Improving the Provision of a Culturally Responsive Nutrition and Dietetics Service in an Urban Indigenous Setting

The Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) Ltd is a not-for-profit, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organization which leads the planning, development and delivery of comprehensive primary health care to Indigenous communities of the South East Queensland (SEQ) Region. The IUIH and its Members serve Australia's second largest but fastest growing Indigenous population. IUIH's mission is to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in South East Queensland have access to comprehensive, high quality, timely and culturally responsive primary health care services, integrated with the broader health and human services system. IUIH employ a team of six dietitians who provide individual client services to 11 clinics in SEQ, and group-based chronic disease prevention and management sessions across 14 sites in Queensland. In 2015 / 2016, the dietetics service was receiving few referrals and had high non-attendance rates across the sites. A number of service delivery strategies were employed by the team, including increasing access to dietetic services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, altering the appointment bookings system, taking time to connect with clients outside of the clinic environment, working inter-professionally with other health professionals, and the establishment of an incentive scheme. In response to these strategies, client visits increased by 51% from 871 occasions of service (OOS) to 1,709 OOS in one year. In early 2018, the dietetics team is set to expand to deliver services across an additional five clinics in SEQ.