The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) has joined calls for the Closing the Gap Health Strategy to be rebuilt.
The AMA has noted, through its Indigenous Report Card, that the current Close the Gap Strategy has failed to achieve a range of health outcomes and, that most notably the mortality gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians has grown.
With The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting tomorrow, ACEM supports the AMA’s position in calling for adequate funding and commitment from all governments to a national approach.
ACEM President Dr Simon Judkins said: “ACEM’s own analysis of presentations to emergency departments suggest that Aboriginal people are over-represented in presentations to emergency departments and are more likely to leave before treatment has been completed. They are also over-represented in those who seek help from an emergency department when they are experiencing a mental health crisis.
“The current Close the Gap Strategy has clearly been ineffective in addressing the disparities in health outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. We join with the AMA in calling for urgent and systematic action to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
In particular ACEM supports calls for:
- Increasing funding to reflect the greater health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations and to achieve equitable health outcomes;
- implementing health and mental health plans;
- filling primary health care service gaps, to ensure that efforts are focussed towards primary care and prevention rather than hospital care;
- a greater focus on environmental health and housing;
- addressing social determinants of health; and
- placing Aboriginal health in Aboriginal hands.
Background
ACEM launched its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2017. The RAP is championed by the ACEM President, Board, CEO and Executive Leadership Team.
ACEM’s RAP is part of the College’s ongoing commitment to improving the health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
ACEM is the peak body for emergency medicine in Australia and New Zealand, responsible for training emergency physicians and advancement of professional standards. www.acem.org.au