Enhancing person-centred care and access to primary care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Bryce Brickley
A * , Jaydene Burzacott B and Thileepan Naren C
A Healthy Primary Care, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, G40 Griffith Health Centre, Level 8.86, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld 4222, Australia.
B Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative, 119 Prouses Road, North Bendigo, Vic. 3550, Australia.
C Drug Health Services, Western Health, 3‒7 Eleanor Street, Footscray, Vic. 3011, Australia.
Australian Health Review 47(1) 13-15 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH22190
Submitted: 15 August 2022 Accepted: 9 November 2022 Published: 25 November 2022
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of AHHA.
Abstract
The pandemic has amplified the health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and influenced the way primary care services are delivered. The purpose of this critical perspective is to explore the research on person-centred care (PCC) that has been conducted during the pandemic, with a contextual focus on care delivered by general practitioners (GPs) to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The pandemic has shown that primary care needs to be flexible, adaptive and innovative to maintain PCC. During the pandemic, general practice teams maintained their focus on the delivery of PCC and adapted routine services. National health care policy and modifications to the Medicare Benefits Schedule supported the delivery of PCC. Evaluation research has shown that funding extensions made during the pandemic increased patient engagement and the delivery of routine services, which supported primary care clinic sustainability. However, the delivery of PCC by GPs in the clinical setting requires time. Adequately funded, longer primary care consultations are needed to enhance PCC and access to services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Keywords: consultation duration, family doctor, First Nations, general practitioner, indigenous health, patient-centred care, primary care, primary care funding, quality care, safety.
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