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MGPN ATSI publication articles 2010

Publication Date Article

Dr Care

5^th August

RACGP RAISING ATSI CULTURAL AWARENESS FOR GPS AND PRACTICE TEAMS: The RACGP is developing an online orientation activity through its GP learning platform which will assist general practices to participate in the PIP Indigenous Health Incentive and to provide more culturally appropriate health care services to their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. The online education will be available in October this year, and is free of charge to RACGP members and GP teams. For more information about registering for the Indigenous PIP payment, call: Danielle Thomson on 9347 1188.

In Focus

9^th July 2010

ATSI NAIDOC Week Celebrations

NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee and NAIDOC celebrations are held in July each year to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Aboriginal Australians do not enjoy equity of health status, nor access to health services, with Australians of non-Aboriginal decent. MGPN is keen to support general practice to Close the Gap and provide appropriate health care by encouraging GPs to ask their patients if they are of Aboriginal descent, and to sign on for the Indigenous PIP payments. Please find enclosed a poster and literature to be displayed in your practice. For more information contact: Danielle Thomson on 9347 1188. For more copies of the ATSI Cultural Identification poster/brochures, call Australian Bureau of Statistics on: 1300 135 070
Art work was reproduced with thanks and respects to the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (VACCHO)

GP Voice

3^rd June 2010

ABORIGINAL HEALTH LIAISON OFFICER AT ROYAL MELBOURNE HOSPITAL: Royal Melbourne Hospital has employed an Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer to enable culturally appropriate and supportive health care for Aboriginal patients. Please inform your Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients that Royal Melbourne Hospital now has a full time Aboriginal Health Officer employed to assist them. Donna Duncanson 9342 8301 or 9342 7440 pager: 9925. ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER – CULTURAL APPROPRIATENESS: Please be advised that the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (NACCHO) membership passed a resolution deeming that the term ‘Indigenous’ is culturally inappropriate and request that in reference to people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander decent, the health sector use the term ‘Aboriginal’ not ‘Indigenous’. Therefore ATSI health services should be referred to as ‘Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service’s (ACCHSs’) rather than ‘Indigenous health services’. NACCHO use the term ‘Aboriginal’ in all correspondence and speeches and have ceased use of the word ‘Indigenous’ except in an International context.

GP Voice

8^th April 2010

Aboriginal Health Care
Australians generally have among the best life expectancy rates in the world, however Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience worse health than non-Indigenous Australians in terms of life expectancy and burden of disease - particularly chronic disease .
MGPN is committed to working with our members and stakeholders to reduce health inequities within our community and to address the health needs of at risk populations. Whilst MGPN does not have a designated Close the Gap, Department of Health funded worker, we acknowledge the important role that primary care has in improving the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and actively support this process.
To this end, MGPN is represented:
• On the Steering committee for Strengthening Primary Health Care for Aboriginal People
• As a co-signatory to the Coalition of the Intentional to Close the Gap document. As such our organisation has committed to work “to improve access to, and outcomes from, mainstream services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders�.
Identification of Aboriginal patients: A way of targeting health care to improve health status
MGPN is in the process of learning about the levels of our local general practice provision to the ATSI population in order to target our general practice ATSI information and support. To this end, please complete the ATSI health care provision questions in our General Practice Survey.

Why investigate ATSI health care provision? Local population statistics and MBS item number claims compared.
Whilst officially we do not have a large identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population living within our MGPN catchment, (according to the 2006 census 1319 people self-identified as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent in our catchment) Medicare MBS statistics report a low number of ATSI specific MBS Item number claims* indicating there is potential for more care provision. Similarly, our local acute emergency departments, anecdotally, report many avoidable ambulatory presentations by people of ATSI descent.

But we have the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service in our catchment...Choice of health care provider
While we do have the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) in our catchment, Aboriginal people have the choice to attend mainstream health clinics, and evidence suggests that many do.
* Item 710 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adult Health Check :128 services.
Item 708: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adult Health Check : No service.
Item 711: Health check by practice nurse or registered Aboriginal health worker :No service
Cultural identification – why worry?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have not only different health care entitlements in order to improve their health, but this population has specific health requirements. For instance in terms of immunisation, some immunisations have different dosage requirements for Aboriginal Australians than for non-Aboriginal Australians.
Cultural identification is no doubt a fraught issue and any ATSI figures are likely to be an underepresentation for a number of reasons:
• Many health care providers do not ask whether their patients are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin:
- despite RACGP standards requiring GPs to work towards recording the self identified cultural background of patients and being able to identify important cultural groups within their practice.
- Aboriginality cannot be determined by appearance alone.
- the question can routinely be included on new patient in-take forms.
• Aboriginal people may not identify themselves as of Aboriginal descent:
- to avoid discrimination.
- because they do not feel culturally accepted or comfortable

Local Resources
A number of key local resources can be accessed to assist with the provision of culturally appropriate ATSI health care.
QUIT have an Aboriginal Health Liaison officer who can provide assistance. Toni Mason can be contacted via email: toni.mason@quit.org.au.
The Heart Foundation offer online resources for General Practitioners
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/Professional_Information/Indigenous_Health/Pages/default.aspx
Diabetes Australia (Vic)

http://www.diabetesvic.org.au/health-professionals/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander

St Vincent’s Hospital has an Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer program and a full time AHLO.
http://www.svhm.org.au/services
If you would like more information about assisting Aboriginal patients, please call Danielle Thomson on 9347 1188.
New PIP Indigenous Health Incentive
A new Practice Incentives Program (PIP) Indigenous Health Incentive, costing $28 million over four years, will start in May 2010.
The PIP Indigenous Health Incentive will target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients aged 15 years and over with chronic disease and is part of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap: Tackling Indigenous Chronic Disease. The PIP Indigenous Health Incentive will support general practices and Indigenous health services to provide better health care for Indigenous Australians, including best practice management of chronic disease. The first payments through the Indigenous Health Incentive will be made to eligible PIP practices in May 2010.

Dr Care

8^th April 2010

RACGP/APHCRI Indigenous Health AwardApplications for 2010 open Monday 15 March and close Friday 14 May - Two RACGP/APHCRI Indigenous Health Awards, valued at $4500 each, are available for a 12 month period to provide support for: Indigenous medical students; medical students to gain experience in indigenous health; indigenous medical graduates undertaking GP training; registrars and GPs undertaking research and educational projects in indigenous health; and, other activities supporting the provision of high quality health care to indigenous people. To nominate yourself or a colleague, go to http://www.racgp.org.au/researchfoundation/awards/indigenous

Dr Care

21 January 2010

THE PRACTICE INCENTIVES PROGRAM (PIP) INDIGENOUS HEALTH INCENTIVE: The new Practice Incentives Program (PIP) Indigenous Health Incentive will commence in May 2010. To join this new incentive, practices need to be participating in the PIP and meet specific sign-on requirements.
Medicare Australia will write to PIP practices in early 2010, inviting them to apply for the PIP Indigenous Health Incentive and provide the necessary documentation. There will be three types of payments available through the PIP Indigenous Health Incentive:1. Sign-on payment. 2. Annual patient registration payments. 3. Outcomes payment. Go to http://tinyurl.com/healthincentive download more information, including payment descriptions. The PEN Clinical Audit Tool (CAT) has the capability of being able to identify from your Clinical Software who your ATSI patients are by filtering for ATSI. Go to http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/incentives/pip/ for more information on the Practice Incentive Program.

Publication	Date	Article
Dr Care	5^th August	RACGP RAISING ATSI CULTURAL AWARENESS FOR GPS AND PRACTICE TEAMS: The RACGP is developing an online orientation activity through its GP learning platform which will assist general practices to participate in the PIP Indigenous Health Incentive and to provide more culturally appropriate health care services to their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. The online education will be available in October this year, and is free of charge to RACGP members and GP teams. For more information about registering for the Indigenous PIP payment, call: Danielle Thomson on 9347 1188.
In Focus	9^th July 2010	ATSI NAIDOC Week Celebrations NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee and NAIDOC celebrations are held in July each year to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Aboriginal Australians do not enjoy equity of health status, nor access to health services, with Australians of non-Aboriginal decent. MGPN is keen to support general practice to Close the Gap and provide appropriate health care by encouraging GPs to ask their patients if they are of Aboriginal descent, and to sign on for the Indigenous PIP payments. Please find enclosed a poster and literature to be displayed in your practice. For more information contact: Danielle Thomson on 9347 1188. For more copies of the ATSI Cultural Identification poster/brochures, call Australian Bureau of Statistics on: 1300 135 070 Art work was reproduced with thanks and respects to the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (VACCHO)
GP Voice	3^rd June 2010	ABORIGINAL HEALTH LIAISON OFFICER AT ROYAL MELBOURNE HOSPITAL: Royal Melbourne Hospital has employed an Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer to enable culturally appropriate and supportive health care for Aboriginal patients. Please inform your Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients that Royal Melbourne Hospital now has a full time Aboriginal Health Officer employed to assist them. Donna Duncanson 9342 8301 or 9342 7440 pager: 9925. ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER – CULTURAL APPROPRIATENESS: Please be advised that the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (NACCHO) membership passed a resolution deeming that the term ‘Indigenous’ is culturally inappropriate and request that in reference to people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander decent, the health sector use the term ‘Aboriginal’ not ‘Indigenous’. Therefore ATSI health services should be referred to as ‘Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service’s (ACCHSs’) rather than ‘Indigenous health services’. NACCHO use the term ‘Aboriginal’ in all correspondence and speeches and have ceased use of the word ‘Indigenous’ except in an International context.
GP Voice	8^th April 2010	Aboriginal Health Care Australians generally have among the best life expectancy rates in the world, however Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience worse health than non-Indigenous Australians in terms of life expectancy and burden of disease - particularly chronic disease . MGPN is committed to working with our members and stakeholders to reduce health inequities within our community and to address the health needs of at risk populations. Whilst MGPN does not have a designated Close the Gap, Department of Health funded worker, we acknowledge the important role that primary care has in improving the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and actively support this process. To this end, MGPN is represented: • On the Steering committee for Strengthening Primary Health Care for Aboriginal People • As a co-signatory to the Coalition of the Intentional to Close the Gap document. As such our organisation has committed to work “to improve access to, and outcomes from, mainstream services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders�. Identification of Aboriginal patients: A way of targeting health care to improve health status MGPN is in the process of learning about the levels of our local general practice provision to the ATSI population in order to target our general practice ATSI information and support. To this end, please complete the ATSI health care provision questions in our General Practice Survey. Why investigate ATSI health care provision? Local population statistics and MBS item number claims compared. Whilst officially we do not have a large identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population living within our MGPN catchment, (according to the 2006 census 1319 people self-identified as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent in our catchment) Medicare MBS statistics report a low number of ATSI specific MBS Item number claims* indicating there is potential for more care provision. Similarly, our local acute emergency departments, anecdotally, report many avoidable ambulatory presentations by people of ATSI descent. But we have the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service in our catchment...Choice of health care provider While we do have the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) in our catchment, Aboriginal people have the choice to attend mainstream health clinics, and evidence suggests that many do. * Item 710 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adult Health Check :128 services. Item 708: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adult Health Check : No service. Item 711: Health check by practice nurse or registered Aboriginal health worker :No service Cultural identification – why worry? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have not only different health care entitlements in order to improve their health, but this population has specific health requirements. For instance in terms of immunisation, some immunisations have different dosage requirements for Aboriginal Australians than for non-Aboriginal Australians. Cultural identification is no doubt a fraught issue and any ATSI figures are likely to be an underepresentation for a number of reasons: • Many health care providers do not ask whether their patients are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin: - despite RACGP standards requiring GPs to work towards recording the self identified cultural background of patients and being able to identify important cultural groups within their practice. - Aboriginality cannot be determined by appearance alone. - the question can routinely be included on new patient in-take forms. • Aboriginal people may not identify themselves as of Aboriginal descent: - to avoid discrimination. - because they do not feel culturally accepted or comfortable Local Resources A number of key local resources can be accessed to assist with the provision of culturally appropriate ATSI health care. QUIT have an Aboriginal Health Liaison officer who can provide assistance. Toni Mason can be contacted via email: toni.mason@quit.org.au. The Heart Foundation offer online resources for General Practitioners http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/Professional_Information/Indigenous_Health/Pages/default.aspx Diabetes Australia (Vic) http://www.diabetesvic.org.au/health-professionals/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander St Vincent’s Hospital has an Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer program and a full time AHLO. http://www.svhm.org.au/services If you would like more information about assisting Aboriginal patients, please call Danielle Thomson on 9347 1188. New PIP Indigenous Health Incentive A new Practice Incentives Program (PIP) Indigenous Health Incentive, costing $28 million over four years, will start in May 2010. The PIP Indigenous Health Incentive will target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients aged 15 years and over with chronic disease and is part of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap: Tackling Indigenous Chronic Disease. The PIP Indigenous Health Incentive will support general practices and Indigenous health services to provide better health care for Indigenous Australians, including best practice management of chronic disease. The first payments through the Indigenous Health Incentive will be made to eligible PIP practices in May 2010.
Dr Care	8^th April 2010	RACGP/APHCRI Indigenous Health AwardApplications for 2010 open Monday 15 March and close Friday 14 May - Two RACGP/APHCRI Indigenous Health Awards, valued at $4500 each, are available for a 12 month period to provide support for: Indigenous medical students; medical students to gain experience in indigenous health; indigenous medical graduates undertaking GP training; registrars and GPs undertaking research and educational projects in indigenous health; and, other activities supporting the provision of high quality health care to indigenous people. To nominate yourself or a colleague, go to http://www.racgp.org.au/researchfoundation/awards/indigenous
Dr Care	21 January 2010	THE PRACTICE INCENTIVES PROGRAM (PIP) INDIGENOUS HEALTH INCENTIVE: The new Practice Incentives Program (PIP) Indigenous Health Incentive will commence in May 2010. To join this new incentive, practices need to be participating in the PIP and meet specific sign-on requirements. Medicare Australia will write to PIP practices in early 2010, inviting them to apply for the PIP Indigenous Health Incentive and provide the necessary documentation. There will be three types of payments available through the PIP Indigenous Health Incentive:1. Sign-on payment. 2. Annual patient registration payments. 3. Outcomes payment. Go to http://tinyurl.com/healthincentive download more information, including payment descriptions. The PEN Clinical Audit Tool (CAT) has the capability of being able to identify from your Clinical Software who your ATSI patients are by filtering for ATSI. Go to http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/incentives/pip/ for more information on the Practice Incentive Program.

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