The Australian Government's Closing the Gap Chronic Disease Program consists of the following:

• Identification and recording Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Island status
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Assessment Check (MBS Item 715)
• Follow-up Allied Health Services
• Indigenous Practice Incentive Program (PIP)
• PBS Co Payment Measure
• Follow-up services provided by Practice Nurse or registered Aboriginal Health Worker
• Chronic Disease Management Items (GPMP/TCA)

Available to any Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patient who has received a health check, and the need for allied health services was identified. Maximum 5 services per year.

Includes:

• Aboriginal Health Worker
• Diabetes Education
• Audiology
• Podiatry
• Exercise Physiology
• Chiropractic
• Dietetics
• Osteopathy
• Mental Health Worker
• Psychology
• Occupational Therapy
• Speech Pathology
• Physiotherapy

Referral to Allied Health for Follow Up Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Factsheet
Follow-up Allied Health Services for People of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Descent (MBS Items 81300-81360) Fact Sheet

Referral to Allied Health Template
Indigenous follow up referral form

There are several resources available to assist organisations such as General Practices to assess whether their service is culturally safe. Below are resources to assist with developing a culturally safe service interested GPs and Practices.

• Cultural Awareness Self-Assessment Toolkit - ACT Council of Social Service Inc
• Working with Aboriginal people and communities: Health and community services audit - Making Two Worlds Work

CESPHN also facilitates regular Cultural Awareness Training CPD events for General Practitioners, Practice Nurses, Practice Staff and Allied Health Providers. Please view our events page for a list of upcoming training sessions. These events are free of charge for financial members. For more information on how to become a member see our membership page here 

• Working with Aboriginal people [PDF, 1,738Kb]
• Online teaching video resource aimed at assisting health professionals to improve their communication with Aboriginal patients
• Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW
• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
• Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
• Koori Mail
•   pdf Steps to MBS Claiming pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patients (308 KB)

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessments - barriers to improving uptake. Kehoe, H., Lovett, R. W. 2008
• RACGP Position Statement - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. May 2010.
• A healed and healthy country: understanding healing for Indigenous Australians. Tamara Mackean, 2009.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2010 report. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2010.
• Indigenous Health Snapshot 2012
• Closing the Gap website
• Closing the Gap - Progress and priorities report 2016
• A role for general practice - RACGP review