Addressing the Barriers in Access Logistical and Personal Reasons Cost Cultural Appropriateness of the Service Steps for Implementing Access Initiatives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

All General Practices within the Country SA PHN service area, in addition to the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations in very remote locations, have an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population to whom they provide services.

The following table demonstrates the distribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population (2016 ABS Census). You can access Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population profiles in your local area on the ABS Website or contact your local Indigenous Health Project Officer for support.

Location SA3

Outback - North and East Eyre Peninsula and South Murray and Mallee Limestone Coast Mid North Fleurieu - Kangaroo Island Yorke Peninsula Gawler - Two Wells Adelaide Hills Barossa Lower North

Aboriginal and

Torres Strait

Islander

Population

5,453 3,188 2,570 1,218 916 717 679 593 581 390 387

% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Population

32.7% 19.1% 15.4% 7.3% 5.5% 4.3% 4.1% 3.6% 3.5% 2.3% 2.3%

% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population to Total Population

20.8% 5.6% 3.7% 1.9% 3.4% 1.4% 2.7% 1.7% 0.8% 1.1% 1.7%

1. Addressing the Barriers in Access

The Indigenous Australians Health Programme is designed to address the primary barriers in access. It does this through systematically looking at and addressing these barriers in multiple ways.

Logistical and Personal reasons

Logistical and personal reasons affect the access of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. For example, a patient may need to catch a flight to Adelaide from the closest regional centre but not have access to transport to that centre. Alternatively, they may have family or work commitments that prevent service access. The following two services can assist with addressing these barriers:

Integrated Team Care

Care coordination services in the Integrated Team Care program try to address any logistical reasons that may prevent health care on an individual client basis. This is centred on the principle of selfmanagement and services arrange directly with the client when and where is the most suitable time for follow-up health care provision.

• Medical Outreach- Indigenous Chronic Disease Program (RDWA) The Medical Outreach – Indigenous Chronic Disease program run by RDWA increases access to a range of health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including expanded primary care in the treatment and management of chronic disease. There are twenty two different types of specialist providers currently delivering services across 16 locations throughout South Australia. It reduces the need for patients to travel, and deal with the logistics required in travelling for health care.