While healthcare alone is not enough to ensure good health and well-being, effective primary healthcare is vital. Acknowledging a patient’s social circumstances in clinical settings may significantly influence healthcare outcomes.

• Addressing social and cultural issues in all primary care settings (mainstream general practice, community health and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations [ACCHOs]) is needed to improve health and well-being for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• ACCHOs routinely address social and cultural issues through the delivery of services that respond to the needs of their communities, which demonstrates what can be achieved in primary care settings.
• The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) supports a systemic approach to addressing social and cultural issues in clinical settings, requiring whole-of-government collaboration and action, in partnership with peak organisations and communities.
• The RACGP encourages further research of new and alternative models of healthcare that incorporate social and cultural issues in all settings; and to better understand constraints and opportunities.