National Close the Gap Day is a day of action for Indigenous health equality that aims to close the health and life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation.
At the RFDS we are committed to contributing to the “Close the Gap” campaign to improve both health outcomes and access to culturally appropriate health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
We recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience poorer health than other Australians, and, as a leading health service provider, we strive to improve access to culturally safe health services that will contribute to longer, healthier lives.
We understand that there is still a long path ahead to achieve widespread reconciliation and to Close the Gap and efforts need to remain a focus of governments, policymakers, funders, service providers and all of our partners.
Whilst National Close the Gap Day is a day to advocate and re-affirm our commitment to achieving better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, we also want to recognise the strength and resilience shown by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, and communities and to express our gratitude to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, patients, partners and other stakeholders who share their knowledge with the RFDS as we continue to grow and learn on our reconciliation journey.
RFDS Best for the Bush Health Baseline Report
In-depth analysis of rural and remote health along with RFDS service data documented in the RFDS Best for the Bush 2023 Health Baseline Report shows that:
A. There is a gap in life expectancy between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians, both male and female, which increases with increasing remoteness of communities.
i. The most recent data show the life expectancy of Indigenous males in remote and very remote Australia was 12.4 years lower than non-Indigenous males in the same areas.
ii. Similarly, the life expectancy of Indigenous females in remote and very remote Australia was 12.5 years lower than non-Indigenous females in the same areas.
B. There is also a further gap in life expectancy and health outcomes amongst Indigenous people depending on where they live:
i. Life expectancy for Indigenous males living in remote and very remote areas was 5.2 years lower than that of Indigenous males living in major cities (67.3 years compared with 72.5 years).
ii. The equivalent comparison for Indigenous females was 4.2 years lower (71.3 years compared with 76.5 years).
C. In 2022-23, the Royal Flying Doctor Service conducted 36,937 aeromedical retrievals, equivalent to 101 aeromedical retrievals per day, or four per hour.
i. 26.9% of retrieval patients were Indigenous, reflecting the high proportion of Indigenous Australians living in rural and remote areas.
D. Indigenous Australians living in remote and very remote Australia (combined) were 2.3 times more likely to die from potentially avoidable deaths than Indigenous Australians living in major cities, and are significantly more likely to die from diabetes, lung disease, lung cancer, suicide and ischaemic heart disease.
E. The RFDS Service Planning Operational Tool (SPOT) 109,706 Indigenous Australians in rural and remote areas, or 11.2% of the total Indigenous population, did not have access to an Aboriginal health service within a 60-minute drive time.
Rural and remote Australians need access to appropriate healthcare services if they are to improve their health outcomes.
It is well understood that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce delivers better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers, families, and communities.
Our Reconciliation Action Plan
The RFDS recognise that it is through listening, learning, collaboration, and partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders that we can best contribute to Closing the Gap.
This is why our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) highlights the significance of establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations and “focus on genuine relationship development with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly peak bodies and community-controlled organisations that foster health and wellbeing in areas where our services are provided.”
The RFDS recognises that whilst there is a long way to go there has also been some good progress and meaningful partnerships leading to better outcomes. Read our RAP Year in Review Document to learn more about some of the progress we made in 2023 and the priorities for 2024.
