ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the concept of social justice, the widening healthcare gap, further thoughts on altruism, patients' needs, rationing of healthcare and the responsibility of health professionals. It considers some of the themes from a different perspective – that of social justice. The international Medical Professionalism Project acknowledges the primacy of patient welfare and social justice, including the fair distribution of healthcare resources, as attributes of professionalism. Health professionals working within Australia need to be aware of the health and social needs of these people, and in order to understand these needs they have to have an awareness of the history and life stories of the indigenous community. Professionalism also encompasses self-care, lifelong learning, teamwork and interaction within a culturally diverse society. The Scottish Executive in its Social Justice Annual Report at the turn of the twentieth century defined a number of conditions necessary to improve the health and social well-being of the population of Scotland.
