Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing

Through working with community and for community, we aim to close the gap in life expectancy, improve the mortality rates for children, and improve access to culturally appropriate and high-quality healthcare.

Brisbane North PHN commissions a number of programs to local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations that deliver services to the many communities in the region.

These programs include:

• health and wellbeing for individuals
• better care for people that have a chronic disease
• improving access to services—both mainstream and community-controlled
• more and better aged care services, culturally appropriate allied health services to children and a targeted suicide prevention program.

We work with community groups, other local service providers and other sectors to integrate and improve health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the region.

School readiness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

The Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) provides development screening and subsequent appropriate intervention to develop skills for school readiness at a number of Kindergartens in our region.

Along with screening and skills development, IUIH therapists work alongside early childhood staff to embed sustainable workplace practices to enhance learning opportunities for children and their families. The program will also facilitate linkages to local primary healthcare services to ensure improved health outcomes.