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Program Officer: Lindi Dietzel Barwon Medicare Local respectfully acknowledges the traditional owners of this land, the Wathaurong/Wadda Wurrung People, their spirits and ancestors. Wathaurong Country The Traditional Custodians / Inhabitants of the Geelong area are the Wathaurong/Wadda Wurrung People Their lands extend from the Werribee River to Painkalac creek near Anglesea, to Cressy, to near Colac, to near Ararat over to near Maryborough, to Bacchus Marsh to the Werribee River. A distance of roughly 25000 Kms. There were roughly about 2000 to 2500 Wathaurong living on Country prior to the invasion. Geelong was the known for the place to adopt Aboriginal children; it was also the birthplace for the development of the Aborigines Advancement League. The Wathaurong took in a white man known as William Buckley, who lived with the Wathaurong for 30 years plus. The Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative has its own Health and Dental service which caters for Aboriginal clients, also the Service is open to the General public, and the Health Centre bulk bills. Aboriginality is in the heart, within the Geelong Country there are as many fair skinned Aboriginal people as there are dark skinned people and in some respect we are often considered invisible. David Tournier Cultural Heritage Education Language Officer Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Closing the Gap – Program OverviewAboriginal Australians today still have poorer health and poorer access to health care, social services and education than other Australians. This as well as the history of dispossession and exclusion helps to explain the life expectancy gap of 17 years between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. Despite the enormous impacts of European colonisation on Aboriginal ways of life, Aboriginal people have survived and their culture is alive and strong today. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are at a marked disadvantage compared to that of other Australians and the gap has not decreased over the past decade or more. The Closing the Gap strategy aims to reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage with respect to life expectancy, child mortality, access to early childhood education, educational achievement and employment outcomes The Close the Gap Program will assist in the aim to increase the uptake of mainstream health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by way of Cultural Education to increase Cultural safety within these services to better address health needs. The Association and the Aboriginal Health Programs Liaison supports the work of the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co operative and Health Service, and seek to facilitate collaborative projects to build resources and partnerships across sectors, including the Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health network The Association recognises that Aboriginal people attend other general practices in the area. We are committed to supporting all practices in their endeavors to provide high quality, integrated care for Aboriginal people. Closing the Gap activities include:
Latest news and resourcesAboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identification Policy Setting up CTGCo-payment in Best Practice Setting up CTGCo-payment in Medical Director GPAG proudly announces the winner of the ‘Close the Gap – Art Competition’ My Cultural Identity
The new ‘Indigenous Health’ PIP payment comes into effect on the 1st of May 2010. The PIP has three key components:
The PIP is expected to act as a ‘gateway’ through which patients can access other programs under the Commonwealth ‘Closing the Gap’ Indigenous health package. Medicare have a short fact sheet for practices containing answers to frequently asked questions about the new payment. Click here for PIP Calculator Click here for Flow Chart for Health Assessment and Chronic Disease Managment Application and Patient Registration Forms
Medical Software TemplatesAboriginal & Torres Strait Islander People’s Health Assessments – Templates and Fact sheets MD3 Best Practice Zedmed Closing the Gap – Tackling Indigenous Chronic DiseaseChronic Disease Package
The Indigenous Chronic Disease Package aims to achieve this reduction by providing support to the health sector and better access to health care by Indigenous Australians. While great work is being done by many dedicated people around Australia, more is needed to reduce the burden of chronic disease on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. To be sure you have access to the latest information about the Indigenous Chronic Disease Package, please visit this site regularly or subscribe to receive email updates and eNewsletters. Wathaurong Health Service 
More information
Useful linksLinks relevant to the Commonwealth Indigenous Chronic Disease Package.
Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Website To view the National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap click on the following link: NPA on Closing the Gap. Medicare Australia Website For more information on the Practice Incentives Program check out this link to Medicare Australia/pip. For more generic information on Medicare Australia go to the Medicare Australia homepage. National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Website The national peak Aboriginal health body is the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO). Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Website |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience a burden of disease two-and-a-half times that of other Australians. A large part of the burden of disease is due to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and chronic kidney disease. This can be reduced by earlier identification, and management of risk factors and the disease itself.
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