The Program aims to:
- Contribute to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic health conditions through better access to coordinated multidisciplinary care; and
- Contribute to closing the gap in life expectancy by improved access to culturally appropriate mainstream primary health services (including but not limited to general practice, allied health and specialist) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The objectives are to:
- Achieve better treatment and management of chronic conditions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, through better access to the required services and better care coordination and provision of supplementary services;
- Foster collaboration and support between the mainstream primary care and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sectors;
- Improve the capacity of mainstream primary care services to deliver culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
- Increase the uptake of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items, including Health Assessments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and follow up items;
- Support mainstream primary care services to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to self identify; and
- Increase awareness and understanding of measures relevant to mainstream primary care.
