Health outcomes for First Nations people

Tabled Report 14: 2022–23

Tabled date

2023-06-07

Report year

2022-23

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Health

Entities audited

Not identified in the published HTML audit scope.

Recommendations

1. QAO's text Addressed to: all hospital and health services

   publish health equity strategy implementation plans that:

   1. include specific details on how each action will be delivered and achieved
   2. state when each action will be completed, and the expected cost (Chapter 3)

2. QAO's text Addressed to: provide a local service catalogue to communities as part of their Local Area Needs Assessment process. The catalogues

   provide a local service catalogue to communities as part of their Local Area Needs Assessment process. The catalogues should clearly set out what health services are available in each community. (Chapter 5)

3. QAO's text Addressed to: develop and implement a coordinated strategy to reduce the number of First Nations people from remote and rural areas failing to attend specialist outpatient appointments. This

   develop and implement a coordinated strategy to reduce the number of First Nations people from remote and rural areas failing to attend specialist outpatient appointments. This should:

   1. identify the total number of First Nations patients who miss appointments and where they are located
   2. use culturally appropriate measures (such as liaison officers) to connect First Nations patients with outpatient clinics across the state (Chapter 4)

4. QAO's text Addressed to: implement a systematic way of measuring how effectively Queensland Health delivers culturally appropriate care. This

   implement a systematic way of measuring how effectively Queensland Health delivers culturally appropriate care. This should:

   1. recognise and assess the root causes behind First Nations people not attending appointments, discharging from hospital against medical advice, and not waiting to be seen in emergency departments
   2. monitor patient complaints and identify opportunities to improve how Queensland Health delivers culturally appropriate care
   3. share lessons, success stories, and areas for improvement across the health system (Chapter 4)

5. QAO's text Addressed to: implement an updated workforce strategy that addresses the key barriers to increasing the First Nations workforce. This

   implement an updated workforce strategy that addresses the key barriers to increasing the First Nations workforce. This should include provisions for recruiting and retaining Indigenous liaison officers, including having:

   1. a target ratio for Indigenous liaison officers to First Nations patients in each hospital and health service
   2. a model that requires adequate Indigenous liaison officer coverage outside of standard hours
   3. adequate and secure funding to resource this function (Chapter 4)

6. QAO's text Addressed to: implement an updated workforce strategy that addresses the key barriers to increasing the First Nations workforce. This

   improve how it helps First Nations people who must travel for healthcare, including:

   1. identifying the actual number of First Nations patients accessing travel support
   2. making travel support easy and simple to access, with culturally appropriate processes 
   3. formalising how it provides extra travel support for First Nations patients and making this information public. (Chapter 5)

Authoritative report — Queensland Audit Office

Report PDF on QAO