Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Well-Being: Analysis of Healthcare Inequalities and Initiatives

This article discusses the Close the Gap and Closing the Gap campaigns, the AHRC Close the Gap 2018 report, patient escorts, and the role of Aboriginal/Indigenous Hospital Liaison Officers. The article highlights the challenges faced by indigenous Australians in accessing healthcare and the need for cultural safe care.

Running head: ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES WELL-BEING 1
Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people’s well-being
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ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES WELL-BEING 2
Introduction
Closing the Gap is a government initiative to reduce inequalities in healthcare In
Australia.In this particular case study, Closing the gap funding has facilitated Matts mother to
travel between Townsville and Brisbane. Furthermore, it has catered for her accommodation and
food expenses at a local aboriginal hostel. However, one of my colleagues feel that indigenous
people are treated better than other Australians. Similarly, the AHRC 2018 report further
critiques the Australian government over its preferences. Within the framework of this essay,
there will be an analysis of different concepts in regards to indigenous healthcare.
Discussion
Differences between the ‘Close the Gap’ campaign, and the ‘Closing the Gap’
Australian governments’ policy framework
Close the gap campaign
With several studies noting enormous disparities in the health between indigenous and
non-indigenous Australians, there was the need to come up with initiatives to curb this ever
growing inequality. Close the gap is therefore an initiative by the both Indigenous and non-
indigenous health bodies ,NGOs and human rights organizations to work together to so as to
attain equality and life expectancy for the indigenous Australians (Ring, Dixon, Lovett, & Al-
Yaman, 2016). It was set up back in 2007 and it has realistic and attainable targets. It is expected
that by 2030, all the targets should have been achieved. With the recent report of 2018 however,
the target is not on course and there is the need to review the targets.

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES WELL-BEING 3
‘Closing the Gap Australian Government’s’ policy frameworks
In response to the inequality of healthcare between indigenous and non-indigenous
Australians, the government also came up with its own strategy. The strategy was to be named
‘Closing the Gap Australian Government’s policy frameworks (Duke, Kado, Auto, Amini, &
Gilbert, 2015). The government has different targets such as the close the gap in life expectancy
by 2031, halve the gap of employment, child mortality, reading, writing and numeracy by 2018,
ensure that 95% of indigenous children above 4 years are enrolled in ECD by 2025 and finally
halve the gap in year 12 attainment by the year 2020 (Sibthorpe, Gardner, & McAullay, 2016).
So, the basic difference between the two campaigns is that while close the gap initiative is run by
different stakeholders, closing the Gap is an initiative by the Australian government. However,
both the initiatives are similar in that they have the similar objective (McDonald, 2011). The
objective is to achieve equality in healthcare among the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait
islander people.
The AHRC Close the Gap 2018 report and the ‘funding myth about Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander health.
Often, after coming up with a certain initiative, it is necessary to provide a review to
evaluate or determine if the program is on course or not (Wendt, 2017). The AHRC Close the
Gap 2018 report is one such report. The aim of the report was to review the progress of the Close
Gap campaign ten years later since its inception back in 2008.
The review had different findings. One of the major finding was the funding ‘myth about
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health’. Often, the success of any initiative is determined
by the outlay of necessary resources (Reath & O'Mara, 2018). Resources in this case refers to

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES WELL-BEING 4
funds and personnel. However, the review in this case found out that the myth about funding is
one of the biggest stumbling block for the campaign to achieve its target. Unfortunately, a
section of the taxpayers feel that the idea of a dedicated health expenditure as a waste of the tax
payers money (Georges et al., 2017). This is quite ironical since recommendations and studies
illustrate that for Australia to achieve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders health equality, there
is the need for extra investment that are realistic. Furthermore, the investment is indexed
according to the needs. Therefore, the idea of a section of Australians opposing the move with a
feeling that the government is overspending on healthcare of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
islanders is still a puzzle to many. In a recent survey, results show that the population of the
Aboriginal is higher and are the burden of disease among them is 2.3 times higher as compared
to other Australians (The Lancet, 2019). Interestingly, the government spends only $1.38 per
indigenous person as compared to $1.00 per non-indigenous (Falster et al., 2016). This is not
proportional at and the Australian government ought to spend more towards the Aboriginals.
The myth that the Australian government is wasting the taxpayer’s funds is likely to
negatively impact the efforts of the government to achieve equality in healthcare. It is therefore
important that more sensitization of the importance and requirements of the close the gap
strategy is carried out to abolish such myths since health equality at the end of it all will be of
benefit to any Australian citizen.
‘Patient escort’, and the common challenges that they face
Often, patients due to their feeble or weakened stature makes it difficult for them to reach
or access health care facilities. Some patients are physically impaired that they need assistance
from a patient escort to a healthcare facility (Gracey, 2014). Furthermore, a patient who is in
comma or badly injured also need assistance to access hospitals. ‘Patient escort’ therefore refers

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES WELL-BEING 5
to individuals or act of assisting a patient access healthcare services (Villarosa et al., 2018). In
the case study provided, patient escort can be utilized in transferring the patient Matt to the
discharge lounge if he is so weak to do so. Besides, patient escort can be utilized to assist Matt
and her mother reach home safely without more complications.
Patient escorts experience different challenges. One of the biggest challenge is inadequate
or absence of appropriate devices. A study by Di Pietro & Illes, 2016 explains that patient escorts
normally act in emergency situation yet they may not be having enough protective gears (Di
Pietro & Illes, 2016). In the case of a bleeding patient for example, the patient escort is at a high
risk of blood borne infections. Besides the blood borne infections from the patients, they can also
be infected with communicable diseases since they have to carry the patient from one bed to
another. ‘Patient escorts’ are also at risk of injuries sustained from patients. Studies note that
some patients especially those suffering from mental disorders, are so violent that they end up
injuring the patient escort. This therefore creates two problems instead of a solution. Patient
escorts are therefore supposed to be very vigilant when handling such patients.
Most patients are in a state that they cannot achieve or accomplish routine physical
activities like walking, bathing or even change position in a bed. Patient escorts come in handy in
this case though they experience different challenges. It is therefore important that the patient
escorts are trained effectively and supplied with necessary gadgets to prevent them against
communicable diseases.

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES WELL-BEING 6
Role of the Aboriginal/Indigenous Hospital Liaison Officer and how this role may
support the delivery of culturally safe care to both Matt and his mother.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders are the indigenous communities of Australia.
This group of people often have diverse and unique healthcare needs that need a lot of
competence, partnerships and unique approaches to accomplish them. This is possible with the
intervention of an Aboriginal/indigenous Hospital Liaison Officer (AHLO) (Wendt, 2017).
Therefore, an AHLO can be defined as officer who is trained or skilled to comprehend the
healthcare needs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders. Their objective is basically to
ensure that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders receive cultural safe health care.
The Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers have different roles. In a study by Cashman et
al, the authors explain that is the duty of the AHLO to assist in planning and assisting in the
discharge of indigenous patients (Cashman et al., 2016). The AHLO in this case ensures that the
patients are discharged in a desirable manner. In the case of Matt for example, the AHLO can
assist by ensuring that the he is equipped with necessary resources like drugs that will assist his
recovery after he is discharged. Furthermore, they ensure that he is taught whatever is important
after being discharged. Furthermore, the AHLO ensures that the families are well supported and
they understand their future medical care. The AHLO therefore attempts to provide a soft
landing of indigenous people from the hospital back to their respective homes.
The AHLOs educate medical officers to empower them on matters of respect to the
indigenous people. The AHLO according to Calma, Dudgeon, & Bray,are supposed to come up
with different training sessions or forums in order to educate the medical experts of new ways to
achieve cultural safe care to the Aboriginals (Calma, Dudgeon, & Bray, 2017). This will ensure
that the indigenous people get the desired culturally safe care which studies associate with

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES WELL-BEING 7
improved well-being and health outcomes. In the case of Matt and her mother for example, the
medical experts should be taught how to offer culturally safe care in times of challenges such as
involving religion or spirituality. They make follow ups on the progress of the discharged
patients to find out if they are recovering well.
Conclusion
Closing the gap initiative has really assisted indigenous Australians get access to
healthcare by funding travelling and accommodation expenses. It is actually unfair that a section
of Australians and the AHRC critiques the government approach to closing the Gap. They feel
indigenous Australians are treated with preferences. However, this is not true since indigenous
Australians are more prone to infections than their counterparts. The AHRC should instead
encourage the government to invest more so as to eliminate the inequalities.

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES WELL-BEING 8
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