Moreton Bay GPN

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face a 17-year gap in life expectancy compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Indigenous women are twice as likely to give birth to a baby of low birth weight; mortality rates for Indigenous young people are three times higher than for non-Indigenous young people; and they have a lower chance of being treated for and living through cancer. This is the stark reality for many people in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander society today, but there is a change coming.

The Social Justice Report 2005 called for Australian governments to commit to achieving Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander health and life expectation equality within 25 years. To follow up on this commitment, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has agreed to work in partnership to close the gap in health outcomes by implementing initiatives around preventative health for chronic disease; increased access to primary health care; improved outcomes for hospital and hospital-related care; to enable access to culturally competent health care providers in order to increase positive patient experiences, and to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people in the health workforce.

This agreement provides an exciting opportunity for the local Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander community. As part of the commitment, funding has been provided to all Divisions of General Practice across the country to implement Closing the Gap – Improving Indigenous Access to Mainstream Primary Care.

The objectives of the program are to:

1. Increase access to mainstream primary care services by Indigenous Australians;
2. Improve the capacity of general practice to deliver culturally sensitive primary care services;
3. Increase the uptake of Indigenous specific MBS items including Indigenous health checks and follow up items;
4. Support mainstream primary care services to encourage Indigenous Australians to self-identify;
5. Increase awareness and understanding of Closing the Gap measures relevant to mainstream primary care; and  
6. Foster collaboration and support between the mainstream primary care and the Indigenous health sectors.

Moreton Bay General Practice Network is looking forward to the opportunity to work with the community on this exciting project and would like to take this opportunity to introduce the two staff members who will be responsible for the delivery.

I am a proud Mulinjali woman and my Aboriginal heritage comes from my great grand parents Maggie and James Currie (nee Fogarty) who were well respected Elders from the tribal area of Beaudesert.

 My grandmother Lyn Cullinane is regarded as a well respected person in her own right and has advocated for the plight of Aboriginal people both in her professional life and in her community work for many years.

 In my current role as an Indigenous Outreach Worker, I aim to work towards achieving positive and successful outcomes in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and promote access to mainstream primary health care services within their local area. In providing and adopting culturally appropriate practices by key stakeholder groups, this vision of improved health care for Indigenous people can become a reality.

 I have held a passion for my people throughout my life and this has been evident in my efforts in gaining qualifications in the area of Indigenous health. Additionally, I have recently been appointed as a Director on the Board of Bargarmah Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation which further indicates my commitment to the advancement in "Closing the Gap" in Aboriginal health in this state.

 I am proud to be a part of this new role with Moreton Bay General Practice Network and am confident I can walk hand-in-hand with my people to help build the bridge and start closing the gap!

As a non-Indigenous Australian, I understand the need for Indigenous communities to be given control over their own health outcomes in order to become active participants in their journey through the health system. I have a background in public health and community development and have worked previously in Mt Isa with North and West Queensland Primary Health Care. I am excited about this new role and am committed to engendering a state of equity and social justice in my dealings with the community and look forward to the opportunity to work alongside General Practice to build greater capacity to engage Indigenous patients in a culturally sensitive and equitable manner.