Summary

Primary health care 

  • In 2010-11, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health-care services, funded by the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH), provided 2.5 million episodes of health care to about 428,000 clients. Compared with 2009-10, there was a 4% increase in episodes of care and a 1% decrease in the number of clients reported. More than three-quarters of clients (77% or 331,000) were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
  • About 5,500 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, including 3,600 FTE health staff and 1,900 FTE managerial, administrative, support and other staff, worked and were paid by their service. This is 14% higher than in the previous year. These staff were assisted in the delivery of primary healthcare by 193 FTE visiting health professionals paid for by other organisations.
  • Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people held more than half (54%) of the FTE positions.

Substance use 

  • In 2010-11, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stand-alone substance use services (funded by OATSIH) provided treatment and assistance for substance use issues to about 28,600 clients, an increase of 9% compared with 2009-10. More than three-quarters of clients (76% or 21,600) were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
  • About 880 FTE staff from a variety of health (490 FTE) and managerial, administrative, support and other staff (390 FTE) worked at and were paid by their service. These staff were assisted in the delivery of substance use treatment by 51 FTE visiting health professionals paid for by other organisations.
  • Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people held more than half (61%) of the 880 FTE positions.

Bringing Them Home and Link Up counselling 

  • In 2010-11, Bringing Them Home and Link Up counselling services (funded by OATSIH) provided counselling to about 11,800 clients, an increase of about 10% compared with 2009-10. Most (92% or 10,900) clients were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
  • These services reported 44,400 client contacts, which is 22% lower than in the previous year, 2009-10.
  • A total of 142 counsellors (124 FTE) were employed by the counselling services. Most services (83%) had at least one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander counsellor.

Data quality 

  • The majority of 2010-11 OSR questionnaires received had one or more of the following data quality issues: missing data, inappropriate data provided for a question, or lack of coherence of data from two or more questions. These issues were resolved in consultation with the services submitting the data.