Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program

Indigenous Cultural Support (ICS)

The Townsville Community Health Service provides an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural support program to clients to help them navigate their care under community health.

The purpose of ICS is to:

• Support and advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing services through Townsville Community Health Services
• Ensure clients feel culturally safe when accessing the services
• Ensure culturally respectful health care practices
• Identify service barriers, and improve the engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients through the continuum of care
• Improve the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples by contributing to the ‘Closing the Gap’ program initiatives by:
  • Supporting non-Indigenous staff and clinicians when engaging in clinical care with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, and
  • Having a partnership that is collaborative and supportive of all three parties: the client, the consultant, and the clinician.

All clients who are identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander when referred to the Townsville Community Health Service are automatically referred to the cultural support team. The support team will contact the clients to offer the support of the team.

National Indigenous Pneumococcal and Influenza Immunisation program (NIPII)

NIPII is a free service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders aimed at immunising at-risk people against pneumococcal and influenza. This program aims to deliver a culturally respectful immunisation service to ‘vulnerable’ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are unlikely to access or have contact with traditional GP/health services.

NIPII is delivered in collaboration with partners and stakeholders, and partnership arrangements are made with services to utilise non-traditional clinic sites so as to extend immunisation coverage.

Hearing Health

Hearing Health screening is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-specific service, freely offered to all eligible children, aged 4 - 18 years, either by:

• A formal school-based screening program arranged with local primary schools, or
• parent/carer self- referral to the Binna Clinic, based at the Kirwan Health Campus.

The team works with the child’s parents/carers, school and GP to support ongoing care (including supporting referral to Audiology for assessment).

Referral to Binna Clinic:
Ph: (07) 4433 9000
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Fax: (07) 4433 9271

Healthy Ways

Healthy Ways is a group education program aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. The program uses a behaviour-change approach to improve health and wellbeing and prevent chronic disease by looking at smoking cessation, physical activity and nutrition. Interested groups/businesses can contact the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program (ATSIHP) on (07) 4433 9500 for further information/bookings.

Useful resources

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health at Townsville HHS
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Assessment and Engagement Service (ATSIWAES)
• Palm Island facilities
• Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service

Contact us

Address
Kirwan Health Campus
138 Thuringowa Drive Kirwan QLD 4817

Postal Address
PO Box 1596 Thuringowa Central. 4817

Ph: (07) 4433 9500
24 Hour advice line: 13 HEALTH
Fax: (07) 4433 9271