Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

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Our Role

Queensland Health's approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

According  to the most recent figures the life expectancy gap in Queensland is 10.4 years for males and 8.9 years for females.

Queensland Health’s vision is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders will experience health outcomes at least equivalent to the general population.  In 2007, the Queensland Government committed to this vision through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), agreeing to two health-specific targets aimed at closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, including:

• to close the gap in Indigenous life expectancy within a generation (by 2033); and
• to halve the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under five within a decade (2018).

Queensland Health estimates that to meet the life expectancy targets set by COAG, based on a straight line trajectory, Queensland would need to increase life expectancy by 0.66 years per year to close the gap in Indigenous male life expectancy within a generation, and 0.60 years per year to close the gap in Indigenous female life expectancy within a generation.  This represents a 16 year gain in life expectancy over the target period.

Queensland Health’s focus

Evidence indicates that to make sustainable gains in achieving these targets, the most effective interventions (or “best buys”) will be those that focus on:

• improved early diagnosis, treatment and management of the diseases and conditions that together contribute 80% of the health gap – cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, cancers, mental disorders and injury;
• health promotion and health education to prevent the adoption of risky behaviours and target the risk factors for poor health outcomes that together contribute one-third of the health gap – in particular smoking cessation, but also alcohol abuse, nutrition, physical activity, sexual health and family violence; and
• maternal and child health, early childhood development, parenting support, and adolescent health.

Making Tracks towards closing the gap in health outcomes for Indigenous Queenslanders by 2033 – policy and accountability framework provides the overarching policy directions to guide the Queensland Government’s efforts towards closing the health gap to 2033.

Making Tracks towards closing the gap in health outcomes for Indigenous Queenslanders by 2033 - implementation plan 2009-2012 is intended to be the first in a series of triennial implementation plans detailing the specific initiatives to be implemented by the Queensland Government within the resources available in the given period.

Partnerships

Improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders will require simultaneous and sustained action across community, government and non-government sectors.  The Queensland Government’s efforts towards closing the gap recognises that a range of government agencies administer programs that contribute to improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes (particularly the education and housing sectors) and, as a result, reflect a multi-agency approach to improving Indigenous health.

Queensland Health is committed to working closely with all government and non-government agencies and health service providers to improve the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders.  Integral to this is our collaboration with the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), the Department of Health and Ageing and Queensland Health Corporate Divisions and Health Service Districts.  Additionally, through Health Service Districts and regional and state-wide health forums, we aim to establish and maintain effective communication and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Queensland.

Queensland Health's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Branch

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Branch (A&TSIHB) is a policy unit that does not deliver clinical advice or health services.  The Branch exists to:

• improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders by providing leadership, high-level advice and direction on effective and appropriate policies, services and programs to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific as well as mainstream program areas (across Government);
• strategically influence and engage in key decision making and priority setting across Queensland Health to ensure a consistent approach and accountability through:
  - the Making Tracks towards closing the gap in health outcomes for Indigenous Queenslanders by 2033 statewide policy and accountability framework and triennial implementation plans (not yet available);
  - the COAG Closing the Gap in Health Outcomes National Partnership Agreement Queensland Implementation Plan; and
  - the Queensland Health Close the Gap Executive Committee
•  influence, add value, support and advocate Queensland Health’s endeavour in the provision of quality effective and appropriate service and programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders; and
• work with all stakeholders to develop effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes in relation to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders.

Health Service Districts and Clinical and Statewide Services

Queensland Health administers the majority of its health care services through a network of 17 Health Service Districts which are part of the greater Queensland Health organisation.

Each Health Service District is led by a Chief Executive Officer, and is responsible for managing the operations of Queensland Health to ensure optimal levels of patient care are delivered and current and future local health services are met.

A separate division, Clinical and Statewide Services (CaSS) delivers safe, sustainable and appropriate State Government forensic, scientific, diagnostic, therapeutic and clinical support services in Queensland.  CaSS includes the Health Contact Centre which manages a range of telehealth services on behalf of other areas of Queensland Health.  These services include a triage and health information service (13HEALTH), Child Health Line, Quitline (13QUIT) and a recently introduced chronic disease coaching program.  13HEALTH is also used as a contact point for information to the public on health threats (eg current H1N1, environmental disasters etc).