Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Closing the Gap: Tackling Indigenous Chronic Disease Package
The Indigenous Chronic Disease Package aims to achieve a reduction in chronic disease by providing support to the health sector and better access to health care by and for Indigenous Australians.
The Indigenous Chronic Disease Package (ICDP) provides:
- funding for preventative health focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities;
- support and funding for more coordinated and patient-focused primary health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in both Aboriginal Community Controlled health services and mainstream general practice; and
- an expanded Indigenous health workforce.
Three elements under workforce expansion and support components of the ICDP measure are:
- Orientation and training for over 160 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Outreach Workers in general practices and the Aboriginal community controlled health sector;
- 50 Professional Development scholarships (annually) for nurses or midwives working in Community Controlled Aboriginal/Torres Strait Island Health Services, and 50 clinical placement scholarships (annually) for nursing or midwifery students to experience working in Community Controlled Aboriginal/Torres Strait Island Health Services. Implementation is through the Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Program administered by the Australian College of Nursing (ACN).
- Aboriginal Medical Services have an additional 38 General Practitioner registrar training posts with implementation through the existing General Practice Education and Training Limited (GPET) (external) program.
More information regarding the Closing the Gap initiative.
