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Box 9.7.4(continued)ICAP encourages:• an outcomes focus leading to improved identification and health care for Indigenouspatients• responses proportional to the number of Indigenous patients• whole of health service responsibility where Indigenous patients are everybody'sbusiness in a health service, not the sole responsibility of designated Koori liaisonstaff• relationships with Indigenous people and organisations.ICAP guidelines have been developed and disseminated to health services as acondition of receiving increased funding. Four key result areas that form the basis forquality of care reporting in this area are:• relationships with Indigenous communities• culturally aware staff• discharge planning• primary care referrals.To support the development of external partnerships and internal cultural change,three ICAP Project Officers have been employed, one in regional and rural Victoria(based at a regional DHS office), one in metropolitan Melbourne (based at St Vincent’sHealth Service) and one based at VACCHO. The role of the ICAP team is to assistboth health services and the Aboriginal community controlled sector with theimplementation of the reforms.A number of results and new initiatives have flowed from ICAP including:• improved relationships between health services and Indigenous organisations• an increasing number of formal and informal partnerships between health servicesand Indigenous organisations• commitment by health services to improve their cultural sensitivity and create awelcoming environment for Indigenous patients and their families• the development of an online ICAP Resource Kit to assist health services meet therequirements set out in the ICAP Guidelines• the creation of new positions that generate new and innovative ways of engagingwith Indigenous patients, for example:– an Aboriginal Policy and Planning Officer position at St Vincent’s Health– an Aboriginal mid-wife position at Ballarat Health Services• increased numbers of Indigenous hospitalisations reported indicating a greaterwillingness to identify and/or higher numbers of patients using health services.Source: Victorian Department of Human Services (unpublished).FUNCTIONAL ANDRESILIENT FAMILIESAND COMMUNITIES