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The HIC Indigenous Communications Campaign

23 April 2003

The HIC Indigenous Communication Campaign aims to improve access to Medicare, the PBS and other relevant programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their health service providers.

  • The strategy was developed in consultation with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (NACCHO), the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH), Indigenous communities, and with the help of an Indigenous communications consultancy.
  • The materials were developed in direct consultation with the community. This included market testing across Australia and use of an Indigenous communications consultancy.
  • The target audience is comprised of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Aboriginal community controlled health services, relevant state and territory health services, private general practitioners, practice staff, relevant specialists, community pharmacists, pharmacy staff, key alliances, information gatekeepers, and HIC staff.
  • Channels of communication include HIC publications, direct mail, press inserts, radio, video, a program of visitations by HIC liaison officers for Indigenous access, a dedicated 1800 hotline number, a word-of-mouth campaign within Indigenous communities, promotional activities and strategic sponsorship of community events.
  • New materials created under the communication strategy include:
    • Well & Good, an Indigenous focused magazine, featuring stories about HIC programs, major health problems, personalities and communities.
    • A series of posters.
    • A toolkit for Indigenous health workers, supporting the educational activities of HIC's network of Liaison Officers in their visits to Indigenous health service providers. The toolkit includes a health worker information sheet and consumer flier containing key messages about Medicare, the PBS and the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register.
    • A series of English and traditional language radio announcements.
    • Indigenous specific information on HIC's website. A dedicated youth focused e-strategy is currently being developed.
  • The campaign is supported by a HIC staff cultural awareness program and an Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Strategy.

Last updated: 28 May, 2008

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