Closing the Gap

Closing the Gap is a national initiative involving the Council of Australian Governments(COAG).  COAG agreed to cooperate with all levels of government close the gap in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander disadvantage.

The East Gippsland Primary Health Alliance(EGPHA) Closing the Gap program aims to:
Improve Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander access to mainstream primary health care

EGPHA is working in collaboration with Aboriginal health services of East Gippsland though the Aboriginal Health Leadership committee.  Membership includes:   

• Moogji Aboriginal Council East Gippsland Inc.
• Lake Tyers Health & Children's Services
• Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association
• Yowinna Wurnalung Healing Service
• Djillay Ngalu
• Gippsland & East Gippsland Aboriginal Cooperative
• Ramahyuck & District Aboriginal Corporation

Overview of EGPHA Closing the Gap program:

 Closing the Gap Promo Overview

The program focuses on improving Aboriginal health through:

• Cultural understanding and engagement
• Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander self-identification
• Indigenous Practice Incentive Program(PIP) and health assessment  items.

Indigenous PIP:

This Medicare incentive supports GPs and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to improve health care for Aboriginal  & Torres Strait Islanders(15 years+) with chronic disease by encouraging the best practice for the management of chronic disease.

What does our practice need to do to participate in the Indigenous PIP?  

• PIP registered
• Seek consent to register Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander clients at risk of chronic disease
• Establish & use a reminder system to ensure follow up
• Agree to undertake cultural awareness training
• Agree to annotate PBA scripts for PBS Co-payment measure

Download useful resources:

PIP Indigenous Health Incentive
PIP forms and guidelines 

PBS Co-Payment Program:

This provides lower cost PBS medicines available for Aboriginal &/or Torres Strait Islander patients with chronic disease via annotated PBS prescriptions.  Pharmacists reimbursed by Medicare Australia

What does our practice need to do to participate?    

• Register for Indigenous PIP
• Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services(whether PIP registered or not)

Download useful resources:

Information Sheet for General Practitioners

Closing the Gap PBS Co-payment Measure Pharmacy Staff Resource Booklet

Closing the Gap PBS Co-payment Measure Pharmacy Poster

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Checks:

The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander adult and child health checks have been consolidated into one item(715).  Alterations to templates for some medical record systems have been updated.  For assistance updating your software templates for this item please contact Kate or Michelle.

Further Information:

Michelle Smith - Closing the Gap Project Officer.  click here to email michelle
James King - Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Outreach Worker