Closing the Gap - The Indigenous Chronic Disease Package in 2009-10 - Annual Progress Report on the Australian Government’s contribution to the National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes - November 2010
Workforce Expansion, Training and Support
A strong and culturally competent primary care workforce is a key component of a health system that can respond effectively to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Building the capacity of the health workforce and of primary care services will improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s access to comprehensive, coordinated and culturally appropriate health care.
2009-10 activity overview and key achievements
A shortage of people working in Indigenous health who are trained in the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people contributes to lower rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing primary health care, specialist and allied health services. Funding a new workforce, providing additional training and professional development opportunities, and expanding key Indigenous health services have been the first steps in building the capacity of primary care services to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have access to quality health care. Expanding the Indigenous health workforce The new workforce introduced nationally in 2009-10 includes 95 full-time equivalent (FTE) Indigenous Health Project Officers in Divisions 2009-10 activity overview and key achievementsA shortage of people working in Indigenous health who are trained in the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people contributes to lower rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing primary health care, specialist and allied health services. Funding a new workforce, providing additional training and professional development opportunities, and expanding key Indigenous health services have been the first steps in building the capacity of primary care services to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have access to quality health care.
Expanding the Indigenous health workforce
The new workforce introduced nationally in 2009-10 includes 95 full-time equivalent (FTE) Indigenous Health Project Officers in Divisions of General Practice, the Australian General Practice Network, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and their state and territory affiliates. Project Officers are working to increase the focus on Indigenous health at the local level and help mainstream primary care providers deliver culturally sensitive services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.A total of 83 FTE Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Outreach Workers have been funded in Divisions of General Practice and Indigenous health services. These positions will help connect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to services and build their knowledge and confidence in using the health care system.
Indigenous health services were also funded to employ an additional 20 practice managers and 14 health professionals to develop their capacity to meet the expected increase in demand for services.
Building capacity and excellence in Indigenous health
An additional 38 general practitioner registrar training posts were established in Indigenous health services and all positions have been filled.Capital works programs were also funded in 2009-10 to extend an existing Indigenous health service clinic at Rumbalara in Victoria, and to build a new clinic and staff housing facilities in Wiluna, Western Australia.
With the objective of building the capacity of the health care system to be more responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, market research was completed in 2009-10 that will inform a national communications campaign to encourage more young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to pursue a career in health. This research provided valuable insights into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ levels of knowledge and interest in pursuing health-related careers, and has highlighted the barriers, motivators and potential supports for educational and vocational pathways into the health sector.
Next Steps: Looking forward to 2010-11
The Indigenous health workforce not only needs to be skilled and competent, it also needs to be sustainable. It is important to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to consider taking up a career in health, and for more health professionals to think about Indigenous health as a career path.The next step in building the capacity of this workforce will start in 2010-11, when a new national communications campaign will be launched which encourages more young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to think about careers in health.
The existing workforce will also be bolstered in this next year through the recruitment of more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Outreach Workers.
A national, multi-disciplinary orientation package will be developed over the next year for workers in the Indigenous health sector. An additional 50 nursing clinical placements and 50 professional development scholarships in Indigenous health services will be available in 2010-11. This will provide student nurses with exposure to and training in Indigenous health and support nurses currently working in Indigenous health services to enhance their skills.
In 2010-11, a new Primary Health Care Resource will be launched to link health professionals with the latest information and best chronic disease detection, identification and treatment practices to improve the quality of care they provide to their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.
Creating partnerships
New health workers are now in place across Australia, filling gaps in service delivery and ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people receive more coordinated care.“The Indigenous health and lifestyle role for Rockingham Kwinana is exciting – because even though it’s a national program, we get to mould it locally so we’re doing what’s best for own community,” Karen, locally raised and mother of two, says. “I think it’s a good thing for Aboriginal health. It’s about creating partnerships and doing things the Indigenous way – ‘cause then it creates a genuine commitment.”
‘Creating partnerships’ is precisely what Karen and her co-worker Aboriginal Outreach Worker Emma Castle, who has also joined the Rockingham Kwinana Division of General Practice under the Indigenous Chronic Disease Package program, are doing. They share common goals and objectives.
“My new role is to help people access medical appointments, allied health appointments and access pharmacists and complete their prescriptions. But it’s also about addressing issues to do with transport and access to their appointments,” Emma says.
Local Division of General Practice CEO Peter Cook is pleased to have both Karen and Emma on board.
“Karen and Emma have come together as a team and I think just the respect they have in the community, the fact they have been able to bridge us Wadulas with the Gnungar community, has been terrific in being able to say this is a true partnership,” he says.