naccho health newspaper

37THE KOORI MAIL, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013. The Voice of Indigenous Australia

THE chair of NationalAboriginal CommunityControlled Health

Organisation (NACCHO),Justin Mohamed, haswelcomed Federal HealthMinister Peter Dutton’srecent announcement for areview of the currentPersonally ControlledEhealth Records (PCEHR )program, but has called onthe Federal Government toensure consultation is aparticipatory processreflective of the sector, tosupport and fund thecontinued use of it byAboriginal communitycontrolled health services(ACCHS).Mr Mohamed said he

agreed with the minister thatthe concept of electronichealth records must be fit forpurpose and cost-effective,and that the review shouldbe able to put thecontroversial electronichealth records program backon track. “Given the state of

Aboriginal health in thiscountry and the fact that ourAboriginal population isexpected to grow to over amillion by 2031, we need toeducate healthcareprofessionals on the rolethat Telehealth and ehealthtechnology can play to helpclose the gap,” he said. “We recognised in our

recent Investing in HealthyFutures for GenerationalChange plan 2013-2030 thatfive years on from settingtargets to ‘Close the Gap’,Aboriginal CommunityControlled Health

Organisations (ACCHOs)have been responsible formany of the health gainsachieved servicing 311,000clients annually (see page14) and that ehealth recordshave and will into the futureplay a vital role in recordingimprovements, identifyingrisk factors, performinghealth checks, planningcare, and managing andtreating high-risk individuals.“The ACCHS sector

mechanism has successfullyembraced the concept of anational ehealth program toensure continuity of care fora frequently mobilepopulation with highincidence of illness. “ACCHSes are often

small health organisations

that rely on externalproviders, including cardiacand renal specialists,physiotherapists,pathologists andradiographers. “If a patient say from

Tennant Creek is visiting aclinic in Alice Springs, theadministering healthprofessional has in the pastbeen locked out of thepatient’s complex medicalhistory, unless they gothrough the cumbersomeprocess of requesting ahealth summary from thehome clinic.“A shared electronic

health record has enabledour Aboriginal patients toreceive health careconsistent with their

condition, treatment historyand specialist advice,reducing risk of overtreatment or testing. “Our ACCHS’s access to

the PCEHR system will meetthe needs of mobile satelliteclinics and population;enable a patient to receivehealth care consistent withtheir condition, treatmenthistory and specialist advice;reduce risk of over-treatmentor testing, capturingimportant data that isotherwise easily lost; andallow for information sharingand broad analysis,empowering the patients,and affording greaterflexibility and choice ofhealth care provider. “The national ehealth

record system would do wellto mimic the model ofAboriginal CommunityControlled Health Services –regional, locally controlledhealth services that promoteparticipation and areresponsive to local needrather than a big one sizefits all model,” Mr MohamedsaidThe goals of the PCEHR

already aligns with existinggovernment reform such asthe Medicare Australia appas well as with Aboriginalelectronic health informationsystems to contribute toimproving primary healthcare services for AboriginalAustralians by buildingcapacity at the service leveland the system level to

collect, analyse and interpretdata that will:

l Inform understandingof trends in individual andpopulation health outcomes;

l Identify factorsinfluencing these trends; and

l Inform appropriateaction, planning and policydevelopment. Mr Mohamed said that as

active implementers of thePCEHR, the ACCHS sectorlooks forward to participatingin this review in its pursuit ofthe highest quality andcontinuity of health care forAboriginal people towardsClosing the Gap.

The submission closingdate for the review isDecember 31. For furtherdetails go to www.naccho.org.au/health-reform/ehealth-pcehr/

eHealth vital for AboriginalCommunity Controlled Health

National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation

(NACCHO ) The NACCHO Health News is

published quarterly in partnership with the Koori Mail

Advertising Editorial Editor: Colin Cowell

Media Support: John Hancock Published Quarterly November 2013, April

July and November 2014 Deadline for article submissions and advertising bookings in the

next edition is March 2014. Advertising space is limited and

we suggest you book early. Contact: [email protected]

Tel: 02 6246 9309

NACCHO’s Dr Jason Agostinodiscussing the benefits of

eHealth records with JessicaMitchell, who recently registered.

THE KOORI MAIL, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013. The Voice of Indigenous Australia38

2

WHAT a year NACCHO hashad! It gives me greatpleasure in providing the

NACCHO membership with anoverview of the NACCHOSecretariat’s performance over thelast 12 months. As you will see, the NACCHO

Annual Report (see pages 4-5)has been measured against theNACCHO Strategic Plan both inpolicy and operations to givegreater clarity of the workundertaken and the benefits tomembers. The Strategic Plan has three

areas of focus:l National Health Reforml NACCHO Members Supportl Research & DataThe NACCHO & AIHW Healthy

Futures Report Carddemonstrated the effectivenessand impacts that our AboriginalCommunity Controlled HealthServices are making towardsachieving better health outcomesfor Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander people with keysuccesses in the following areas:

l 80 per cent of the NACCHOmembership providescomprehensive primary healthcare to over 311,000 clientsannually

l 2 million episodes of caredelivered annually

l 66 per cent reduction in childmortality rates since 2009

l 33 per cent reduction inoverall morality rates forAboriginal and Torres StraitIslander people since 2009.The Report Card wasn’t the

only national policy frameworkdeveloped by the secretariat, withthe NACCHO 10-point plan andNACCHO Male Health OCHREBlueprint both launched in the oldand new Parliament Housesrespectively. The NACCHO secretariat

also held its inaugural HealthSummit in Adelaide this year,showcasing our members’ best practice in comprehensiveprimary health care, with thefollowing results:

l 100 keynote speakers andpresenters from the AboriginalCommunity Controlled HealthServices

l 300 representatives from theAboriginal Community ControlledHealth Services

l Media impact of makingpage 3 of The Australian –Election page

l Social Media tractionthrough twitter of 5.5 millionpeople during the election period.Top three were Election, AFL andNACCHO Health Summit.A key focus area of the

NACCHO Secretariat has beenthe Sector Governance Network(SGN) and the Sector EQHSSector Accreditation Status, whichhas been a joint initiative with all

of the State and Territory Affiliates.This initiative in particular

assists us in Reducing Risk,ensuring a more sustainableACCHS sector and providing theplatform to achieve continuousquality improvement throughAccreditation both clinically andorganisationally, againdemonstrating best practice andhigh quality standards.Our contribution did not stop

there, with the NACCHOoperational programs equallyachieving great results, including:

l QUMAX entering into our 5thagreement to 2015 – 74 (49 percent) ACCHSes participating

l Research capacity andevidence building in more than 60per cent of ACCHSes

l Workforce professionaldevelopment provided to 891 stafffrom ACCHSes

l 63 ACCHSes receivingTelehealth grants totally$405,477.67.Although this is only an

overview of the activity of theNACCHO Secretariat, there havebeen plenty of governmentsubmissions and hearingsprovided to the House ofRepresentatives and SenateCommittees as well as theongoing relationship building withthe whole of government andother health related national peakbodies.NACCHO is the national

authority in Aboriginalcomprehensive primary healthcare. Collectively, we demonstrate

and strive for the Centre ofExcellence in AboriginalCommunity Controlled Healththrough our model of service, andI believe our performance speaksfor itself. We are on the right path to

achieving health outcomes for ourpeople.

Yours in solidarity,

LISA BRIGGSCEO, NACCHO

Come be a Hero and reward yourself

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This National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health initiative was funded by the Australian Government

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Partner with to deliverbetter health outcomes.

Find out more about IF at www.improve.org.au, email [email protected], or phone 1800 771 522.

The team at the Improvement Foundation are quality improvement experts. We are a not-for-profit and work in partnership with organisations, front line staff and service users to enhance systems, create efficiencies and improve services.

We’ve already helped 1,000s of primary health care services make improvements to their services, and we can help you too.

A recognised leader in information technology

qiConnect, our national web portal, facilitates secure reporting, monitoring, managing and organising data for over 1,000 primary health care organisations.

We are currently partnering Queensland Aboriginal Islander Health Council (QAIHC), Victorian Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), and many other primary care and research organisations in their continuous quality improvement (CQI) work by developing their custom sites within qiConnect.

"QAIHC continues to lead CQI work for the Aboriginal and Islander Community Control Health Services in Queensland and continues to work with the Improvement Foundation in further improving systems, data collection and analysis”. Dr Katie Panaretto, Public Health Medical Officer (QAIHC).

THE IMPROVEMENT FOUNDATION is a NACCHO preferred training

provider

Partner with to deliver

h to deliver

better health outcomesPartner with to deliver

services, and we can help you too.We’ve already helped 1,000s of primary health care services make improvements to their

to enhance systems, create efficiencies and improve services.not-for-profit and work in partnership with organisations, front line staff and service users The team at the Improvement Foundation are quality improvement experts. We are a

.better health outcomes h to deliver

services, and we can help you too.We’ve already helped 1,000s of primary health care services make improvements to their

to enhance systems, create efficiencies and improve services.not-for-profit and work in partnership with organisations, front line staff and service users The team at the Improvement Foundation are quality improvement experts. We are a

We’ve already helped 1,000s of primary health care services make improvements to their

not-for-profit and work in partnership with organisations, front line staff and service users The team at the Improvement Foundation are quality improvement experts. We are a

further improving systems, data collection and analysis”. Health Services in Queensland and continues to work with the Improvement Foundation in "QAIHC continues to lead CQI work for the Aboriginal and Islander Community Control

work by developing their custom sites within qiConnect.primary care and research organisations in their continuous quality improvement (CQI) Victorian Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), and many other We are currently partnering Queensland Aboriginal Islander Health Council (QAIHC),

and organising data for over 1,000 primary health care organisations.qiConnect, our national web portal, facilitates secure reporting, monitoring, managing


further improving systems, data collection and analysis”. Health Services in Queensland and continues to work with the Improvement Foundation in "QAIHC continues to lead CQI work for the Aboriginal and Islander Community Control

work by developing their custom sites within qiConnect.primary care and research organisations in their continuous quality improvement (CQI) Victorian Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), and many other We are currently partnering Queensland Aboriginal Islander Health Council (QAIHC),



Health Services in Queensland and continues to work with the Improvement Foundation in "QAIHC continues to lead CQI work for the Aboriginal and Islander Community Control

primary care and research organisations in their continuous quality improvement (CQI) Victorian Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), and many other We are currently partnering Queensland Aboriginal Islander Health Council (QAIHC),


Dr Katie Panaretto, Public Health Medical Officer (QAIHC).

Dr Katie Panaretto, Public Health Medical Officer (QAIHC).

email [email protected], or phone 1800 771 522.Find out more about IF at www.improve.org.au,



CEO’s Executive Report“Collectively, we demonstrateand strive for the Centre ofExcellence in Aboriginal

Community Controlled Healththrough our model of service, andI believe our performance speaksfor itself.” – NACCHO CEO Lisa Briggs


3

AWABAKAL Newcastle Aboriginal Co-operative and the Hunter BreastCancer Foundation have formed a

partnership that aims to raise awareness ofwomen’s health in the local Aboriginalcommunity.

For a limited time, an exclusive DeadlyChoices Breast Cancer jersey will beavailable for Aboriginal women who visit the Awabakal Aboriginal Primary Health Care Centre (AAPHCC) for a women’s health check.

The initiative is part of Awabakal’s DeadlyChoices program which was introduced tothe Hunter in August this year and aims toimprove Aboriginal health by educating andempowering local Aboriginal people to makehealthy choices.

Since the program was introduced, theorganisation has seen a 630 per centincrease in the number of Aboriginal people undergoing health checks. Thesuccess of this program can be placed, inpart, on the highly-prized and very exclusiveAwabakal Deadly Choices jerseys, which can only be claimed following a health checkat the AAPHCC.

Awabakal Chief Executive Officer Don MacAskill said the partnership with the Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation would bring breast cancer and women’shealth awareness to the forefront ofAboriginal health.

“Breast cancer is a serious disease, withone in eight women diagnosed nationwide. Itdoesn’t discriminate between the Indigenousand non-Indigenous populations, which iswhy partnerships like this are so important

in our attempts to tackle chronic disease inthe local Aboriginal community,” Mr MacAskill said.

Hunter Breast Cancer FoundationPresident Rosalie Taggart said the regionwould benefit from the additional support ofAwabakal and its community to promotehealth awareness.

“The Awabakal Deadly Choices program

is an excellent model that really encouragespeople to think about their health and takeproactive steps. This is an excitingpartnership that we hope will encourage alllevels of breast cancer support to work withAwabakal to improve local Aboriginal health,”she said.

The Hunter Breast Cancer Foundationprovides grassroot support for people

undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Since January this year, the Foundation

has provided more than 600 post-operativecomfort cushions, 178 professional cleaning services and 69 lawn care services.

Volunteer drivers have undertaken 338trips, travelling 26,683km taking patients toand from treatment appointments.

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Deadly Choices goes pink

Check it out: These women model the exclusive Awabakal Deadly Choices Breast Cancer jersey.


4

It is my pleasure and honour asChairperson to once again to presentto you NACCHO’s Annual Report

for 2012-13.“There is a way forward if only the

government would listen to NACCHO” readthe headline of the editorial in a nationalnewspaper at the end of July this year.

This rousing and welcome endorsementof NACCHO and the Aboriginal communitycontrol model of health delivery waspublished towards the end of a huge yearfor NACCHO and our members as wefocused on articulating our vision, deliveringgood policy, celebrating our successes andraising our profile on both the national andinternational stage.

A little over 12 months ago we resolvedto approach the year ahead with aheightened sense of purpose in a bid toensure the sector was in a pivotal positioncoming into the Federal election andbeyond, regardless of who won office.

With new CEO Lisa Briggs at the helm,an engaged and active Board and a veryhard-working office, NACCHO has certainlyhad one of the busiest and more successfulyears in in its 21-year history.

NACCHO’s Ten-point PlanInvesting in Healthy

Futures for GenerationalChange 2013-2030

There have been so many highlights thisyear it is hard to know where to start, butperhaps the most significant achievementwas the launch of NACCHO’s Ten-pointPlan, Investing in Healthy Futures forGenerational Change 2013 -2030,alongside the Australian Institute of Healthand Welfare report card on AboriginalCommunity Controlled Health Services.

The ten-point plan was, for me, therealisation of 20 years of work in our sector.Throughout my career I have watchedvarious well-intentioned governments drivethe Aboriginal health agenda and dictate toour sector their plans for us to follow. Rarelyhave we had the opportunity to properlyspell out our collective approach andprovide our own vision at the national level:to drive policy rather than react to it.

The ten-point plan, created with theknowledge and experience of the AboriginalCommunity Controlled health movementand timely in an ever-changingenvironment, spells out how gains inAboriginal health can be achieved from ourperspective of “Aboriginal Health inAboriginal Hands”.

It provides our sector, stakeholders,partners and governments with a clear setof priorities and strategies that will result inimprovements in Aboriginal healthoutcomes. It is underpinned by the goalsand sentiments of the Close the GapStatement of Intent signed in 2005, so it hasat its core shared vision for a better futurefor our people.

It was officially launched at aParliamentary Breakfast in Canberra inJune, which was attended by a range ofAboriginal leaders, elders and seniorgovernment Ministers and officials.

Healthy for report Card

At the event we also launched researchwe had commissioned from the AustralianInstitute of Health and Welfare which givesa great overview of the success of ACCHOsand delivers the evidence of just how big acontribution our members make to improvehealth outcomes for Aboriginal people.

The comprehensive report shows that

Aboriginal Community Controlled servicesprovide culturally appropriate primary healthcare to over 310,000 Aboriginal peopleeach year, around half the Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander population, and arecredited with three quarters of the healthgains made against the Close the Gaptargets.

It shows our members perform over twomillion episodes of care per annum which isa 100 per cent increase since this reportwas last handed down four years ago.

Not only are we providing morecomprehensive primary services to more ofour people and seeing evidence-based veryreal improvements in some key healthareas such as mortality rates, birth weightsand chronic disease. Through ourmembership and Affliates we are alsoseeing more of our people employed in

sustainable and meaningful positionsacross the Aboriginal Community ControlledHealth Organisations sector.

Reports like this clearly establish theeconomic viability of investing in our sectorand simply cannot be ignored by decision-makers. Coupled with the ten-point plan,the report has enabled NACCHO toincrease the intensity of our nationalpolitical lobbying efforts and demonstrateour value to some of the most seniorMembers of the Federal Parliament.

This was a critical part of our strategy inthe lead up to the Federal election – to raisethe profile of our sector, illustrate itseffectiveness and reinforce our multi-partisan approach to delivering good healthoutcomes for our people.

The release of the ten-point plan alsohelped us raise the profile of Aboriginal

health in the broader, mainstreamcommunity, attracting significant nationalmedia attention.

National Aboriginal andTorres Strait IslanderHealth Plan (NATSIHP)

The ten-point plan compliments the long-awaited National Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander Health Plan (NATSIHP)released by the Gillard Government in Julythis year.

NACCHO is proud of our influence onthe content of the NATSIHP. We advocatedfor a health system free of racism withculture at its heart and we are pleased tosee these points became an integral pillarof the final plan.

We welcome the broad nationalrecognition of Aboriginal CommunityControlled Health services as a key tosuccess as well as an acknowledgement ofthe need for capacity building in ourcommunities.

Going into 2014 our job now is to workwith the new Abbott Government toadvocate for a robust implementation anddelivery process of the NATSIHP towardgenuine change and advances in thepriority areas our sector fought hard to beincluded in the plan and not lost in itsinterpretation during this next phase.

NACCHO’s ten-point Male Health Blueprint

Another key policy initiative highlight thisyear was Ochre Day and the launch of

l Continued facing page

NACCHO’s activities

From left: NACCHO deputy chair Matthew Cooke, chair Justin Mohamed and board member John Singer launching the BluePrint for Aboriginal Male Healthy Futures 10 point plan 2013-2030 at Parliament House, Canberra, in August.

NACCHO chair Justin Mohamed (left) and NACCHO board member John Singer(right) were proud to present to Buddy Franklin, Michael O’Loughlin and Adam

Goodes the NACCHO jumpers for the Indigenous All Stars team to tour Ireland fora two-test International Rules series, sponsored by NACCHO.


5

& outcomes 2012-13l From facing page

NACCHO’s ten-point Male Health Blueprintwhich offers tangible, practical solutions tothe appalling state of Aboriginal malehealth. Ochre Day was a spectacularcelebratory gathering of Aboriginal menfrom across Australia followed by a publicevent in Federation Mall. NACCHO’s MaleHealth Blueprint again attracted nationalmedia coverage and raised this importantissue to the national agenda.

Building strongerpartnerships

Complementing these significant policyinitiatives, NACCHO has spent the yearstrengthening some key partnerships. InMay we signed a landmark agreement withMedical Deans Australia and New Zealandaimed at increasing medical studentplacements in Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander primary health care settings. Thisagreement will also support NACCHO’spotential to build the capacity to recruitmore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islandermedical officers.

As part of building stronger partnershipswith other Aboriginal National Bodies wewelcomed the invitation for the NACCHOChairperson onto the Lowitja InstituteBoard, Australia’s only national healthresearch organisation with a sole focus onthe health and wellbeing of Australia’s FirstPeoples.

Close the Gap

NACCHO continues to work closely withour partners on the Close the Gap steeringcommittee and as Co-Chair of the NationalHealth Leadership Forum of the NationalCongress, I want to ensure a coordinatedand collective voice is given to Aboriginalhealth in the national arena. AboriginalCommunity Controlled Health services mustbe given due weight and provide leadershipin those forums.

Partnership with the AFL: In an effortto further spread good health messages toour communities and exemplify theexcellent work that is being delivered by ourmember organisations to the broadercommunity, NACCHO has also beenpursing a new partnership with the AFL thisyear.

Through this partnership we hope toleverage the respect and goodwill towardsthe AFL in both Aboriginal and Non –Aboriginal communities, encouraging moreAboriginal men and women to considertheir health and seek out their localAboriginal Community Controlled HealthOrganisation, while educating the non-Aboriginal community about thetremendous value our sector brings to theNational Health system.

International

NACCHO has also been activeinternationally in 2013, attending the UnitedNations Permanent Forum on IndigenousIssues in New York City where the humanrights of Indigenous people in Australia andacross the world were put under thespotlight as part of the Indigenous PeoplesOrganisation Network.

NACCHO Aboriginal Primary HealthCare Summit: Closer to home, NACCHOhas continued its commitment to listen toand communicate with our affiliates andmembers. In addition to delivering regularupdates and news across the sectorthrough the NACCHO communiqué, emailsand social media outlets, attending

numerous member meetings, conferencesand forums, as well as hosting an electionplanning workshop, we held the first everNACCHO Aboriginal Primary Health CareSummit, in Adelaide in August 2013.

The Summit was a direct result of thecall from members at the 2012 AGM toprovide a forum for our sector where wecould highlight and share ourachievements, celebrate our wins, addressour challenges, network and learn fromeach other.

The Summit attracted more than 350delegates and more than 100 speakers,covering the core themes: Governance,Comprehensive Primary Health Care andWorkforce.

It was an inspirational three days,providing an array of insights, newdirections, innovation and lessons, withstrong positive feedback from delegatesthat they would like the “NACCHO Summit”to be a regular inclusion in the annual eventcalendar.

The future AboriginalHealth through AboriginalCommunity ControlledHealth Organisations

We have achieved much in the lasttwelve months. Looking to the next twelve

months, we face new challenges andopportunities as we continue to develop ourrelationships with a new FederalGovernment and work collectively inbringing genuine gains in Aboriginal Healththrough Aboriginal Community ControlledHealth Organisations.

I am confident our collective work to datehas positioned us well for what lies aheadand I look forward to working with ourpartners, affiliates and members over thenext twelve months as we continue toimprove the heath and wellbeing of ourpeople.

JUSTIN MOHAMEDNACCHO Chair

NACCHO chair Justin Mohamed, Professor Megan Davis and NACCHO deputy chair Matthew Cooke at the launch ofNACCHO’s Investing in Healthy Futures for Generational Change 10 Point Plan 2013-30 at Parliament House Canberra in June.

NACCHO chair Justin Mohamed (left) and NACCHO board member John Singer (right) with Greater Western Sydney coachKevin Sheedy at the AFL Indigenous Round in June, sponsored by NACCHO.


6

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7

IT has been more than five years sincestate, territory and federal governments ofall persuasions signed up to address the

appalling health and life expectancy rates ofAustralia’s Aboriginal people.

This was a landmark occasion where, forthe first time, all governments recognisedthat solving the complexity of Aboriginalhealth issues requires a long-term vision andinvestment that transcends funding cycles,short term policy fixes and the fortunes ofgovernments and political parties.

It was also the first time there wasmeaningful recognition across the board ofthe critical primary health role AboriginalCommunity Controlled Health Organisations(ACCHOs) play within their communities.Five years on, ACCHOs provide culturallyappropriate comprehensive primary healthcare to over 310,000 Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander people each year (close to 50per cent of the total Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander population of this nation) andare credited with three-quarters of the healthgains made against the Close the Gaptargets.

In June this year, NACCHO launched itsTen-Point Plan, laying out the steps fordelivering the generational changes neededto address the appalling health and lifeexpectancy outcomes for Aboriginal people.

“Our Ten-Point Plan is about planning forthe next stage, because there is absolutelymore to be done to Close the Gap andreduce disadvantage,” said NACCHO ChairJustin Mohammed at the launch.

“This is driven by genuine partnershipswith Aboriginal communities, capacitybuilding within communities and services,and for ongoing monitoring and evaluationagainst targets.”

The Plan incorporates the goals of the2008 Close the Gap Statement of Intentsigned by NACCHO alongside federal, stateand territory governments, reinforcing theneed for investment in Aboriginal communitycontrolled services; for genuine partnershipswith Aboriginal communities; for capacitybuilding within communities and services;and for ongoing monitoring and evaluationagainst targets.

The Plan reaffirms that the grassrootsmodel of Aboriginal people working toimprove the health of Aboriginal peoplemust continue to be the way forward if weare make any real difference and achievegenerational change.

“We urge governments of all levels tolook to the plan when developing orimplementing policy on Aboriginal health,”Mr Mohamed said.

“Putting Aboriginal health in Aboriginalhands is about more than respect andunderstanding of cultural values. It is alsoan efficient, effective model that is havingreal results, with three quarters of the Closethe Gap target gains credited to ACCHOs.We are the solution to ‘Closing the Gap’.”

Justin Mohamed’s speechat Parliament House

Canberra (June 19, 2013)

Today I am proud to be launching theNational Aboriginal Community ControlledHealth Organisation’s ‘Ten-Point Plan’ forachieving a healthy future for Aboriginalpeople.

The Plan provides a clear path for

delivering the generational change neededto address the appalling health and lifeexpectancy outcomes for our people. Itprovides us all a roadmap to follow and beguided by which will make long and lasting

improvements to the health of Aboriginalpeople now and into the future.

For me, this Plan is a realisation of morethan 20 years’ work in our AboriginalCommunity Controlled Health sector, during

which I have had the privileged to be taughtand guided by many “forward thinkers of ourtime” about Aboriginal health.

The lessons, wise words of warning and,at times, stern direction were not lost on me,as a youth worker to health servicesmanager, CEO and now Chairperson.

During this time, I quickly realised andstrongly believed in the need for a clear planand vision. The need for an articulatedvision and national plan for both our sectorand our people is vital.

ACCHOs at the local level provide uswith the building blocks for what we seetoday in a collective national direction,spelling out goals to guide our actions andpolicy into the future.

Too often, well-intentioned plans, policiesand laws have been a top down,prescriptive approach where we have beentold what is good for us. Rarely have we hadthe opportunity to properly spell out ourcollective approach and provide our ownvision at the national level: To be drivers ofpolicy rather than reactors to it.

Until today.The Plan provides our members,

stakeholders, partners and governmentswith a clear set of priorities and strategiesthat will result in improvements in Aboriginalhealth outcomes.

It is underpinned by the goals andsentiments of the Close the Gap Statementof Intent signed in 2005 by many of theorganisations and political parties in theroom today.

It reinforces the need to invest incapacity building, supporting and expandingAboriginal Community Controlled Healthservices to ensure more Aboriginal peoplecan access more services in more placesaround the country including urban, regionaland remote.

The Plan focuses on innovation,leadership and accountability so that wemake sure we are providing best practiceservices tailored to the needs to ourcommunities.

It ensures we maintain strongpartnerships and strengthen the role we play in the development of health policy,program development, reform,implementation and monitoring into thefuture. The health workforce is also a critical priority in the plan to ensure we arenot only delivering culturally appropriateservices but also providing localemployment for Aboriginal people in theirown communities.

We have designed the Plan so it can beutilised to inform and guide policy makers –both in government and the NGO sectors –as they develop their own policy and plans.Without an evidence-based approach thatuses accurate data and quality research,plans, aspirations and goals can all fall shortor lose direction.

I trust it will complement theGovernment’s eagerly awaited NationalAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HealthPlan, so both NACCHO and governmentcan work together to continue the greatbenefits the Aboriginal CommunityControlled Health model brings to Closingthe GAP in Aboriginal health.

I urge you to take them away and reviewthem – to consider the goals, strategies andvision of our sector and than consider howyou can work with us to provide a healthierfuture for our people.

10-Point Plan fora healthy future

Federal MP Andrew Laming, NACCHO CEO Lisa Briggs and Deputy Chair MatthewCooke at the 10-Point Plan launch.

l Above: At thelaunch, from left,

l Left: AboriginalMedical ServiceAlliant Northern

Territory (AMSANT)CEO John Paterson.


8

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9

MOSSMAN Gorge Primary Health CareCentre (PHCC) was named AGPAL’sRural & Remote General Practice of

the Year in a gala event in Sydney on Friday,September 27. Mossman Gorge PHCC, the only

community controlled primary health carecentre on Cape York, is run by ApunipimaCape York Health Council which providesculturally appropriate, family-centredcomprehensive primary health care to 11Cape York communities. Australian General Practice Accreditation

Ltd (AGPAL) is the leading provider ofaccreditation and related qualityimprovement services to general practices.Accreditation is based on standardsdeveloped by the Royal Australian College ofGeneral Practitioners. Apunipima Program Manager: Family

Health Leeona West says the award is asignificant milestone for Apunipima,Mossman Gorge PHCC and, mostimportantly, the people and communities ofCape York. “AGPAL accreditation demonstrates our

ability to provide the highest quality care,”she said.“This award means we are providing the

highest quality of care possible in a rural andremote setting. It is significant as we werecompeting against mainstream organisationsfrom across Australia. “To be recognised as the Rural and

Remote General Practice of the Year sends a clear message that Aboriginal HealthOrganisations are providing the best care in

the country. The people of Cape Yorkdeserve the very best care. This awardrecognises that our service is providing it.”The health picture in Mossman Gorge has

changed significantly since Apunipima tookover the community’s small QueenslandHealth clinic in 2009. “Back then, the clinic had paper records

and doctors who visited the community forfour hours a week. Anecdotally, healthoutcomes were poor with high rates ofsmoking, drinking and chronic disease,” MsWest explained. “Apunipima took over the clinic in

December 2009, rebuilt it to AGPALstandards by June 2010, introduced

electronic records and billing and wasaccredited by AGPAL in January 2011.“We even implemented an Aboriginal

patient friendly recall system which was so successful that the BrisbaneAboriginal and Islander Community Health Service copied our system for theirclients.”

Practice of the Year

Staff at the award-winning Mossman Gorge Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) and, at right, their trophy.


10

NACCHO’s Adelaide Summit a Success


11

THE inaugural NACCHONational AboriginalCommunity Controlled

Health Service Summit duringAugust this year in Adelaide wasa great success!The three-day talkfest featured

dozens of seminars anddiscussions looking at Aboriginalhealth from all angles. In the words of NACCHO CEO

Lisa Briggs, it was “an opportunityto showcase the national, stateand local best practices in themanagement of the health ofAboriginal and Torres StraitIslander People.”The conference opened with a

passionate speech by NACCHOChair Justin Mohamed, whooutlined a 10-point plan forachieving a healthier future forAboriginal and Torres StraitIslander people.This framework to Aboriginal

health embodies a passion inJustin that dates back over 20

years, since he started working asa junior with Rumbalara MedicalClinic in Shepparton. This aim toimprove health and lifeexpectancy – a multi-generationalissue – is all about community,because that’s where it comesfrom.Rather than the often-used top

down, prescriptive approach,NACCHO’s vision represents acollective effort, where thecommunity drives the policy asopposed to reacting to it. The 10-point plan is underpinned by theClose The Gap Statement ofIntent signed by governments andNGOs.The plan also follows Article 24

of the United Nations Declarationon the Rights of IndigenousPeoples, which ensures the rightto the enjoyment of highestattainable standard of physicaland mental health.Justin said: “This is a plan

strong on innovation, leadership

and accountability to realise bestpractice. Above all though, it’sabout developing culturallyappropriate services andproviding employment toAboriginal and Torres StraitIslander people in their owncommunities.And that goal seems to be

going superbly well if youconsider the numbers in arecently released report.”

ImpressiveCompiled by the Australian

Institute of Health & Welfare, thereport highlights the work done byAboriginal Community ControlledHealth Services. And the numbersare impressive.NACCHO provides primary

health care to 350,000 Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander peopleper year, with three-quarters ofhealth gains made having beenagainst Close the Gap Targetsdirectly attributable to NACCHO’s

150 member organisations. Eighty per cent of NACCHO

members see more than 300,000clients each year, or around halfof our Indigenous population. There were two million

episodes of health care, a 100 percent increase since the last reportwas tabled four years ago. Between 1991 and 2010, there

was a 37 per cent decline inoverall mortality, and over thesame period, a 62 per centimprovement in infant mortality. The report also says that

because of NACCHO, 84.2 percent of all Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander babies are nowborn at normal birth weight.NACCHO is also Australia’s

largest single employer ofAboriginal and Torres StraitIslander people, a promisingachievement as it closes in on thetargets set for Close the Gap2030.Of course, Justin Mohamed is

not saying the job is done… farfrom it. “The report card does confirm

that the grassroots model ofAboriginal health in Aboriginalhands is the solution to closingthe gap,” he says.“This is because we know our

people, we understand theirneeds and we know how to treatour communities, families andindividuals in a holistic way.” The NACCHO conference

highlighted how much is beingachieved by communities whenthey are empowered to findsolutions to their health issues. The conference brought

together workers andstakeholders from around thecountry to share stories andinsights that are obviouslyflourishing in a service deliveryframework of pride, innovationand deep cultural knowledge. The road to closing the gap

may finally have some signposts.

Inaugural Summita major success

NACCHO Chair Justin Mohamedspeaking at the Adelaide Summit.


12

It is time to move away fromthe deficit model that is implicitin much discussion about the

social determinants of health,and instead take a strengths-based cultural determinantsapproach to improving thehealth of Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander people.This was one of the

messages from Ngiare Brown,Professor of Indigenous Healthand Education at the Universityof Wollongong, in a keynoteaddress to the NACCHOAboriginal CommunityControlled Health ServiceSummit in Adelaide today.Professor Brown also

stressed the importance of afocus on resilience, and thevalue of the AboriginalCommunity Controlled Health(ACCH) sector as a nationalnetwork for promoting culturalrevitalisation and sustainableintergenerational change.

Connections toculture and country

build strongerindividual and

collective wellbeingAlthough widely accepted

and broadly researched, thesocial determinants approach tohealth and wellbeing appear toreflect a deficit perspective –demonstrating poorer health

outcomes for those from lowersocioeconomic populations, withlower educational attainment,long-term unemployment andwelfare dependency andintergenerational disadvantage.The cultural determinants of

health originate from andpromote a strengths-basedperspective, acknowledging thatstronger connections to cultureand country build strongerindividual and collectiveidentities, a sense of self-esteem, resilience, andimproved outcomes across theother determinants of healthincluding education, economicstability and community safety.Exploring and articulating the

cultural determinants of healthacknowledges the extensive andwell-established knowledgenetworks that exist withincommunities, the AboriginalCommunity Controlled HealthService movement, humanrights and social justice sectors.Consistent with the thematic

approach to the Articles of theUnited Nations Declaration onthe Rights of IndigenousPeoples (UNDRIP), culturaldeterminants include, but arenot limited to:

l self-determination;l freedom from

discrimination;l individual and collective

rights;l freedom from assimilation

and destruction of culture;l protection from

removal/relocation;l connection to,

custodianship, and utilisation ofcountry and traditional lands;

l reclamation, revitalisation,preservation and promotion oflanguage and cultural practices;

l protection and promotionof Traditional Knowledge andIndigenous Intellectual Property;and

l understanding of lore, lawand traditional roles andresponsibilities.

Power of resilienceThe exploration of resilience

is a powerful and culturallyrelevant construct.Resilience may be defined as

the capacity to “cope with, andbounce back after, the ongoingdemands and challenges of life,and to learn from them in apositive way”, positiveadaptation despite adversity or“a class of phenomenacharacterised by good outcomesin spite of serious threats toadaptation or development”Resilience is important

because:l it is culturally significant –

we are a resilient culture,surviving and thriving;

l resilientpeople/communities are betterprepared for stronger, smarter,healthier, successful futures and

have better outcomes acrossthe social determinants of health(education, health,employment);

l resilient individuals aremore likely to provide a positiveinfluence on those around themand are better able to developand maintain positiverelationships with others –family, friends, peers,colleagues;

l r esilience promotescollective benefits – socialcohesion, community pride insuccess, economic stability, andimproved health and wellbeing.There is a developing body of

international work describingcultural continuity and culturalresilience. Scholars such as Fleming

and Ledogar proposedimensions including traditionalactivities, traditional spirituality,traditional languages, andtraditional healing.Further, Native American

educators propose culturalprotective factors and culturalresources for resilience such assymbols and proverbs fromcommon language and culture,traditional child rearingphilosophies, religiousleadership, counsellors andElders.The cultural determinants of

health and wellbeing may beseen to be wrapping around – orcutting across – individual,

internal, external and collectivefactors. A ‘social and cultural

determinants’ approachrecognises that there are manydrivers of ill-health that lieoutside the direct responsibilityof the health sector and whichtherefore require a collaborative,inter-sectoral approach.There is an increasing body

of evidence demonstrating thatprotection and promotion oftraditional knowledge, family,culture and kinship contribute tocommunity cohesion andpersonal resilience. Current studies show that

strong cultural links andpractices improve outcomesacross the social determinantsof health.There are certain services

only the NACCHO and ACCHsector can and should do – childprotection; mental health;women’s business; and men’shealth. This is useful in assistingpolicy and resourcing decision-making dependent uponcontext, geography,demography and tailoringservices to local needs andprioritiesThe ACCH sector provides a

true national network and avehicle for cultural revitalisation.A cultural determinantsapproach and culturalrevitalisation drive sustainableintergenerational change.

“INCREASING the uptakeof Telehealth across thecommunity controlled sectorhas the potential to make ahuge difference forpatients,” NACCHO’sTelehealth DeliveryManager Roy Monaghanannounced at this year’sSummit. “For many, the

Telehealth project will meanthe end of driving longhours on bad roads to getvital medical attention. Forthe chronically ill, this couldbe a life-extendingdevelopment.”Roy Monaghan says the

aim is to enhance Aboriginalpeoples’ access to

specialists by supportingpatient consultations usingvideoconferencing facilitieswithin AboriginalCommunity ControlledHealth Services (ACCHSs)across Australia.But Telehealth is not just

for doctors and theirpatients. Service providerscan also hook-up and swapinformation, and of courseso can communities. Aproblem shared cou ld meana problem solved. This willallow ACCHSs to developTelehealth plans tailored totheir needs, along with thepre-requisite training.Telehealth is still to

impact on a majority of

eligible services. A recentNACCHO survey of 100services revealed that only30 were involved inTelehealth. NACCHO has150 members and RoyMonaghan wants them allinvolved. Encouragingly, 63

services have takenadvantage of NACCHO’sinfrastructure grants, whichmeans they can now benetworked and linked withspecialists in remote areas. “You will now have those

services talking togetherand the fact iscommunication is one of thegreat keys for improving theway those services

operate,” Monaghan says.NACCHO hopes that all

150 members will join themodel within the next twoyears and use the capitalgrants to help them meetthe establishment costs ofthe required infrastructure.This may happen evensooner if Monaghan canencourage members tomake a stand.“Members need to speak

out about wanting thisservice, which will helpincrease pressure ondecision makers,” he said. Over the next four or five

months, teleconferenceswill be held to explain howTelehealth will work, with

the ultimate fanfaresometime in the 2014/15financial year when a newsatellite is launched. Thiswill reach communities thatthe much-hyped NBN willnot or cannot servicebecause of cost. The newsatellite will guarantee theminimum level of uploadand download speeds thatTelehealth needs tofunction, althoughMonaghan concedes thatthe more people using it,the slower those speeds willbecome.Monaghan will be visiting

services around the countryto further sell the Telehealthconcept, a technology many

IT-shy Elders are strugglingto get their heads around.But he is convinced thateventually Telehealth willbecome a “very naturalprocess. The more thatwe’re able to get servicestalking to each other aboutthe good practices that theyalready undertake, theability to be able to transferthat information across theentire nation, it will have abeneficial effect.“I can’t quantify it at this

time but it is going to besomething that has adefinite effect on how wedeliver services for ourpeople, and non-IndigenousAustralians too.”

Culture – critical toAboriginal health

Telehealth signals the future for Aboriginal Health Services


13

SOCIAL media, particularlyTwitter, had a huge impacton amplifying the

discussions and reach of theNACCHO Summit in Adelaideearlier this year. Within days of theSummit launch, 5,563,625impressions from 3097 Tweetswere recorded, adding gravity toNACCHO’s heavyweight influencein the political arena on Aboriginalhealth issues in the lead-up to thefederal election. Pride emerged very strongly as

a Summit theme, as well as a grabof the conference’s Twitteranalytics. One of the foundationstones of NACCHO and Aboriginalself-determination is communitycontrol. The community providesthe expertise, drives the programand controls the message, whichmakes social media a perfect fit foran event like the inauguralNACCHO Summit.While experienced social media

users enjoyed the social mediawave of #NACCHOSummit, many,including senior NACCHO people,were taken aback by the coverageresults. NACCHO’s CEO LisaBriggs remarked:“I think the social media

coverage has been absolutelyfantastic and taken the conferenceto places it probably wouldn’t have been able to reach, just with newspapers and radio. So I think it’s a very important andeffective tool.“The viralness (sic) of Twitter

certainly surprised me, absolutely,and I think it’s the attraction andthe interest. Finding people’sinterests and them tweeting back,‘That’s really good, can I hearmore about those stories?’, and

then getting in touch with otherswho are presenting them. I think Inow know more people on socialmedia than I do face to face.” The Summit convinced a

number of NACCHO staff to jointhe Twitterverse and, withthousands of tweets generated by the end of the conference,there was plenty to inspire the“Twitter-virgins”.NACCHO Summit attendee

Jake Byrne is not a Twitter virgin,although previously he tended toobserve rather than join thedebate. No longer. “I’m probably going to have to

get an account that’s a bit morefocused and work specific. I haveto try and get a bitmore active in thespace, promotingdifferent programsand ideas and thingsthat I’ve been seeing.“I reckon the more

we spread the word,the better it is foreveryone in promotingthose really goodstories that all toooften in Aboriginalcommunities andAboriginal health arethe ones that don’t get the spotlight shone on them.”Lisa Briggs expected social

media at the NACCHO Summit tooscillate only within the limitedreach of attendees and colleaguesback at the office, but with federalelection campaigns well underway,the topic of national Aboriginalhealth was blazing. Twice duringthe conference NACCHO’s twittertag “trended” nationally, meaning

that it was one of the topconversational subjects on theTwitter platform. These spikes,along with the sheer numbers oftweets, helped convince agovernment bureaucrat to make ahasty trip to Adelaide fromCanberra to see what was

grabbing Australia’s attention. Samantha Palmer is the First

Assistant Secretary to the Officefor Aboriginal & Torres StraitIslander Health and she sat in onthe final day of the conference.With the election campaign in fullswing, and the FederalGovernment in caretaker mode,Palmer wasn’t able to speakpublicly but she did spend privatetime with NACCHO members.NACCHO CEO Lisa Briggs did

not mind that Samantha wasunable to talk publicly at thesummit – the coincidence of theelection campaign and theconference was perfect. “I think it’s been a fantastic

opportunity to get the good storiesand inform wider Australia what’sgoing on,” she said. “Through social media we’ve

kept it on a political platform,asking questions about howthey’re contributing to Aboriginal Community Control and health in particular.“During our Summit you

would’ve seen more tweetsdirected at Tanya Plibersek(Federal Health Minister) and

Peter Dutton (ShadowHealth Minister). They may not be here physically butthere are other ways of getting to them,” she said.At the other end of

the political scale,NACCHO conferenceattendee MarleeRamp, a 19-year-oldmedical student fromCairns, has now seenup close the potential

of Twitter.“This week with all the hash

tags, I started an account andfollowed the feed,” she said. “Obviously this week is all

health focused, but it gives me a broader perspective of healthand what my role may be in thefuture, and who I can get involvedwith.”Young, active, aware people

like Marlee Ramp represent thefuture for Aboriginal self-

determination, as does socialmedia. Why? Because itempowers the storytellers.Jake Byrne, 30, could easily

see the value in Twitter influencingpolitical circles. “I was impressed to see all the

Tweets coming from the summitdid put some pressure on thepollies and brought it to nationalattention, and we were trending.”he said.“I actually got to understand

what trending was and the power ithas, which I wasn’t really aware ofbefore coming here.“If we can control our message,

that’s brilliant. We’ve heard a lot inthe past few days about myths thatwere being smashed through theevidence that’s been collected sofar, but I think those myths arepropagated by other peoplesending messages about ourcommunity. If we can get ourstories out there the way we wantthem to be told, that’s reallyempowering.”The next NACCHO Summit is

scheduled for April or May 2014.That means organisers anddelegates will be filling socialmedia just as budgets are beingfinalised by the new CoalitionGovernment, and we now have nodoubt the government will againbe paying close attention to oursector’s social media dialogue.Now that is handy timing.If you would like assistance

with social media such as Twittercontact the person who put thisproject together, NACCHO Mediaand Communications advisor ColinCowell, who you can follow@NACCHOAustralia or [email protected]

ARECENT community-led initiativefrom the Western Desert township of

Warburton to reduce the impact ofchronic disease has led to theestablishment of the Warburton Women’sExercise Group. Within three monthsattendance grew from five to 90community members!Warburton women Julie Porter and

Lynnette Smith originally devised a planinvolving three days per week of walking,a ladies-only gym, cooking classes andswimming at the local pool. Thecommunity has even produced anexercise DVD.Owing to high temperatures, the

activities tended to happen at sunset,Julie commenting that they enjoyed“stretching and laughing together as thefull moon rose over the community.” Now as many as 20 community

members attend each group and theculturally appropriate program has

broadened to include softball, jogging,dancing and, for the colder periods,indoor exercise. The positive feedbackfrom all about making their “blood sugarlow and losing weight” is a sentimentconfirmed by visiting health specialists. As with the Bush Camp program,

the community drives this initiative as they are the experts in their own healthand well-being. This approach fosterstrust and respect.A qualified trainer will visit Warburton

later this month to show communitymembers how to maintain a qualityexercise program.

Healthy catering Meanwhile, on the other side of the

country, the fight against obesity andchronic disease has seen theQueensland Aboriginal Health Council(QAIHC) develop an innovative programaround food catering guidelines, spurred

by a 2004/5 survey that showed less than50 per cent of Aboriginal people eatsufficient fruit, and less than 8 per centeat sufficient vegetables at ratesrecommended by 2003 dietaryguidelines. QAIHC has delegated a staff member

to develop a preferred catering supplierlist based on compliance to: theAustralian Guideline to Healthy Eating;limited amounts of saturated fats, sugars and salt; promotion of healthy options viavending machines and at fundraisingdrives; adequate food safety measures;special dietary requirements of staff andvisitors where possible; and the followingmetrics:

l at least 80 per cent of total foodoffered is healthy;

l at least one option is vegetarian;and

l at least one-third of the food is fruitand/or vegetables.

Despite battling staffing andaccreditation issues, which havesomewhat stifled implementation, after 12 months QAIHC’s CateringGuidelines have generated some realchanges. A survey of consumers reported that

80 per cent liked t he food offered, with 86 per cent reporting eating lessunhealthy food since implementation. Numerous venues are also now

offering healthy menus, while thepreferred caterers say they are now moreaware of healthy food options.These Catering Guidelines are being

shared with other service providers,including drug and rehabilitation servicesand the Cancer Council. QAIHC staff say the key from here is

to keep food choices varied and providenutrition workshops that will keep theproviders up to date with any new tastesand trends.

Twitter empowersour Storytellers

Active innovation at Warburton

‘I was impressed to see all the Tweets coming

from the summit did put somepressure on the pollies and

brought it to national attention,and we were trending.’


14

NACCHO Healthy for LifeHEALTHY for Life (HfL) is the first Office

for Aboriginal and Torres Strait IslanderHealth (OATSIH)-funded program

with a strong focus on continuous qualityimprovement (CQI). It collects and reports onhealth outcome data that go beyond serviceactivity reporting. The formal objectives of theprogram are to:

l improve child and maternal health careservices;

l improve men’s health; l improve prevention, early detection and

management of chronic disease; l increase the capacity of the Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander health workforce forimproving long-term health outcomes forIndigenous Australians. The Healthy for Life program is available to

established primary health-care providers inAboriginal Community Controlled HealthServices (ACCHSes), state and territoryhealth services and Divisions of GeneralPractice. ACCHS comprise about 65 per centof the services participating in the program.A national report based on HfL data was

published by AIHW early this year (AIHW2013a). This report card was prepared byAIHW for a subset of ACCHS included in thenational report with funding from NACCHO.

This report cardThis report card provides data from a

number of sources: preliminary populationand housing data from the 2011 Census (ABS2012a and 2012b), data from AIHW work onhealth expenditure and data from HfL andOnline Service Reporting (OSR). Informationis provided against Essential Indicators from

the HfL Program for ACCHS that haveparticipated in the program since 2007. Therefore, this data only provides

information on the ACCHSes that submitteddata for the entire collection period from 2007to 2011, not all ACCHSes.These indicators enable ACCHSes to

benchmark themselves and assess areaswhere they have done well since the inceptionof the HfL program, as well as areas thatcould be improved. Additionally, information is presented from

the Online Service Reporting (OSR) datacollection on staffing, client numbers,governance, accreditation status, and use oftechnology to provide more context aboutACCHSes.While there are no health expenditure data

specific to ACCHSes, data for the totalAustralian Indigenous population are providedto show the investments made in this areaand how they are spent.

How much money is spent byAustralian governments on health

of Indigenous Australians?Indigenous health expenditure was

estimated to be $4.55 billion in 2010-11, 3.7per cent of the total Australian healthexpenditure. The corresponding figure fornon-Indigenous Australians was $119 billion.In 2010-11 health expenditure per Indigenousperson was $7995, an increase of 12 per centfrom $7139 in 2008-09. For non-Indigenouspeople, per person expenditure in 2010-11was $5436. For every dollar spent per non-Indigenous

Australian, $1.47 was spent per IndigenousAustralian (AIHW 2013b). Australian Government expenditure on

Indigenous-specific health services hascontinuously increased since 1995-96. In2010-11, the Commonwealth funding forIndigenous-specific programs was $624million. This is a real growth of 265 per centsince 1995–96 (AHMAC 2012).

Community health expenditureIn 2010-11, total health expenditure on

community health services for Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander Australians was$1119.6 million. Of this, $444 million (36.3per cent of the total Indigenous healthexpenditure) was directly administered by

l Continued facing page


15

Report Card launchedl From facing page

the Australian Government, whilestates and territories spent $673million (21.6 per cent of totalIndigenous health expenditure by state and territory governments)on community health services. An estimated $429 million ofAustralian Governmentexpenditure on community health services was administeredthrough ACCHSes.

Expenditure byremoteness

The average expenditure onhealth for Indigenous Australianswas lowest in Inner regional areasand Major cities in 2008-09 (themost recent year for which figuresare available). Expenditure percapita on hospital care withinpublic hospitals for Indigenouspeople was greatest in the moreremote areas.

Pharmaceutical BenefitsScheme (PBS) expenditures weregreater in more remote areaswhere the section 100arrangements apply. Under section100 of the National Health Act1953, clients of approved remotearea Aboriginal Health Services(AHSes) are able to receive PBSmedicines directly from the AHS atthe time of medical consultation,without the need for a normalprescription form and withoutcharge. Expenditure throughOATSIH grants to ACCHS wasalso higher in Remote and VeryRemote areas.

Aboriginal CommunityControlled Health

Services (ACCHSes)In 2010-11, a total of 235

primary health care servicesprovided data for OSR (AIHW2012) and 117 of these wereACCHSes. In total, 310,038 clientsattended 109 ACCHSes in 2010-11and, of these, 78 per cent wereAboriginal and Torres StraitIslander clients.

The OSR collection mainlyincludes data on clinical and non-clinical staffing, both paid by theservice and visiting; primary healthcare services delivered includinghealth prevention; numbers ofclients; and episodes of care.Contextual information such asgovernance, accreditation andaccess to technology are also fromOSR.

l Most ACCHSes were locatedin Inner and Outer Regional areas,followed by Very Remote areas

l Most ACCHSes hadgoverning bodies which were 100per cent Indigenous

l All services had internet/webaccess, but 18 per cent had nobroadband

l The majority of services usedan electronic patient informationrecall system, but 15 per cent didnot

l The clients of ACCHSes alsocame predominantly from Innerand Outer Regional areas followedby Remote and Very Remote areas

l Although the client numberswere highest in Inner and OuterRegional areas, this is not reflectedin the availability of clinical staff.Clinical staff per 1000 clients inthese regions were lower than inothers, and distribution of AHWswere similar in all regions, but

nurses were less available in Innerand Outer Regional areascompared with Major CitiesRemote and Very Remote areas

l The rate of administrativestaff per 1000 clients was relativelyhigh in Remote and Very Remoteareas

l The availability of drivers/field

officers was high in Remote areasl The number of dental health

staff was highest in Major Cities,with far fewer dental health staff inother regions.

ACCHS locationsOf the 117 ACCHSes

participating in Healthy for Life, the

majority were in Inner and OuterRegional areas of Australia (30services in each of the regions).There were 17 ACCHS in MajorCities and in Remote areas, while 23 were located in VeryRemote areas.

Please note that regions aredefined using the ABS ASGC

remoteness classification.Accordingly, for Queensland,services in Brisbane are classifiedas being located in Major Cities,those in Dalby as Inner Regional,in Chinchilla as Outer Regional and in Roma and Longreach asRemote and Very Remote areasrespectively.

lAbove:Investing inHealthy

Futures forgenerationalchange likethe kids fromTitjikala,south ofAlice

Springs.Photo

courtesy TheCentralianAdvocate

l Left:Aboriginalhealth

workers atDanila DilbaDarwin play avital role inHealthyFutures.


16


17

THE National AboriginalCommunity ControlledHealth Organisation

has long recognised theimportance of an Aboriginalmale health policy andprogram to close the gap by2030 on the alarmingAboriginal male mortalityrates across Australia.Aboriginal males havearguably the worst healthoutcomes of any populationgroup in Australia.To address the real social

and emotional needs ofmales in our communities,NACCHO proposes apositive approach toAboriginal male health andwellbeing. NACCHO, its affiliates

and members are committedto building upon pastinnovations and we requiretargeted actions andinvestments to implement awide range of Aboriginalmale health and wellbeingprograms and strategies.We call on State, Territory

and Federal governments tocommit to a specific,substantial and sustainablefunding allocation for theNACCHO Aboriginal MaleHealth 10-Point Blueprint2013-2030.This blueprint sets out

how the AboriginalCommunity ControlledHealth Organisations(ACCHO) sector willcontinue to improve ourrates of access to health andwellbeing services byAboriginal males throughworking closely within ourcommunities, strengthening

cultural safety and furtherbuilding upon our currentAboriginal male healthworkforce and leadership.The NACCHO 10-Point

Blueprint Plan is based on arobust body of work thatincludes the Close the GapStatement of Intent and theClose the Gap targets; theNational Framework for theImprovement of Aboriginaland Torres Strait IslanderMale Health (2002);NACCHO’s position paperon Aboriginal male health(2010); the 2013 NationalAboriginal and Torres StraitIslander Health Plan(NATSIHP); and theNACCHO Healthy Futures10-Point Plan 2013-2030.These solutions were

developed in response to thedeep-rooted social, politicaland economic conditionsthat effect Aboriginal malesand how these conditionsrelate to the delivery ofessential health care.Our Blueprint is evidence

and needs-based, aimed ataddressing criticalinequalities in Aboriginalmale health services towardachieving equality of healthand life expectanciesbetween Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal males by 2030.This Blueprint celebrates

our success to date,proposing partnershipstrategies to whichgovernments, NACCHOaffiliates and memberservices must commit toensure major health gainsare maintained into thefuture.

NACCHO, our affiliatesand members remainfocused on creating ahealthy future forgenerational change and theNACCHO Aboriginal MaleHealth 10-Point Blueprint2013-2030 will enablecomprehensive and long-term action to achieve realoutcomes.

To close the gap in lifeexpectancy betweenAboriginal and non-Aboriginal males within ageneration we must achievethese 10 Points:1. To call on government

at all levels to allocate aspecific, substantial andsustainable fund for theNACCHO Aboriginal MaleHealth 10-Point BlueprintPlan 2013-2030, which is acomprehensive, long-termAboriginal male health planof action that is based onevidence, targeted to needand capable of addressingthe existing inequities inAboriginal male health. 2. To assist in the delivery

of community-controlled,comprehensive primary male

health care services that areculturally appropriate,accessible, affordable, highquality and innovative. Thiswill in turn bridge the gap inhealth standards, respectingand promoting the rights ofAboriginal males in urban,rural and remote areas,leading to lastingimprovements in Aboriginalmale health and well-being.3. To ensure Aboriginal

males have broad access tohealth services andinfrastructure that are equalin standard to those enjoyedby other Australians.4. To prioritise specific

funding to address mentalhealth, social and emotionalwell-being and suicideprevention for Aboriginalmales.5. To address social

determinants relating toidentity, culture, language,land, violence, alcohol,employment and education.6. To improve access to

and responsiveness ofmainstream health servicesand programs that deal withAboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander people’s health.This may includerestructuring clinics toaccommodate male specificareas or off-site areas, evenspecific service accesspoints (eg. back doorentrance) to improveattendance andacknowledge culturallysensitive gender issues.7. To build an adequate

workforce to meet Aboriginalmale health needs byincreasing the recruitment,retention, effectiveness andtraining of male healthpractitioners working withinAboriginal settings,especially across theAboriginal and Torres StraitIslander health workforce.8. To identify and

prioritise where appropriatekey Aboriginal male healthissues in the development,execution and monitoring ofall policies and practicesacross all AboriginalCommunity ControlledHealth Organisations(ACCHOs). SpecialisedAboriginal male healthprograms and targeted,timely interventions must bedeveloped to address the lifecycle of male health. 9. To build on the

evidence of what works inAboriginal health, usingAIHW-standard researchand data on relevant localand international experience.10. To measure, monitor

and report on our joint effortsagainst benchmarks andtargets in order to ensurethat we progressively reachour shared vision.

Notes: NACCHO is thenational authority incomprehensive primaryAboriginal healthcare.

The NACCHO HealthyFutures 10-Point Plan 2013-2030, launched inJune 2013, provides oursector, stakeholders,partners and governmentswith a clear set of prioritiesand strategies that willresult in improvements inAboriginal healthoutcomes. It is thefoundation for this NACCHO AboriginalMale Health 10-PointBlueprint Plan 2013-2030.

Throughout this article,the word Male is usedinstead of Men. At theinaugural Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Male Health Gathering at Alice Springs in 1999, alldelegates present agreedthat the word Male wouldbe used instead of theword Men, with theintention being to encompass theMale existence from itsbeginnings in the wombuntil death.

Also, the wordAboriginal is used insteadof Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander. This is inline with the NationalAboriginal CommunityControlled HealthOrganisation (NACCHO)being representative ofAboriginal People. Thisdoes not intend to excludenor be disrespectful to ourBrothers from the TorresStrait Islands.

Male Health vital

We celebrate Aboriginal masculinities and uphold our traditional values of respect for our laws, respect forelders, culture and traditions, responsibility as leaders and men, teachers of young males, holders of lore,

providers, warriors and protectors of our families, women, old people, and children.

Aboriginal males came from aroundAustralia to launch the blueprint at

Parliament House, Canberra.


18

Aboriginal Male Healthy Futures Blueprint 2013-30


19

THE Fred Hollows Foundation(The Foundation) and theNorthern Territory

Government delivered a week of eye surgery to IndigenousTerritorians at the Alice SpringsHospital during September thisyear. “Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander adults are six times morelikely than other Australians to goblind and with the rise in diabetesrelated eye disease, matters areonly going to get worse. “The good news is that up to

94% of vision loss for Aborigin aland Torres Strait Islander people is preventable or treatable, and the surgeries happening in Alice Springs this week by Dr Tim Henderson and all those involved in coordinating this activity, are integral toimproving access and deliveringservices to address the alarming statistics of blindness.”(Jaki Barton, Manager, The Fred

Hollows Foundation, IndigenousAustralia Program, September2013).

Central Australia andBarkly Integrated Eye

Health Strategy The Central Australia and Barkly

Integrated Eye Health Strategy(CABIEHS) was initiated in 2007and is a collaboration of serviceproviders, funders and advocatesworking towards the vision that “Allpeople in Central Australia and theBarkly have access to timely andappropriate eye health and visioncare services”.A review of the Central Australia

and Barkly Integrated Eye HealthStrategy concluded that eye health issues are significant forAboriginal people in CentralAustralia and the Barkly; and thereare indications that Aboriginalpeople in the region have thepoorest eye health status in

Australia (Health Policy Analysis,2011, commissioned by TheFoundation).Since the commencement of

CABIEHS, The Foundation hasundertaken a central role incoordinating, facilitating andmonitoring the development of aneffective and integrated eye healthsystem in the Central Australia andBarkly regions. Coordinated service delivery is

the key to achieving improvedeffectiveness and efficiencies toachieve equitable service delivery,increased access and improvedoutcomes in eye health. To build the sustainability of

CABIEHS, The Foundation isseeking to transfer its coordinationresponsibilities to the otherCABIEHS partners over time.CABIEHS comprises five major

partners, representing the keyservice providers, funders, policymakers and advocates for eyehealth services in Central Australia

and the Barkly regions of the NT:l The Fred Hollows Foundation

has the primary coordination rolefor the implementation of the widerstrategy; and specificallycoordinates the planning andimplementation of the IntensiveEye Surgery Weeks (IESW) andthe management of stakeholderrelations. The Foundation’s Indigenous

Australia Program staff play acritical role in supporting patientsduring their stay in Alice Springsand during their patient pathway atthe Alice Springs Hospital. The Foundation also contributes

financially to the each of theIESWs; and is responsible for therecruitment and contracting ofexternal and additional medicalstaff to assist NT DoH Alice SpringsEye Clinic staff during the IESWs.The Foundation recruited andcontracted two external medicalstaff to work during the IntensiveEye Surgery Week in September.

l Northern Territory Departmentof Health, Central Australia Hospital Network (Alice SpringsHospital/Eye Health Clinic) conduct the eye surgery at theAlice Springs Eye Clinic; and theDoH’s Patient Assistance TravelScheme arranges travel andaccommodation for those patientswho live more than 200km fromAlice Springs;

l Central Australian AboriginalCongress Inc provides additionalsupport, as required, during theIESW;

l Anyinginyi Health AboriginalCorporation provides support toassist patients at the hospitalduring the IESW;

l Australian GovernmentDepartment of Health and Ageingfinancially supports the CABIEHScoordination costs and hasfinancially contributed to theimplementation of the IntensiveEye Surgery Weeks since theycommenced in 2007.

BRUCE Clifford Swan lives at Lilla, a smallremote community located 10km from the

iconic Kings Canyon, part of the WatarrkaNational Park, 320km south-west of AliceSprings and 1300km south of Darwin. Thecommunity has a very small population and isaccessible only via 4WD in good weatherconditions. Bruce is married and has three adult

children and three grandchildren. Bruce’s eye condition is diabetic

retinopathy and cataracts.Over several hours, Bruce travelled with

his wife by car to Alice Springs from Lillaearlier this year to receive cataract surgery inone eye. This was his first trip to Alice Springs(or anywhere for a surgical procedure).Ophthalmologist Dr Tim Hendersonsuccessfully performed the cataract operationand within days Bruce had completed hispost-operation assessment, reporting no painor discomfort.Bruce received diabetic retinopathy laser

treatment at his local community clinic atUkaka (located near Lilla) about 18 monthsago and since then has had to wear closevision spectacles.Over a year ago, Bruce was told by

outreach ophthalmology staff that he needed cataract surgery, but he was unable to

make the trip to Alice Springs at that time. He was very excited to be able to finallyreceive cataract surgery recently and hasbeen advised by medical staff it is likely he will not need to wear the close visionspectacles after the cataract surgery. This will be confirmed in three months timeafter he receives a routine check-up at hislocal health clinic.

What does Bruce do? Currently, Bruce works with his wife, Vera

and her two sisters conducting cultural tourswithin Watarrka National Park and around theLilla community. With his improved vision thehorizons on business and home life look a lotbroader.

What does it mean to Bruce to seeagain? For many years Bruce has worked in a

variety of jobs in his region. He is locallyrenown as a bush mechanic, “the go-to man”for locals and tourists needing mechanicalassistance. He has worked extensively with road

contractors to operate and maintain heavyvehicles and machinery for road building andmaintenance works. He has also worked inthe pastoral industry building fences, etc. In more recent years he has worked in the

Night Patrol checking on road conditions and

signs to ensure safety of road users. Bruce’simpaired vision during the past two years hasprevented him from driving a vehicle andsignificantly limited his capacity to undertakemanual work, in particular his mechanicalwork and his role with Night Patrol.

How did Bruce feel about receiving theoperation? Bruce says he was very excited about his

surgery, as he missed out a year ago on thesurgical procedure. He reports that the localhealth clinic staff had briefed him well and lethim know about the surgery so he was notscared at all.

How did Bruce feel when they took thebandage off?Note that when the patch is removed

24 hours after cataract surgery, some peoplecan see immediately, but eyes need to adjustto light so for many their vision remainsblurred for a couple days. While Bruce experienced some blurring

initially, he is now back to doing things he hasalways done. “It’s good to see again,” Bruce said.The Fred Hollows FoundationBruce has heard stories about The

Foundation including the work the Foundationdoes with Aboriginal communities in Australiaand overseas. He has seen Fred Hollows, the

man, on TV and heard about Fred visitingAboriginal communities in the “early days”.See also www.hollows.org

Saving sight in NT

Bruce Clifford Swan, 55, from Lilla,following his recent successful cataract

surgery in Alice Springs.

Eye surgery restores Bruce’s vision


20

NACCHO currently has a program to assist Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to develop and implement their organisations Smoke free workplace policy.

What is the NACCHO Smokefree Program?On 29 November 2008, the Council of Australian Governments agreed to a $1.6 billion National Partnership Agreement (NPA) on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes to fund a broad package of initiatives the target of closing the life expectancy gap within a generation.

A key part of the NPA is reducing of the burden of tobacco related chronic disease by reducing Indigenous smoking rates. One strategy in achieving this is by mandating smoke free Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service workplaces.

DO YOU HAVE A

WORKPLACE POLICY?

Further informationIf you would like to further discuss developing or reviewing your current Smoke free workplace policy, please contact

Trisha Williams, Smoke Free Project Officer at NACCHO.Phone: 02 6246 9329 Mobile: 0424 317 932E-mail: [email protected]

check out our websitehttp://www.naccho.org.au/health-reform/smoke-free-project

< ; : : 9 8 � , 7-'(To assist all Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to become Smoke free workplaces; by assisting in the development and implementation of Smoke free workplace policy in services.

If not, would you like assistance to develop a policy?

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YOUNG, healthy girls are one ofthe target groups of theTomorrow’s Dream campaign

aimed at reducing smoking byAboriginal people.Figures from the Australian

Bureau of Statistics (2008*) showed23 per cent of the male populationsmoked, along with 19 per cent of thefemale population. But, when youfactor race into the equation, the datashows almost 50 per cent ofAboriginal males smoke and about45 per cent of Aboriginal women. Ofparticular concern is the number ofpregnant women smoking – about 50per cent, with no sign of decreasing.It is a damning statistic that a

small band of health workers arehoping to change with a newcampaign aimed at encouragingIndigenous Australians to quitsmoking.The Tomorrow’s Dream radio and

television campaign stars two popularIndigenous personalities – Aboriginalactor Kylie Farmer and Noongarhockey player Nathan McGuire. Using language that is familiar to

Aboriginal Australians, the pairencourage people to consider thebenefits of quitting smoking, inparticular the benefits to children.Hayley Matthews is the

coordinator of the Population Healthteam at the Aboriginal Health Councilof Western Australia. She says thecampaign aims to engage withpeople in an unthreatening manner.

“Currently there’s a culture ofblame and there’s a culture of shamearound people who smoke,” MsMatthews said. “We want to highlight that there

are benefits of quitting, rather thanfocusing on the shame of smoking.We’re not here to tell people off forwhat they do but we’re here topromote an alternative healthbehaviour. And, of course, whodoesn’t want their family to behealthier and who doesn’t want tosave more money?”The campaign aims to promote a

healthy lifestyle by explaining and

celebrating the health and financialbenefits of quitting. It will air oncommercial television and radio, aswell as display ads on buses alongselected routes in the Kwinana,Thornlie/Armadale, Malaga andMidland areas around Perth. The message will be further

reinforced through outreachprograms across metropolitan areas,including ‘mums and bubs’ classes,drop-in centres and youth centres.The message is simple:

“Smoke-free environments forchildren and reminding people thatwhen you smoke, they smoke,” Ms

Matthews said. “We encouragepeople to think about the benefits toour children and families when youquit smoking. It’s not a scarecampaign, it’s a really positive,upbeat (one).”Ms Matthews says the success of

the campaign will be determined in anumbers of ways, from monitoringcall numbers to Quitline to surveyingtarget audiences on recall of thecampaign message. – By SamiaO’Keefe, ABC Indigenous Online* 2008 ABS figures were used as

2011-2012 smoking data does notinclude race breakdown.

Tomorrow’s Dream... ‘RespectYourself,Respect

YourCulture.

Quit today’

THE harm fromcigarette smoke has

no economic, cultural orracial barriers, butstatistics show that therates of young Aboriginalpeople smoking arealarmingly high.

Tomorrow’s Dream isabout encouragingpeople to celebratehealthy choices theyhave made; choices thatwill create a healthyfuture for them and theirfamilies.

It is not about scaringpeople or telling anyoneoff. We promote changeand helping people findthe resources andsupport they need tomake that change,particularly quittingsmoking.

Hayley Matthews, KylieFarmer and Dr Dan

McAullay at the launch.


21

THE role of Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander Health Workers is poorlyunderstood, despite their important

work in Closing the Gap, the NACCHOSummit was told.A range of multimedia resources to help

improve understanding has been developedby the Rural Health Education Foundation.The resources aim to raise the profession’sprofile, foster greater respect for their roleand contribute to improved inter-professionalrelationships, according to RHEF CEO Helen Craig.The resources were developed after the

Health Workforce Australia “Growing OurFuture” report highlighted a range of barriersto this workforce achieving their potential. Ms Craig cited the report’s finding that “agrowing body of evidence links the Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander Health Workerworkforce to improved health outcomes indiabetes care, mental health care, maternaland infant care, and palliative care”.Some key issues highlighted in the report:l The lack of a nationally consistent

understanding of the role of Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Health Workers andtheir scope of practice

l Varying levels of respect, recognitionand support shown to Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander Health Workers by otherhealth professionals and employers.NACCHO asked Ms Craig to identify the

most important remaining barriers, to whichshe replied: “There needs to be more donewithin the curricula to ensure all healthcareprofessionals understand the role ofAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthworkers, their unique cultural skills and

understanding, and the importance of havingthis within the health team.“Many of Australia’s First Peoples find it

difficult or daunting to access mainstreamhealth services, or to connect with anon-Indigenous health provider. Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander Health Workershelp bridge this gap. They are able to bring

the services into the community and toconnect the community with the services.”A poll held during the live Summit panel

program highlighted that 35 per cent ofhealth teams where the audience membersworked did not have any Aboriginal or TorresStrait Islander Health Workers. A further 43per cent stated that where there were some

in the team, they weren’t fully utilised. Themain reason put forward by half of therespondents was the lack of recognition ofcultural expertise being required.“Employers need to recognise that this

role is vital to closing the health gap,” MsCraig declared. “More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

health workers need to be employed and to be able to work in a culturally safeworkplace. “Unfortunately, this isn’t always

the case, and so we hope that theseresources will aid employers inunderstanding the need to change this andstop the burn out of this workforce.“We urge people to use these resources

and videos, and to encourage others to usethem, and we hope that making these widelyand freely available will help contribute to this passionate and committed workforcebeing recognised and valued, as theydeserve to be.”The RHEF resources include a

documentary, A Unique Profession, a clip oflive panel discussions, filmed case studiesand interviews, and an online and printableLearning Guide, providing self-directed in-depth education.The Leaders in Indigenous Medical

Education (LIME) network has worked withRHEF to develop eight short video trainingclips, which will be embedded in theirteaching resources.Ms Craig concluded: “This has been a

significant and very valuable project that overthe coming years will continue to helpaddress the issues highlighted in the HWA‘Growing Our Future’ report.”

Health workers’ vital role

Aboriginal Health Workers performing some of their important work.


22

THE National Aboriginal Accreditation OfficersNetwork is an affiliate-based network with anunderstanding and knowledge of the unique

nature of the Aboriginal community controlled sectorthat acts as a national voice on quality improvementand is a responsive and appropriate support systemfor its sector.

The Network has been developing a range ofinitiatives that are designed to both tap into andbuild capacity in the Aboriginal CommunityControlled Health sector. Focused on promoting andcelebrating the quality and accreditation successesof the sector, the Network aims to ensure thatorganisations are well supported in pursuing theirquality and accreditation journey.

The Network’s expertise has been pooled inorder to gain best results in the areas of supportand resource provision to the sector. This will leadto better access to resources and information forAboriginal Community Controlled Health services.

A key project under way is the development of anonline one-stop-shop of resources and informationabout quality business systems. Member serviceswill be able access information about key systemssuch as risk management, document control andorganisational planning. Tool boxes of resources willbe made available and connections to accreditationstandards will be clear.

Excitingly, this key resource draws on the realexperiences and expertise of people who work inAboriginal Community Controlled Health services,ensuring that the resources provided are relevantand contemporary. The one-stop shop will be adynamic space that invites services to upload theirstories and share in sector wide pride about howour services do business. Project lead Lauren Traskfrom the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander HealthCouncil has facilitated the inclusion of Queenslandbased services and been a strong advocate ofdrawing on service’s expertise.

RelationshipsStakeholder relationships have also been a key

focus for Trish Jean, NACCHO’s Quality andAccreditation Officer and lead of the NationalNetwork.

“We really value relationships and workingtogether and it’s a way of inviting people toparticipate in building quality services andacknowledging that strength of knowledge and skillsin the sector that contributes to better services forour communities,” she said.

“The Network is opening up new frontiers in theinclusion of personnel from the sector in ourprojects. I also make the time to visit services andI’ve been fortunate enough to visit Danila DilbaHealth Service in Darwin, Apunipima Cape YorkHealth Council and Mulungu Aboriginal CorporationMedical Centre in Far North Queensland, Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander Community HealthService Brisbane, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centreand the Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service inSouth Australia.”

This focus on stakeholder relationships saw theNetwork spend the day at the Royal AustralianCollege of General Practitioners in Melbourne inJune. This was an important event for continuing todevelop mutual understanding of how best to usestandards and accreditation in the development ofquality services.

The RACGP’s National Faculty of Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Health and the Network arenow working together to problem-solve and identifyopportunities for meaningful application of thestandards in the sector.

A key collaborative project funded by theDepartment of Health, led by the College and withthe input of NACCHO and the sector is the secondedition of the Interpretive Guide to the RACGPStandards for General Practices (4th Edition) forAboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.NACCHO was delighted to host a visit from RACGPstaff who delivered copies of the guide and provideda demonstration of the online version.

l To stay up to date with news onaccreditation support and the work of theNational Aboriginal Accreditation OfficersNetwork, go to http://www.naccho.org.au/promote-health/accreditation/

In pursuit of qualitySarah Paterson,left, and Aislinn

Martin, right,presenting the

first copy of RACGP

Standards toNACCHO CEOLisa Briggs in

Canberra.


23

Video boosts GP supportfor Aboriginal Health

“WORKING in an AMS gives youbest bang for your medicalbuck,” according to GP

Supervisor Dr Peter Fletcher, from DurriAboriginal Corporation Medical Service inKempsey, NSW. Dr Fletcher is one of a number of GP

Supervisors, Practice Mangers, Registrarsand Allied Health Professionals appearingin a new North Coast GP Training(NCGPT) video which is helping topromote registrars working in AboriginalMedical Services. “You get the best bang for buck by

working in an Aboriginal Medical Servicebecause the community has beenidentified with the greatest needsmedically, and at the same time you’recontributing to closing the medical gap,”Dr Fletcher says. The new 10-minute video, The

Aboriginal Medical Service Experience,was developed to highlight the benefits,rewards and challenges of working in anAMS whilst dispelling some of the mythsand misconceptions which exist aboutwhat it is like to work in Aboriginal health.It also shines a light on the critical rolewhich GPs and GP registrars can play inreconciliation and helping to close the gapon Indigenous health disadvantage. “The need for the video first came out

of discussions with some of ourstakeholders within Aboriginal healthservices,” NCGPT Aboriginal HealthTraining Strategy Coordinator LizDegotardi said. “The AMSes wanted to see better

promotional tools developed to target newregistrars with accurate information aboutthe services AMS’s provide.” The video was also intended as a tool

for junior doctors thinking of undertakingGP training to help them to decidewhether working as a GP is for them, andalso where they would like to be placed. Filming took place at a number of

NCGPT Aboriginal Health TrainingServices including Durri AboriginalCorporation Medical Service in Kempsey,Casino Aboriginal Medical Service andGalambila Aboriginal Health Service, CoffsHarbour. “People were really eager to support

this project and to join the conversation.There was lots of discussion andcontent – in fact it was really difficult tocondense it all into a couple of minutes!”Liz Degotardi said.

Important roleCEO of Casino AMS Steve Blunden

wanted to use this opportunity to bringawareness to the current situation ofAboriginal health in communities, and theimportant role doctors play. “The reasonwhy the AMS is involved with North CoastGP Training is that we really care aboutdoctors understanding the problemsexperienced by Aboriginal people, and wereally want them to experience thedifferent types of health problems that ourcommunity have,” he said.The video makes apparent the broad

range of health issues patients presentwith at AMSes, which make for a stronglearning environment for registrars. NCGPT Registrar and 2013 RACGP

Registrar of the Year Dr David Chessorsaid: “I’ve talked to a lot of friends whohave significant apprehension about notseeing a wide enough breadth of medicine

to prepare them properly for exams andthat’s just not true – there’s a really diverserange of medicine that you see in anAMS.” The Aboriginal health services model is

quite different to the norm in GeneralPractice. There is a very strong focus onthe importance of collaboration andteamwork between the doctors, alliedhealth professionals and Aboriginal healthworkers to create a holistic approach tomedicine. “We have Indigenous and non-

Indigenous people all working in togetheras a team to achieve the same thing, acontinuation of care for our patients,” saysAboriginal Health Worker Jim Hurley.

RewardingA collaboration between NCGPT and

participating AMSes, the video producerswanted to highlight the richly rewardingexperience which comes from working inAboriginal health which past registrarshave called “life changing” and “apowerful, enriching and confrontingexperience”. Although brand new and not yet

distributed, the new video has alreadyreceived hundreds of hits online and ishaving an impact.“Since the production of the video, our

Registrar Support Officer has received alot of interest about placements withinAMSes for 2014, so it is obviously hittingthe mark!” Liz Degotardi said. As it is a valuable tool for recruitment

and promotional purposes, NCGPT isoffering free use of the video to otherRegional Training Providers orGovernment Departments to attract furtherinterest in General Practice. North Coast GP Training offers registrar

placements within six accredited AboriginalMedical Services throughout the Mid Northand North Coast regions of NSW. To findout more about becoming a registrar andworking in Aboriginal health, pleasecontact NCGPT on (02) 6681 5711 or go totheir website www.ncgpt.org.au You can view The Aboriginal Medical

Service Experience at www.ncgpt.org.au/aboriginal-health-training

“You get the best bangfor buck by working inan Aboriginal MedicalService because thecommunity has beenidentified with thegreatest needs

medically, and at thesame time you’re

contributing to closingthe medical gap.”

– Dr Peter Fletcher


24

OVER the next 12 months NACCHO,the National Aboriginal CommunityControlled Health Organisation,

plans to distribute 1000 AFL/ NRL footballs,netballs, soccer balls, basketballs and othersports equipment to Aboriginal communityorganisations, sporting clubs and schoolsthroughout Australia. Funding availabilitywill, of course, be subject to donations NACCHO’s new Sports Healthy Futures

program gives Aboriginal youth theopportunity to improve their overall healthand wellbeing through active participation in sports. To qualify for the donated sports

equipment, the applicant must partner witha NACCHO member and organise for allteam members to have a health check at anAboriginal Community Controlled HealthService or other medical service ifapplicable.All team members are also encouraged

to download the new NACCHO AboriginalApp from their relevant App store.

What can our sports healthyfuture program achieve in the

long term for Aboriginal youth?NACCHO’s Investing in Healthy

Futures for Generational Change Plan2013-2030 has just been released,coinciding with the launch of our SportsHealthy Futures program. This programgives Aboriginal youth the opportunity toimprove their overall health and wellbeing

through active participation in sports. Additionally, by now partnering with the

AFL and Aboriginal community sportsorganisations around Australia, westrengthen our resolve to Close the Gap for

future generations, with sports participationa key strategy. Research shows that if a young person

is happy and healthy, they will get the mostout of their education, build their confidence

and self-belief, hopefully one day becominga well-educated “Indigenous All Star” in thesport or employment of their choice.

Team sports for Aboriginal youth Healthy Futures

l Team sports provide Aboriginal youthwith important lessons on personal values.

l Children who play team sports areless likely to feel isolated.

l Team sports can encourage parents tobecome active with their kids.

l Team sports help kids deal withwinning and losing.

l Team sports can help kids overcomeshyness

How to apply?We invite every NACCHO member,

Aboriginal community, sports or school tocomplete online application atwww.naccho.org.au/sportshealthyfutures

How you can donate?NACCHO recently launched a powerful

Health & Sports App that, among manyother features, will allow you to:

l Make secure credit card donations tothe Sports Healthy Futures program

l Access instant receipts delivered toyour device – no more hassles at tax time! We would welcome your support,

donation or participation in this excitingproject.

One goal, 1000 balls!AFL great MichaelO’Loughlin with

the new NACCHOSports App.

naccho health newspaper

Documents

state ofaboriginal health

health gainsachieved

shared electronichealth

justin mohamed

controlledhealth services

choice ofhealth care

risk of overtreatment

ehealth recordshave