Improving indigenous people's aboriginal health and well-being

The exciting news of a Medicare Benefits Schedule item number being approved in Parliament earlier this year, which allows for dialysis treatment to occur in very remote locations, is also discussed and this alone is such a significant piece of news for our Indigenous renal patients and their families as it will allow more people to stay on country. Astonishingly, áthough Australia is a developed country with an outstanding health care system, our Indigenous Australians experience a similar prevalence of chronic disease to people in developing countries (Brown, 2009). Some of this can be related to co-morbidities, but also barriers to accessing health care, social and psychosocial determinants and well as trying to negotiate a complex health care system which includes health care professionals whose knowledge on Indigenous issues can be lacking.