Summary
The 2008–09 Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH) Services Reporting data collection provides information on the activities, clients, provision of care and staffing of Australian Government funded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health-care, substance use, and Bringing Them Home and Link Up counselling services. This information informs Indigenous health policy, and program development and implementation.
Key findings
Primary health care
- In 2008–09, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health-care services funded by OATSIH provided 2.1 million episodes of health care to around 375,000 clients. Nearly 4 in 5 (294,000) clients were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, and these clients received the great majority (82% or 1.7 million) of all episodes of care. As some individuals may have been clients at more than one service, this count may overstate the total number of clients for all services.
- Around 4,300 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, including 2,800 FTE health staff and 1,500 FTE managerial, administrative, support and other roles, worked at and had their wages or salaries paid by their service. These staff were assisted in the delivery of primary health care by 215 FTE visiting health professionals paid for by other organisations. Close to 6 in 10 (57%) of the total FTE positions were occupied by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.
Substance use
- In 2008–09, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander substance use services funded by OATSIH provided treatment and assistance for substance use issues to about 23,200 clients. Around three-quarters (17,700) of these clients were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
- About 850 FTE staff from a wide variety of health staff (450 FTE) and managerial, administrative, support and other roles (400 FTE) worked at and were paid by their service. These staff were assisted in the delivery of substance use treatment by 100 FTE visiting health professionals paid for by other organisations.
- Around 6 in 10 (59%) of the total FTE positions (850 FTE) were occupied by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.
Bringing Them Home and Link Up counselling
- In 2008–09, Bringing Them Home and Link Up counselling services provided counselling to about 8,400 clients. The great majority (84% or 7,100) of clients were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. There were 40,800 client contacts reported by these services, with almost all (93%) client contacts being with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander clients.
- A total of 130 counsellors (110 FTE) were employed by the counselling services. Nine in 10 (90%) services had at least one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander counsellor.