local level.

“The Commonwealth must fully replace any funding from other sources that may be lost through the transition of control from the States and Territories.

“In the Northern Territory, for instance, some Aboriginal Health Care services operate under a pooled funding model that combines some State funds with Commonwealth funds.

“The Aboriginal Health Care Worker workforce must be properly supported, including a commitment for at least some of their training to be at the community level.

“Training at the community level is vital to sustainable local recruitment and retention of Aboriginal health workers and other community based workers.

“The new Government must engage seriously with the community controlled concept of health service delivery to incorporate evaluation of program development to make sure there is ongoing improvement in services.

“Importantly, we need a coordinated approach to capacity building in relation to the social determinants of health.

“The AMA is encouraged by the NGOs, including the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health services, we have met in the Territory this week.

“They have a commitment to improve living conditions up here – including housing, education, sanitation and water - and we must ensure that their efforts are well coordinated and that they can work in partnerships.

“There must be a strong national effort to improve nutrition, improve education, improve housing, and improve employment opportunities through real training, real jobs and real support.

“All these things impact on people’s health.

“The AMA wants a Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Health Workforce Training established, and a professional development unit focused on remote Indigenous Health Service delivery.

“This would provide opportunities for both Aboriginal workforce career path development and the incorporation of Indigenous health training into the general postgraduate medical curriculum.

“It would complement the existing Centre of Excellence at Inala in Queensland, and could form part of a national network of Centres of Excellence in Indigenous health care.

“There is a lot of work to do in Indigenous health.  The AMA will be working hard to maintain Indigenous health as a policy priority for all politicians over the life of the current Parliament,”Dr Pesce said.

9 September 2010

CONTACT:             John Flannery                                     02 6270 5477 / 0419 494 761

                        Geraldine Kurukchi                                  02 6270 5467 / 0427 209 753

Follow the AMA on Twitter: http://twitter.com/amapresident