In our metro hospital we have a patient who identifies as Aboriginal who’s nearly ready for discharge. I want to help him connect with some community services. How can I do this?

The first step is to contact your hospital’s Aboriginal Health Liaison Service or Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer (AHLO). They may have had a yarn with the patient already. Usually when patients are admitted they’re asked if they identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. If they say yes and would like to see the AHLO, the AHLO or Service will be notified.

AHLOs have wide-ranging roles to support Aboriginal patients, and they’ll know of and have connections with relevant support services (whether related to health, housing, family support, legal help, etc).

If the patient has a chronic condition and needs ongoing support in the community, your local Integrated Team Care (ITC) service can provide support to Aboriginal people with chronic disease in a geographical area. ITCs have established referral pathways between acute and primary care.

In ITC programs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander outreach workers can help clients with non- clinical tasks, and care coordinators support clinical care by arranging services in clients’ GP care plans, organising regular primary care reviews and supporting clients to build health literacy, among other services.

Clients can be referred to the ITC program by their GP, or via an Aboriginal Medical Service or Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) are community controlled – meaning they are incorporated Aboriginal organisations initiated by and located in a local Aboriginal Community. Aboriginal Medical Services may be community controlled or government-run. Both services provide holistic, comprehensive and culturally appropriate healthcare to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including medical, dental, mental health, drug and alcohol, and public healthcare.