Integrating Social Work in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service Primary Health Care Setting: The First Three Months of Data

Background Social work within General Practice is an emerging contributor to primary healthcare aiming to address social determinants of health. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience higher rates of health inequity and racism than non-Indigenous Australians. The Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service [TAIHS] is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Service [ATSICCHS] whose mission is to deliver culturally appropriate services to achieve better health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Objective This article reports on the first three months of data collection of a social worker employed at TAIHS as part of the North Queensland Social Work Placement in General Practice Expansion Project Research. The study co-funded the employment of social workers in GP clinics to evidence and evaluate the value of social workers in the GP setting. Discussion The findings highlight the broad nature of social work practice, using a range of interventions across mental, physical and social aspects of health. Social work can value add to general practice, alleviate workload pressure and address areas of concern to both patients and GPs, with social workers providing a link between primary care and community services.