First Site Launched for Institute for Urban Indigenous Health in Brisbane
Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon launched a new site for the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health, as part of $1m of additional funding to establish a network of health hubs in South East Queensland.
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The Hon Warren Snowdon MP
Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health
and Regional Services Delivery
Yvette D’ath MP
Member for Petrie
Jon Sullivan MP
Member for Longman
30 April 2010Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon launched a new site for the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health today, which will benefit from $1m of additional funding set aside to establish a network of health hubs in South East Queensland.
Speaking at the Institute’s first centre in the North Lakes Health Precinct in Brisbane, Mr Snowdon said the funding will help setup the first primary health care centre at the site, and a second centre in the Logan/Woodridge area, which will include a clinic for Indigenous mothers and babies.
He said the Institute will increase access to GPs, nurses, allied health and drug and alcohol services for more than 45,000 Indigenous people in South-East Queensland.
“There has been a rapid population growth of Indigenous Australians within the South-East Queensland region – a one hundred per cent increase since the seventies.
“But, what we’re finding is, that Indigenous people in the region aren’t accessing our frontline health services. Only 4.1 per cent of eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the area participated in a health check during 2008-09,” he said.
“In addition, Indigenous people in the region are at a greater disadvantage because they have poorer access to services, as there’s only four Aboriginal Medical Services in South-East Queensland,” added Member for Longman Jon Sullivan MP.
To address this, the Urban Indigenous Health will play an integral role in the planning and delivery of better primary health care in South-East Queensland, said Member for Petrie Yvette D’Ath MP.
The Institute will:
- Enhance service delivery by establishing a network of primary health care centres to provide comprehensive access to GPs, nurses, allied health and drug and alcohol services across the region
- Setup the first primary health care centre at North Lakes and a second centre in the Logan/Woodridge area, which will include a clinic for Indigenous mothers and babies
- Facilitate linkages with community controlled health service services, divisions of general practice and Queensland Health and develop and implement seamless integrated primary health care for Indigenous people in the local region
- Implement strategies to improve access to both Indigenous and mainstream services.
“These include the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service at Brisbane; Kambu Medical Service at Ipswich, Yulu-Burri-Ba Medical Service at Stradbroke Island and Kalwun Health Service at the Gold coast.
“North Lakes is the perfect location for a centre of the Institute, because it will be joining a team of health care providers, and it will ensure the Institute forms a strong partnership with the Yumba Teilah, a local Aboriginal organisation, and Queensland Health to further connect health to the community,” Member for Petrie Yvette D’Ath said.
“I would also like to acknowledge the support and goodwill provided by Queensland health in offering a significant space in this North Lakes Health Precinct under a peppercorn arrangement,” Mr Snowdon said.
The funding announced today is in addition to $343,000 provided by the Rudd Government to develop the Institute since 2008.
“The Rudd Government is committed to Closing the Gap in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people,” said Member for Longman Jon Sullivan.
“Across the Health and Ageing portfolio, funding of almost $1 billion has been allocated in the 2009-10 Budget for health programs specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
“These recent investments equate to a 57 per cent increase in Indigenous health funding across the Portfolio since the 2007-08 Budget,” Mr Snowdon said.
Media contact: Alice Plate (Snowdon) 0400 045 999
Simon Rowell (D’Ath) 0488 089 872
Robert Kronk (Sullivan) 0416 10 3799
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