Closing the Gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Dr. Alison Nelson
Director, Allied Health and Workforce Development
Active Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
with a diagnosis of diabetes
35%
65%
Male
Female
Of all clients with more than one HbA1C recorded, what was the trend in HbA1C
over the last 12 months?
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Improving
Stable
Worsened
• Workforce Strategy tied to Comprehensive health care
• Addressing social determinants of health alongside
health conditions
• Education
• Employment
• Enabling non-Indigenous and Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander workforce
Student Clinical
Placements
• 2010: 5120 Clinical Hours/semester
• 2013: 17484 Clinical Hours/semester
• 340% growth over 3 years
Semester 2 2010
Medicine
Occupational
Therapy
Dentistry
Semester 1 2013
Medicine
Occupational
Therapy
Dentistry and
Oral health
Speech
Pathology
Human
Movement
Studies
Optometry
Psychology
Nursing and
Midwifery
Pharmacy
Podiatry
Political
Science
Business and
Economics
Social Work
Counselling
Arts
Biomedical
Science
Clinical Placements: Key Features
• Sector Driven
• Students are centrally coordinated by IUIH
– Universities have a central conduit
• All students receive common orientation with
cultural orientation incorporated
• Different models of student placement to fit
different needs
• Students are invited to complete research
survey at completion of placement
Outcomes
• Increased likelihood of working in the sector
• Increased understanding of working with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Pool of capable professionals to draw on:
– 4 Students/graduates now employed (1 Aboriginal)
• Also led to growth in allied health staff from 1 in
2010 to 15 FTE’s in 2013 (including 4 Aboriginal
health professionals)
School Based
Traineeships
• Cert 3 in Allied health Assisting/Dental
Assisting (9 students)
• 2013: 5 year 12’s completed (3 Year 11’s
continuing)
• Transition plans for school to work/study
including pathways into tertiary
preparation and mentoring into health
professions
Questions?