News Specialist services are helping to address accessibility issues for the community’s most vulnerable. Dr Kate Coles (far right) finds it rewarding to be able to provide medical care for vulnerable people who may have barriers to accessing healthcare. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) determines vulnerable or ‘priority’ populations as people who: experience homelessness are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are in contact with criminal justice systems identify as LGBTIQ experience mental health conditions inject drugs are older or younger. People from these groups may experience poorer health outcomes, and alcohol and other drug use is more common in some, new data has revealed. Alcohol and other drug use among people in the criminal justice system is higher than in those in the general population, with 65% of prison entrants in 2018 reporting illicit drug use in the year […]