Aboriginal health experts call for a whole of government response to a system in crisis

A leading Aboriginal health expert says systemic failings in Territory health requires a whole of government response, as the NT tries desperately to come up with solutions to a health system in crisis.

A LEADING Aboriginal health expert has said systemic failings in Territory health requires a whole of government response.

Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT chief executive John Paterson said Aboriginal health outcomes were worse in the Territory because governments had not had a holistic approach.

“One of the biggest priority areas is housing, the overcrowding of housing here and in remote communities is just unacceptable,” Mr Paterson said.

“It is unhealthy to have up to 25 people (or more) residing in three-bedroom homes.”

He said it was about bringing all of government to the table to discuss housing, health, education, literacy and employment.

“Until we start addressing some of these underlying ­issues, which we’ve been advocating and calling on governments to act upon for a number of years now, we will see very little change,” he said.

“We need to begin making inroads and addressing the underlying issues (in health). Together these things will ­reduce the strain on the health system and the pressure points we are currently experiencing.”

Mr Paterson went on to explain government and Indigenous leadership had ­already agreed on the “perfect plan” which was to Close the Gap.

“I’ve been there since day dot. I’ve been throughout the whole process, discussed all the priority target areas that we need to improve on ... but what we now need is government leadership and a commitment to funding particularly to Aboriginal ­organisations so we can get on with doing the job for our mob,” he said.

AMSANT chief executive officer John Paterson. Picture: Supplied

The NT News has also ­uncovered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community health services are seeing a rise in patient ­numbers.

According to a spokeswoman at Danila Dilba, the organisation is seeing more presentations of people with urgent medical needs.

The government-funded health organisation’s 2019-20 annual report said it treated about 102,000 people, up from almost 99,000 the previous year.

In comparison the same report showed hospital emergency departments across the Northern Territory treated 112,000 people cumulatively.

The increased number of patients in primary health services and Territory hospitals continue to place the system in crisis.

The calls from Mr Paterson come after Royal Darwin Hospital recorded its fourth code yellow this year.

When a code yellow is called, all category two and three elective surgeries are postponed so medical staff can be redirected to, put simply, make sure our sickest ­patients do not die.