Support its commitment to close the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' health and wellbeing outcomes, and improve outcomes in aged care.
The Government will provide $363.1 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to support its commitment to close the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' health and wellbeing outcomes, and improve outcomes in aged care. Funding includes:
* $238.5 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to improve First Nations cancer outcomes through building capability and growing the healthcare workforce to improve screening and prevention activities, coordination, access support and research and data collection
* $77.3 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in aged care, including: - $52.1 million over two years from 2023-24 to increase the funding available to aged care providers in very remote areas under the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program by calculating funding levels for residential care services using the Australian National Aged Care Classification price - $8.1 million over 3 years from 2023-24 to support providers transition to new accountability measures and obligations under the proposed new Aged Care Act - $7.6 million over two years from 2023-24 to fund capacity building of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to potentially provide aged care services - $4.1 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to develop mandatory cultural awareness training for aged care staff - $3.8 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to support project and program assurance activities - $1.7 million in 2023-24 to appoint an interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner
* $28.2 million over 3 years from 2023-24 for workforce accommodation to support the delivery of 30 dialysis units for First Nations peoples in regional and remote Australia with end-stage kidney disease
* $16.7 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to: - develop a national campaign to promote increased uptake of First Nations Australians' health assessments, and improve administration and coordination of health assessments and linkages with allied health services - update eligibility for outcome payments under the Practice Incentives Program - Indigenous Health Incentive to include all Medicare Benefits Schedule items for the preparation and review of a Mental Health Treatment Plan
* $1.4 million over two years from 2023-24 to expand the delivery of the Strong Born campaign which provides information about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder to First Nations peoples
* $0.9 million in 2023-24 to the Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association to continue to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors and medical students. The Government will also transfer the management of the Puggy Hunter Memorial Health and Aged Care Scholarships Scheme from the Australian College of Nursing to a First Nations organisation from 2023-24. Partial funding for this measure has already been provided for by the Government. Partial funding for this measure will be held in the Contingency Reserve until final sites for dialysis units have been determined. This measure will be partially offset by redirecting funding from the 2023-24 Budget measure titled Reinvesting in Health and Aged Care Programs. This measure extends the 2022-23 October Budget measure titled Strengthening First Nations Health.