Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
How can you help Close the Gap?
It’s hard to believe the enormous gap that exists between the health of indigenous Australians and non-indigenous Australians:
- Indigenous Australians can expect to live 10-17 years less than other Australians.
- Babies born to Aboriginal mothers die at more than twice the rate of other Australian babies.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience higher rates of preventable illness such as heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes*.
You can help close the gap by undertaking a placement in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS) during your training.
What Aboriginal health training opportunities does GP Synergy offer?
There are many ACCHS facilities located within GP Synergy’s training footprint that are accredited to train GP Synergy registrars. For a list of accredited training posts, visit our Aboriginal health subsite.
Registrars who have undertaken an Aboriginal health placement as part of their training say there are many reasons why they would recommend it to others:
- Opportunity to experience types of medicine that registrars may not normally get exposure i.e. management of complex chronic conditions, etc.
- Aboriginal health placements are generally salaried positions which enable flexibility in consultation times and number of patients seen.
- An Aboriginal health placement provides a unique opportunity to explore & understand another culture.
Hear from registrars
Find out more by watching this short video of registrars talking about their experiences and the benefits of working in Aboriginal health.
How does GP Synergy help Close the Gap?
GP Synergy recognises that too many Aboriginal people experience unacceptable levels of disadvantage. Our goal is to develop mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginals by building a culturally diverse health workforce and by raising the awareness of all our stakeholders about the unique cultural history that Aboriginal people enjoy, particularly in our regions.
We have a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Education Unit who provide operational support in implementing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Strategic Plan.
Further information
Our Aboriginal health website offers a wealth of information and resources about Aboriginal health including:
- information about GP Synergy, our Aboriginal Cultural Education Unit and our strategic vision to help Close the Gap including our Reconciliation Action Plan
- details of accredited NSW and ACT Aboriginal health training posts, and testimonials from registrars who have trained in an Aboriginal health training facility
- access to a range of cultural resources including key dates of significance, cultural awareness resources, clinical resources, as well as links to key health and population data
- ACCHS educational programs and ACCHS support resources
- information about how to become an accredited GP training facility
- the latest news on our activities and initiatives to improve opportunities for registrars to train in ACCHS facilities and improve access to primary healthcare provision for Aboriginal communities.
