Our doctors have a strong and enduring commitment to working with our indigenous community to improve their health in the very broadest sense.
Keperra and surrounding suburbs have a significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. This practice works within the community to build goodwill and trust to ensure our local indigenous peoples feel welcomed and cared for in their community.
We offer annual detailed preventive health checks and provide general medical care at all times. Our thorough health checks help ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people receive primary health care matched to their needs, by encouraging early detection, diagnosis and intervention for common and treatable conditions that cause morbidity and early mortality. For more information check out our Health Checks page.
Dr Trish Baker spent her early years as a doctor working with Aboriginal people in western Queensland then later in the Northern Territory.
Keperra Family Practice was invited by local aboriginal community members to partner with the community, through North West Aboriginal and Islander Community Association (NWAICA ), and Queensland Health Indigenous Health Unit, the Health and Community Care funded Respite Centre at Enoggera and the Brisbane Metro North Medicare Local through its Commonwealth funded Closing The Gap program.
The stakeholder group meets regularly to facilitate making bookings, arranging transport, and ensuring the patients have an Elder or an Aboriginal Health Worker with them so they feel culturally safe. In this way we hope to provide a friendly service that is conveniently located, while referring people with more complex health needs to an Aboriginal Medical Service.
It is a national shame that this group of our population has the worst health outcomes and the shortest life spans of all Australians. Our aim is to help bridge this gap.
Institute for Urban Indigenous Health
Keperra Family Practice has partnered with IUIH and supports the organisation's vision to achieve equitable health outcomes for urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through culturally safe and comprehensive primary health care.
Chronic diseases and associated risk factors are responsible for about two-thirds of the 'Indigenous health gap', with the biggest contributors to excess mortality being circulatory diseases, cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases. Smoking alone accounts for around 20% of all Indigenous deaths.
The IUIH Preventative Health Business Unit is responsible for the developing and implementing strategies aimed at addressing the risk factors for chronic disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities within South East Queensland such as smoking, poor nutrition and lack of physical activity.
The 'Deadly Choices' Program
- Leadership
- Chronic Disease
- Physical Activity
- Nutrition
- Substance Misuse
- Smoking Cessation
- Sexual Health
- Importance of accessing local primary healthcare service
The 'Deadly Choices' Program has also been adapted for use with other community groups, including Men's and Women's Groups.
The 'Deadly Choices' Campaign
The IUIH 'Deadly Choices Campaign' features leading Indigenous players and legends from the National Rugby League (NRL), including Sam Thaiday and Preston Campbell. The campaign encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within South East Queensland to make 'Deadly Choices' ('Healthy Choices ARE Deadly Choices') regarding their health and lifestyle and join the 'Deadly Choices Team in tackling Indigenous Chronic Disease'.
A number of prominent local Indigenous community identities are also featured in the campaign. 'Deadly Choices' also encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within SEQ to access their local Community Controlled Health Service for a 'Health Check'.
The Deadly Choices Campaign includes a specific strategy targeting smoking within Indigenous communities, particularly young people and pregnant mothers. Rather than focusing solely on the dangers of smoking (and other risk factors for chronic disease), the campaign focuses on the positives of NOT smoking and living a healthy lifestyle.
More information can be found at: www.iuih.org.au