Certificate IV in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care

This course is specific to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who work as part of a multidisciplinary health care team providing primary health care services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.

Selection criteria

It is strongly recommended that you are employed in the primary health care industry and/or have completed a Certificate III in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care.

It is recommended that you have access to a reliable internet connection to access TAFE Queensland's online learning system Connect, and a computer with up-to-date software, including Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat Reader. This equipment and software is available for use at all TAFE Queensland locations.

You will be provided with a recommended reading list and/or required textbooks during orientation or at the start of each unit. The purchase of these resources may incur additional costs, or you may be able to borrow them from the TAFE Queensland library network.

You may also be required to purchase uniform items, and a nursing kit. These details will be provided after enrolment or during orientation.

If you are not currently employed in industry, during your course TAFE Queensland will arrange a vocational placement for you in an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander primary health care facility, so you can start practicing your new skills in a real-world environment. You’ll be required to work shifts determined by your placement provider, and these can include early mornings or late nights, any day of the week, including public holidays.

Completing placement is compulsory, and you will be expected to manage family and work commitments in order to complete your shifts. You are required to complete 240 hours of placement to satisfy this component of your qualification.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
This course requires you to obtain a NDIS Worker Screening Check to be eligible to attend the vocational placement assessment component of your studies.

Prior to Placement, you will need to receive and provide evidence of the following checks:

• Students must complete their online NDIS Worker Screening Clearance application at this link - NDIS Worker Screening Unit (WSU) and nominate TAFE Queensland as your employer. There is no cost to students. TAFE Queensland will verify each student..
• Students must also complete the NDIS Worker Orientation Online Modules (4 modules/approximately 90 minutes in total). Upon completion, students will need to provide their Certificate of Completion to both TAFE Queensland and their placement provider.
• Additionally, if students work with children on Placement, they will also need a Blue Card Working with Children Check (Blue Card in Queensland).
• Please note:  Students can apply for both the NDIS Worker Screening Clearance and Blue Card by completing a combined application via the NDIS Worker Screening portal noted above NDIS Worker Screening Unit (WSU).  

If your check identifies that you have a criminal history, you may be disqualified from being eligible to undertake placement and assessment, which would affect your course outcomes. If you think this might impact you, please speak to the relevant Placement Coordinator for further information.

Please note: TAFE Queensland wishes to warn you, as a Blue Card applicant, that it is an offence for a disqualified person to sign a Blue Card application.  For further information regarding 'disqualified' persons, please contact Blue Card Services.

Vaccination requirements
Mandatory vaccinations may be required by the owner or operator of the facility providing your placement.These requirements will be provided to the student, prior to arrangements being made for the completion of vocational placement.

You will also be required to complete a vaccination record or full immunisation. TAFE Queensland vaccination and immunisation guidelines reflect the specific requirements from health placement providers across Australia to ensure students are prepared and eligible to attend all placement allocations. It is important to be fully aware that the following Vaccination and Serology requirements are subject to change.

You will not be able to commence your Vocational Placement unless you have provided the required evidence as specified below:

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR): Evidence of 2 vaccinations one month apart or positive serology for all 3 diseases
• Hepatitis B: Commence a Hepatitis B course which is 3 injections (0, 1 and 6 months) with positive serology supplied 4-6 weeks following 3rd vaccination or supply evidence of an Age-appropriate Hep B course
• Varicella (Chicken Pox): Evidence of 2 vaccinations one month apart or positive serology
• dTpa (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis) vaccination: Evidence of vaccinations for all 3 diseases within the last 10 years
• Tuberculosis: Mantoux Test or evidence of a plain chest x-ray
• Influenza Vaccination: Annual vaccination
• COVID-19 (strongly recommended)
• Any other test / vaccination as directed by Australian health authorities.

Please note: you will be responsible for any costs associated with meeting these requirements.

First Aid
Students will also need to provide evidence that they hold a first aid competency that is current at the time of placement. This can be in the form of:

• HLTAID011 Provide First Aid statement of attainment, that was obtained in the last 1 year.
  OR
• HLTAID011 Provide First Aid statement of attainment, that was obtained more than 1 year but less than 3 years ago
  AND a HLTAID009 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation statement of attainment that was obtained in the last 1 year.

Those students who have a medical contraindication may be unable to complete the vocational placement component of their course. This means you may not be able to meet all of the requirements of your course and may not be able to graduate or receive your qualification.

To be eligible for the Higher Level Skills subsidised price price, you must:

• Identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
• be aged 15 years or over, and be no longer at school;
• permanently reside in Queensland;
• be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen;
• not hold a certificate IV or higher-level qualification, not including qualifications completed at school and foundation skills training; and
• not be enrolled in another qualification, not including foundation skills training.

To learn more about Fee-Free TAFE eligibility criteria please refer to the Fee-Free TAFE Information Page.