Close the gap.

All emergency departments are encouraged to continuously promote, advance and improve Indigenous health across their organisation. Last year, more than 150,000 people took part in National Close the Gap Day events ranging from workplace morning teas, public events in hospitals and offices to local community events. As a whole, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience disproportionate levels of disadvantage and poorer health compared to other Australians. The Close the Gap program is an Indigenous health priority for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). Indigenous people have significantly higher rates of illness and disease across the health spectrum eg.:  10 year gap in life expectancy  3 x rate of diabetes  6 x rate of kidney disease The Close The Gap program aims to halve or close the gap on:  Life expectancy  Childhood mortality (< 5 years age)  Early childhood education What role is ACEM providing? ACEM proudly supports Indigenous health through the work of the ACEM Foundation and the ACEM Indigenous Health Subcommittee (IHSC). Some of these activities to date include:  embedding Indigenous Health and Cultural Competency (IHCC) in the new Curriculum Framework for ACEM training,  provision and promotion of the IHCC eLearning resources,  running the Promoting Cultural Safety Program,  accreditation of Special Skills posts for Rural Health,  resources for Indigenous careers in Emergency Medicine,  Indigenous scholarships,  ACEM trainee Mentorship programs, and  associations with the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association (AIDA). DEMTs and DEMs are encouraged to support Indigenous health through:  provision of education on Indigenous health,  promotion of culturally competent and safe practices,  health advocacy for Indigenous patients, and  identification and utilisation of organisational and community resource links to Indigenous health services.