Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers

It is the responsibility of the whole health system to provide culturally appropriate health care for Australians from diverse backgrounds. Increasing the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the health workforce is one way to improve access to culturally appropriate health services for Indigenous Australians (AHMAC 2016).

In the 2016 Census, more than 11,000 Indigenous Australians aged 15 and over were employed in health-related occupations. In 1996, about 96 of every 10,000 employed Indigenous Australians worked in health-related occupations. By 2016, this rate had increased to 173 per 10,000.

For further information, see:

• 3.12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the health workforce
• 3.20 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people training for health-related disciplines