Working towards a 10-Year Aboriginal Health Plan: the Centre for Aboriginal Health initiatives
Geraldine Wilson A C and Jessica Stewart BA Centre for Aboriginal Health, NSW Ministry of Health
B Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health
C Corresponding author. Email: gwils@doh.health.nsw.gov.au
NSW Public Health Bulletin 23(4) 56-57 https://doi.org/10.1071/NB12067a
Published: 13 June 2012
The Centre for Aboriginal Health within the NSW Ministry of Health is responsible for policy development and strategic planning aimed at improving the health of Aboriginal people in NSW. The work of the Centre is guided by both national and NSW policies. In 2007, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a partnership between all levels of government with the aim of addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health disadvantage through the National Indigenous Reform Agreement (NIRA).1 The Agreement includes objectives, outcomes, outputs, performance indicators and performance benchmarks agreed to by COAG, and links to other national agreements such as the $1.58 billion National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes.2 The NSW Government committed $180.38 million over 4 years towards this agreement, to be implemented through the Centre for Aboriginal Health, including coordinating the delivery of a range of initiatives involving Local Health Districts, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council NSW (AH&MRC).
In 2011 the NSW Government released NSW 2021,3 a state plan in which priority health issues and targets for achieving improvements to Aboriginal health are identified. Also in 2011, the NSW Government committed to the development of a 10-year Aboriginal health plan for NSW which the Centre for Aboriginal Health, in partnership with the AH&MRC, is developing through statewide consultations.
To meet these policy commitments, the Centre for Aboriginal Health works in partnership with other NSW Ministry of Health branches to ensure statewide policies and programs meet the needs of Aboriginal people, including the Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Service, and the Chronic Care for Aboriginal People program (both of which are highlighted in this special edition) as well as programs that target tobacco, injury, workforce, housing and oral health. The Centre also develops specific Aboriginal health policies and programs needed to address gaps in the system that may not be the clear responsibility of other branches.
The following six short reports describe programs that address health promotion, family health, ear health, chronic disease, and improving data quality in both NSW hospitals and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. These examples highlight different strategies used for engaging with the health system, including:
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Strategic policy development: The NSW Health Aboriginal Family Health Strategy4 and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Origin – Recording of information of patients and clients (Policy Directive 2005–547)5
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Specific program funding for priority areas: Health promotion program in Local Health Districts, the Chronic Care Service Enhancement Program in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, and population health Ear Health program
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Research funding to develop evidence: Improving identification of Aboriginal patients and the cultural competency of the health workforce in NSW hospitals.
Identifying the suitability and effectiveness of these different strategies for achieving health gains in different areas will be important for the implementation of the 10-year Aboriginal health plan. Strategic policy and effective monitoring and accountability systems will be of increasing importance as responsibility for achieving Aboriginal health gains is further devolved to Local Health Districts. The coordination of statewide programs that specifically target equity issues across the health system for meeting the needs of Aboriginal people will also remain critical for developing evidence of best practice. The implementation of the same program in more than one Local Health District, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service or community provides opportunities for rigorous evaluation to determine the effectiveness of the program in improving health service delivery and health outcomes. The evidence produced can then be used to inform programs across NSW.
The Centre for Aboriginal Health continues to work to create opportunities to close the gap in health between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people by working in partnership with the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and Local Health Districts. This collection of reports describes progress being made in addressing key Aboriginal health issues in NSW.
References
[1] Council of Australian Governments. National Indigenous Reform Agreement. Canberra: COAG; 2008. Available at: http://www.facs.gov.au/sa/indigenous/progserv/ctg/Pages/NIRA.aspx (Cited 7 February 2012).[2] Council of Australian Governments. National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes. 1 July 2009. Available at: http://www.coag.gov.au/intergov_agreements/federal_financial_relations/docs/national_partnership/NP_closing_the_Gap_indigenous_health_outcomes.pdf (Cited 7 February 2012).
[3] NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. NSW 2021. A plan to make NSW number one. Sydney: NSW Government; 2011.
[4] Health NSW. Aboriginal Family Health Strategy 2011–2016. Responding to family violence in Aboriginal communities. Sydney: Centre for Aboriginal Health; 2011. Available at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2011/aboriginal_family_health_.html (Cited 5 December 2011).
[5] NSW Health. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Origin – Recording of information of patients and clients (PD 2005–547). Available at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/pd/2005/pdf/PD2005–547.pd (Cited 27 March 2012).
