Focus on Indigenous health and aged care

Governments are working with First Nations people to make a difference.

6 July 2023
Health
Read Time: 5 mins

As the nation celebrates NAIDOC Week, there has been renewed focus on government services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander seniors.

The 2023–24 Budget recently delivered by Treasurer Jim Chalmers provides measures to make a practical difference for Indigenous Australians and help “close the gap” especially in the areas of health and aged care.

Budget initiatives include:

$3.5 billion to triple the bulk billing incentive to support more doctors to bulk bill consultations for children under the age of 16 and Commonwealth concession card holders. According to the National Indigenous Australians Agency, this will have a positive impact for more than 310,000 First Nations people who hold a concession card.
$141.2 million to expand the Tackling Indigenous Smoking program to prevent the uptake and reduce the prevalence of vaping.
$57.3 million to extend COVID-19 testing and vaccinations for First Nations Australians to 30 June 2024.

$238.5 million to improve First Nations cancer outcomes through building capability and growing the healthcare workforce.
$28.2 million to support the delivery of 30 dialysis units for First Nations people in regional and remote Australia with end-stage kidney disease.
$16.7 million to promote increased uptake of health assessments by First Nations people, which has reduced since the start of COVID-19. This will assist more First Nations people to receive essential support for the management of chronic and mental health conditions.
$1.4 million to expand the delivery of the Strong Born program to provide information about foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
$10.5 million to boost mental health support for First Nations people in the lead up to, during and following the referendum to recognise First Nations people. This initiative aims to promote wellbeing and provide additional mental health support for First Nations people, including in regional and remote areas.

Aged care

The government is also continuing its support for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program, which funds services to meet the needs of Indigenous peoples while allowing them to remain close to home and community.

Most of these services are in rural and remote areas.

“We want older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to feel culturally safe when they receive aged care,” the program’s website says.

“This means we need aged care services that recognise, respect and support their unique cultural identity [and] meet their needs, wants and rights.”

Service providers under the program must:

Deliver a mix of aged care services that meets community needs.
Follow policies and practices that support culturally appropriate care.

Help people to stay connected with their family and community.
Support individual interests, customs, beliefs and cultural backgrounds.

The Flexible Aged Care Program is part of a commitment made last year by Minister Anika Wells to allocate $106 million for face-to-face support and a further $115 million to build culturally safe aged care facilities. This funding is being delivered over four years.

Creating jobs

The Trusted Indigenous Facilitators program is building a First Nations workforce in a partnership with the Australian Government and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, alongside Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations.

The program aims to help First Nations people and their families navigate and access aged care services and creates jobs for about 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff across Australia.

At the time, the funding announcement was welcomed by National Seniors Australia, with Chief Advocate Ian Henschke saying the moves were in line with recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.