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The healthcare system within Australia aims at providing primary health facilities to all people (Baba, Brolan & Hill, 2014). The health policies of the Federal Government aimed at an inclusive proposition such that all people in Australia, including the indigenous people, can be covered in it. Exploring the “Statement of the Heart” reveals that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were one the earliest tribes occupying Australia, yet they have suffered some major inequalities, especially in the domain of health (Thompson, Woods & Katzenellenbogen, 2012). Being a health professional in an early career, I am aware of the inequities existing that First Nations people face in a large number of areas, especially in the health care systems. In the current reflective analysis, I will describe what the inequities in healthcare means to me, evaluating its impact to bring changes in government policies, and its capability to potential increase accessibility or in promotion of autonomy. Then the "Statement of the Heart" is analyzed towards “closing the gap” in health equities.
As a healthcare professional in my early stage of career, I am deeply concerned regarding the prevailing gaps in health amongst indigenous people in Australia as compared against the non-indigenous population (West, Usher & Foster, 2010). Rates of mortality and presence of co-morbidities are significantly high amongst the indigenous population. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes several reports to disclose information relative to the indigenous population that shows a high incidence of several diseases as against the non-indigenous. The Australian Burden of Disease studies the various causes and impacts associated with various illnesses amongst the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, comprising of the indigenous population in Australia. While there are prevalent several known causes and impact of diseases, it is essential that necessary steps are being taken by healthcare professionals to bridge the gap. The “statement of the heart” aims at stating the challenges faced by the indigenous population in general whereas “closing the gap” framework by the Australian government provides strategy specific to reduce disadvantage faced by the community in regards to child mortality, life expectancy, access to early childhood education, employment outcomes and educational achievement.
This prevailing gap for me is very important and I feel that during my professional work, I need to aim at closing this gap (Jamieson et al, 2012). As a healthcare professional, I feel that every individual in Federal Australia needs to have the same access and facility to healthcare. In my early professional life, my focus will be to cater to maximum people in my area covering several communities and societies. My aim will be not to make any cultural distinctions while providing service. This inequity in health is greatly saddening for me and I feel that whatever may an individual's culture be, it is a health professional's role to ensure that he/ she gets appropriate treatment and access to health. During our course, we have learned ways to provide service to varied types of people and how disadvantaged the indigenous people are compared to the non-indigenous people (Eades et al, 2010). Hence to provide healthcare to all different types of people residing in Australia will be my sole aim. The “closing the gap” framework can be found to be more effective in catering to the healthcare needs of the indigenous people as compared against the “statement of the heart”.
My awareness regarding equities in health amongst the indigenous population has broadened after exploring the "Statement of the Heart". I feel that this statement can bring about changes in government policies. The statement has the correct intention and directional motive to be able to trigger a commotion within governmental bodies. Though the Federal along with the State government has already devised several policies and strategies to target intervention at the prevailing gaps in health inequities, yet I feel the statement capability to bring further changes in policies (Tsey et al, 2010). The compassionate nature of the statement made can draw attention and bring the focus of several people to the roots. The “closing the gap” policy can review the “statement of the heart” to bring about better standards in health amongst the indigenous people. The “closing the gap” policy through review can bring about directed action from healthcare professional team members to bring changes to providing better healthcare to indigenous people.
Evaluating the effect of the statement on increasing accessibility, it can be said that the statement aims at drawing larger crowds. The statement asks people to be a part of their march this will ensure that a greater number take participation in the movement (Hunt et al, 2015). As a healthcare professional, I can join their march and promote the movement such that more people join the same. The statement clearly states that lack of structure and their powerlessness is responsible for the current inadequacy in their condition. Through increased awareness regarding the issue, the statement can draw and attract a greater number of people and then increase accessibility (Gracey, 2014). Though the statement has broad objectives, “closing the gap is much more directed at health care outcomes for the indigenous people in Australia. Therefore in bringing about greater access to health for the indigenous people, “closing the gap” framework is much more effective in nature.
The statement has the capability of promoting autonomy. As the aim of the statement is to bring about recognition for the community, I feel that it can create autonomy amongst the people of the community. The statement's agenda can create a better living relationship between the various people of Australia, which will, in turn, create independence amongst indigenous people such that they can access health (Parker & Jamieson, 2010). Better recognition and establishment of constitutional reforms can provide powers to the indigenous people hence reduce their reliance on the non-indigenous people in Australia.
Finally, the "Statement of the Heart" can reduce the gaps in health inequities present. But "closing the gap" is a much more directed policy suggesting at improvement in the health of the indigenous people. The statement has directed aims to close the gap in inequities present in health. They have sheer proof that establishes the presence and connection of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestral people in Australia (Awofeso, 2011). With a constitutional change aimed at establishing their presence in Australia's nationhood, there can be drawn attention to the prevailing disparities in health between the indigenous and non-indigenous people. The statement effective recognizes that there is a structural problem prevailing in Australia, whereby it can be said that not many resources are directed at the indigenous population. The statement can draw attention from policymakers such that large amounts of resources and healthcare professionals are assigned to the indigenous population in regards to health such that they can be brought at par with other people living in Australia (McKay, 2017)
The statement can reduce the ill-treatment that indigenous people suffer within Australia. Indigenous people and their children are often kept in detention and provided with below-par levels of medical facilities. This statement can bring about specific healthcare policies of healthcare including mental healthcare frameworks such that healthcare professionals can better cater to their needs. Though there are prevailing several criticisms that states the statement is not necessary, yet this is the one document that can serve as the government document. For a healthcare professional “closing the gap” is a more appropriate policy as compared to the “statement of the heart”. The statement is clear and true from its expression stating that unless power is conferred upon the indigenous people they will not be able to be at par with other members of the population (Appleby & Davis, 2018). The statement can draw tremendous support from large members of the population. I feel that I can make use of this statement in creating a commotion within my department to draw greater attention regarding the issue. The issue is off great importance and reflection of prevailing disparities in health and the ineffective utilization of resources. My aim will be not to make any cultural distinctions while providing service. The indigenous people whatever may their individual’s culture be, it is a health professional’s role to ensure that he/ she gets appropriate treatment and access to health. The statement can provide the basis for healthcare professionals who want to work and promote healthcare amongst the indigenous population and bring them at par with the others.
In conclusion, it can be said that there are already various existing policies and strategies to meet the existing gaps in health inequities in First Nations people. However, the steps taken by the Makarrata Commission can assist in diagnosing ways and means such that gaps in healthcare can be overcome and bridged appropriately. For a better future, a self-determined approach needs to be undertaken to preventing further widening of gaps and aim attacking the problem in a better manner.
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