Evaluation of the First Strategic Plan for Aboriginal Health in South Western Sydney, 1993-98

Abstract

The 1993-98 Aboriginal Health Strategic Plan for South Western Sydney represented the first partnership of its kindbetween an Area Health Service, local Aboriginal Health Workers and the local Aboriginal Community ControlledHealth Service in Australia. During 1998, an evaluation of the plan was undertaken as part of the preparation forthe second Aboriginal Health Plan. Of the 45 strategies in the first plan, 38% had been fully implemented, 42% hadbeen partly implemented, and 20% were not implemented at all. This paper discusses the importance of datacollection and monitoring systems, the integration of Aboriginal health into mainstream services, the furtherdevelopment of Aboriginal health infrastructure, and continued leadership by senior managers.