David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Will the minister update the Senate on the government's commitment to funding for Indigenous health?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Johnston for his question. Last month, we heard the outcomes from the latest Close the gap report, and this week National Close the Gap Day will provide the opportunity for communities around Australia to hold events and recognise the importance of this national commitment.

Recently, I was very pleased to announce, along with the Minister for Health, Sussan Ley, a commitment of $1.4 billion in primary health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. This funding will support 112 Aboriginal community controlled health organisations from 1 July 2015 to continue delivery of primary health care to Indigenous communities around the nation. Ensuring continuity of care for clients and services is important and a key investment in closing the gap. The funding is provided over three years from 2015-16 to 2017-18 to over 100 Aboriginal community controlled health organisations. This demonstrates this government's confidence in ACCHOs and recognition of the key role they play in the delivery of essential primary healthcare services for Indigenous Australians.

While there have been some improvements in health outcomes, we all know there is much work to be done with Indigenous health outcomes. This funding reaffirms this government's commitment to closing the gap and to meeting the government's priorities of getting Indigenous Australians into work, ensuring children go to school and making communities safer. Overall, this government is investing $3.1 billion over the next four financial years in Indigenous health, an increase of over $500 million when compared with the previous four years. The challenges include tackling the high health needs of individuals and communities that often live in challenging circumstances with chronic and complex conditions. ACCHOs play a unique and vital role in our efforts to close the gap in health outcomes through working with communities to improve access for Indigenous families to primary or preventive health care.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister explain to the Senate how the government will ensure that this investment in Indigenous health will lead to quality services on the ground?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the things this funding includes is the Healthy for Life initiative of $36.2 million to continue and expand the focus on continuous quality improvement activities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary healthcare services. We know the importance of investing in good data and information to continuously improve clinical practice and service delivery. This initiative focuses particularly on the areas of child and maternal health and chronic disease management and builds on what we know works to develop efficient and effective services that can deliver improvements in health outcomes.

Through this and other initiatives announced in the 2014 budget, the government is investing in programs with a strong evidence base that will ensure outcomes are achieved across the health system. This commitment of funding is a concrete example of this government's commitment to closing the gap by ending the cycle of disadvantage, which starts with poor child health.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate how the government will ensure long-term improvements in Indigenous health outcomes?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As announced last year, we are committed to driving long-term improvements in health outcomes and closing the gap in life expectancy through the continuation of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023. The health plan was developed with significant input and ownership from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the Indigenous health sector. The health plan sets out a 10-year framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health policy and programs. We are working in partnership with the National Health Leadership Forum to develop the implementation plan, which will set out the actions required to translate good intentions into actions, and states and territories will be engaged through the revision of framework agreements. Through the implementation plan, we are seeking multipartisan support. We are focusing on results and building on what works to ensure long-term improvements in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.