Closing the Gap

Closing the Gap Program

In 2005-2007 ATSI life expectancy was approximately 9.7 to 11.5 years lower than non-Indigenous Australians.

On Thursday 20th December 2007, Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a partnership between all levels of government to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) communities to achieve the target of Closing the Gap on Indigenous disadvantage.

Part of the package to combat this disadvantage provided funding for 94 equivalent fulltime Program Officers for Aboriginal Health and 83 Indigenous Outreach Workers based within Divisions of General Practice across Australia.

The Goldfields Esperance region stretches from Southern Cross in the west to the arid regions of the South Australian border, the remote communities up to Wiluna, the Ngaanyatjarraku Lands and down to the pristine coastline of Esperance. It has a population of approximately 56 526, of which 10.5% are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This is more than 3 times the State average of 3%, or National average of 2.3%.

The Closing the Gap team for the Goldfields Esperance region will consist of a Program Officer and an Indigenous Outreach Worker. They will work in partnership with other GEGPN staff, GP’s, Allied Health providers, Aboriginal Medical Services and the regions ATSI community to address the poor health status of ATSI people in the region.  

The Program Officer for Aboriginal Health (POAH) is based in Kalgoorlie and is responsible for assisting General Practices throughout the region with education, resources or information in relation to:
•  Uptake of Practice Incentive Indigenous Program
•  Indigenous specific MBS items
•  Indigenous Health Checks and
•  Cultural Awareness and Safety

The POAH will also be responsible for developing resources to assist local ATSI community members to:
•  Access GP’s
•  Promoting the Closing the Gap program and GP’s at local community events as first ports of call for health concerns
•  Collaborating with Aboriginal Medical Services about barriers Indigenous Australians face when accessing primary health care
•   Providing GP’s , Allied Health Providers and other agencies with information about Indigenous specific or appropriate health programs available locally
•   Provide support to the Indigenous Outreach Worker

The tasks of the POAH are not limited to those mentioned; the role will evolve as necessary to suit the local communities and GP’s.

The Indigenous Outreach Worker (IOW) will assist ASTI Australians with practical “on the ground” assistance. 

This invaluable GEGPN staff member will:
•  Be available to assist ATSI clients with medical appointments, fill out paperwork and pick up scripts and other medications as prescribed.
•  Identify those ATSI community members who are not currently seeing a GP and assist them to see one.
•  Encourage ATSI Australians to attend practices for regular Health Checks and assist with Medicare registration.
•  Provide support as appropriate during visits to GP’s, specialists and allied health professionals.
•  Provide ATSI clients with education about the PBS co-payment measure, PIP Indigenous Health Incentives and allied health programs available to them.

The IOW will be a presence in the community who can provide feedback to the Network about what we and allied health services are or are not doing well in the delivery of Indigenous Health Care.

The tasks and responsibilities of the IOW will evolve and grow to meet the needs
of the local ATSI population.

This is a new and exciting program which allows local regions to make decisions about how to improve the health of their local ATSI populations. This is an initiative which will become a turning point in ATSI history and aims to Make Indigenous Health Everyone’s business.

Contact: Vishal Sharma, Program Officer Aboriginal Health
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   or Tel: 08 9080 0400 / Fax: (08) 9021 6641


To find out more details on all programs please refer to the ‘Applications Portal’ (http://apps.goldhealth.net.au/application/notice/notice.asp) or contact the GEGPN on 08 9080 0400.