Category Archives: Affiliates news

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Contact
Colin Cowell
media@naccho.org.au
Tel 02 6246 9309
Mobile 0401 331 251

May 13 2013

NACCHO accreditation resource:RACGP Standards set to assist Aboriginal community controlled health services

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Pictured Sarah Paterson (left) and Aislinn Martin (right) presenting the first copy of RACGP Standards to NACCHO CEO Lisa Briggs here in Canberra

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) are proud to launch the

New Interpretive guide to the RACGP Standards set to assist Aboriginal community controlled health services Interpretive guide to the RACGP Standards for general practice (4th edition) for Aboriginal community controlled health services (‘Interpretive guide’).

DOWNLOAD PDF

A companion document to the RACGP’s current Standards for General Practices (4th edition) (‘the Standards’), the Interpretive guide aims to assist Aboriginal community controlled health services to meet the requirements for accreditation against the RACGP standards and to apply quality measures to their everyday practice.

The RACGP and NACCHO acknowledge the efforts made by the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS), across Australia, to obtain RACGP accreditation, an important step towards achieving the best possible health outcomes for patients.

The Interpretive guide explains the Standards in a meaningful way for Aboriginal community controlled health services by taking into account their context, culture and service delivery models.

Associate Professor Brad Murphy, Chair of the RACGP National Faculty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, acknowledges that Aboriginal community controlled health services are committed to achieving RACGP and other forms of accreditation, and this new resource aims to assist in identifying the relevance of the Standards to their own health services and communities.

“Thanks to the highly effective collaboration that took place between the RACGP and NACCHO, as well as its state and territory affiliates, we are proud to jointly launch a significant piece of work that will contribute to ongoing quality and safety improvements in the health services delivered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” A/Prof Murphy said.

By applying the Standards to individual practices, GPs, Aboriginal Health Workers and their practice teams ensure the provision of high quality, safe and contemporary primary healthcare is delivered to all Australians.

“Achieving accreditation demonstrates that a practice has been assessed as having reached defined standards of excellence in safety and quality in primary healthcare. This should be a matter of great pride to the practice itself, its patients and the community,” said A/Prof Murphy.

Justin Mohamed the Chair of NACCHO on behalf of all the 150 members throughout Australia thanked the RACGP for the highly effective collaboration that has taken place between the two peak bodies to produce such an important resource

Both the Interpretive guide and Standards are available to all College stakeholders

as either a downloadable PDF

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Trish Jean NACCHO National Quality and Accreditation Officer (left) checking out the new site

and also via an interactive and topic searchable web resource on the RACGP website

About the RACGP

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is Australia’s largest professional general practice organisation and represents urban and rural general practitioners. We represent over 21,500 members working in or towards a career in general practice and are proud that over 19,300 Australian-registered general practitioners have chosen to be a member of the College. There are over 125 million general practice consultations taking place annually in Australia. Visit

http://www.racgp.org.au. The RACGP recognises the traditional custodians of land and sea, on whose lands we work and live. We wish to pay our respects to all Traditional Owners and Elders past, present and future.

May 6 2013

NACCHO promotion:Affordable Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Aboriginal Health Workers

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If purchased before the 24th of May nurses and AHWs can get all of their CPD requirements for 2013 (required by most 30 May) and 2014 !

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 Contact AMSED to register now!

Infection Control in Primary Health Care

Amsed 2

This tutorial details what standard precautions are and when and how to implement them. It is suitable for all health care workers and is based on the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare, 2010.

Managing Difficult or Challenging Behaviours in the Primary Health Care Environment

AMsed 3

Inappropriate verbal or physical behaviours can be distressing for clients and staff, so it is important that health care professionals are able to assess such behaviours and can rapidly implement an effective management plan.

Tobacco Use – Preventive Health Care

cigarette

Smoking is a major cause of death and disease in Australia. This tutorial aims to help health care workers to encourage and assist people who want to stop using tobacco. It examines smoking as a public health issue and a major risk factor for preventable disease and death, explains why it is so addictive and harmful, and looks at a range of smoking cessation interventions.

Legal Issues in Health Care

This tutorial discusses tort law and how the law of negligence relates to the health care profession and practice. The laws governing medical negligence have evolved over time and continue to be substantially common law.

Hundreds of people are now using AMSED for all of their staff – it’s compliant, easy, fun to use and users are loving it!

*20 employees or more

Contact AMSED to register now!

May 6 2013

NACCHO health news:More action needed on alcohol misuse among Aboriginal people in Ceduna SA

The CEO of the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA), Mrs Mary Buckskin (pictured above)  has called for more action to address the problem of alcohol misuse among Aboriginal people in the Ceduna area in the far west of South Australia.

“AHCSA supported the findings and recommendation of the 2011 report of the State Coroner following the inquest into a number of alcohol-related deaths in the area,” she said.

“We are pleased that some of the recommendations have been implemented. In particular, the expansion of the sobering-up shelter managed by Ceduna-Koonibba Aboriginal Health Service is clearly better meeting the need.”

However, Mrs Buckskin stressed that much more must be done, as clearly problems persist. “There is a need for a more strategic approach involving Aboriginal communities and their organisations in Ceduna and surrounding areas, as well as Yalata and Oak Valley.

“Currently, some actions taken by some agencies are ad hoc rather than being part of an overall strategy, and are not necessarily helping the problem.

“There is no single magic bullet to address it. What is required is a range of strategies developed with appropriate consultation, and introduced in a coordinated way.

“We need strategies to reduce the availability of alcohol; we need strategies to ensure that people with alcohol problems have access to health services where they can be properly assessed and offered treatment; we need appropriate rehabilitation services for individuals and families,” Mrs Buckskin said.

She added that people who have alcohol-related brain damage need to be properly assessed and provided with appropriate services.

“Above all, it must be recognised that the people at most risk of alcohol-related harm or death come from the communities further west. A comprehensive strategy to deal with alcohol problems in the Ceduna area must include supporting people to return to their country and ensuring that the communities concerned are adequately resourced to support this happening.

“While this will require significant resources, in the long run a coordinated comprehensive strategy will save lives and money. And this is really an issue of human dignity,” Mrs Buckskin said.

The Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc. (AHCSA) is the peak body representing Aboriginal community controlled health and substance misuse services, and Aboriginal health advisory committees across South Australia. AHCSA is an affiliate of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.

ENDS. For further information contact: Mrs Mary Buckskin, Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Inc., 08 8273 7200.

Apr 26 2013

NACCHO tribute :Aboriginal Health Council of SA in ANZAC DAY tributes

 CEO Mary Buckskin thanks Board Member Les Kropinyeri

CEO Mary Buckskin thanks Les Kropinyeri

$1 million has been fundraised to erect a Memorial for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia at the Torrens Parade Ground in South Australia.

“When Australia went to war, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people went to war voluntarily to fight for our own country,” said Corporal Les Kropinyeri, returned serviceman and Board Member of the Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people used Afghan names or any other name to enlist as service men and women.

“We didn’t have to go to war – we wanted to go to war to fight for our country and to protect what we have for all Australians,” Les Kropinyeri said.

This is the story that is often unheard – the story of our Indigenous Australians who numbered in their thousands to fight for freedom.

According to Reconciliation Australia, over 3,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women enlisted in World War II and over 800 are known to have served in World War I. The true number is likely to be much higher. There are up to 7,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander veterans and war widows in the Australian community today, and more than 800 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians currently serve with distinction in the Australian Defence Forces.

Les Kropinyeri who went into the Defence Force in April 1967, served in Vietnam from 1968-69 in the 9th Batallion of the Royal Australian Regiment, five months before the end of his voluntary 2-year national service.

He recalls the infantry, ‘Charlie Company’, where he was in charge of a section of men within the 7th Platoon, comprising ten in all, including a rifle section, a gun section and forward scouts.  Les Kropinyeri was a Section Commander and proud of it.

Les Kropinyeri has since served his community and all Australians well including as a Board Member of the Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc.

Chairperson of the Council Mr John Singer pays particular respect on behalf of the Board to Les Kropinyeri and his fellow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service men and women on this ANZAC Day, 25 April 2013.

Led by Sir Eric Neale, $1 million has been fundraised to erect a Memorial for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia at the Torrens Parade Ground in South Australia. Les Kropinyeri says this is a first because most other states have only erected memorials for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of their own states.

A Committee was formed comprising retired, non-active service men and service women including Les Kropinyeri, Gill Green, Frank Clarke, Francis Lampard (Deputy Chairperson), Marj Tripp (Chairperson), Bill Hignett, Bill Denny, Mike Mummery, Garth Dodd (representing Janine Haynes), Elaine Lomas, Lowitja O’Donoghue, Rossalyn Cox, Mark Waters, Eunmi Parke, Ian Smith, and Barry Forrest. This Committee decided to record all the names of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia who served on any war, and the list is growing.

Names have been gathered from everywhere with Elders Groups being the main contributors. “There will be a roll somewhere in time when we have completed the list,” said Les Kropinyeri.

Considering the funds raised through Sir Eric Neale, it was decided to erect a Memorial and now the Committee is concentrating on completing the bronze statues of male and female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who served in the wars. It is expected that the Memorial will be unveiled in November 2013.

The Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc. would like to honour Les Kropinyeri and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander veterans on this ANZAC Day 2013. Mr John Singer, Chairperson said, “We are suitably proud of Les Kropinyeri and his fellow returned service men and women, and the fact that they voluntarily fought for our country and freedom.”

The Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc. (AHCSA) is the peak body representing Aboriginal community controlled health and substance misuse services, and Aboriginal health advisory committees across South Australia. AHCSA is an affiliate of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.

ENDS. For further information contact: Mrs Mary Buckskin, Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Inc., 08 8273 7200.

Apr 17 2013

NACCHO COAG press release:Aboriginal health relies on COAG this Friday to Close the Gap

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The ability to improve shocking Aboriginal life expectancy rates is at risk while COAG delays discussions on the National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes, said the peak Aboriginal health organisation today.

 Justin Mohamed, Chair of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) the national authority in comprehensive health care, said COAG must include the Agreement on the agenda for Friday’s meeting. 

DOWNLOAD NACCHO press release here

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Please note :How can you ask your state Premier or territory Chief Minister to support Close the Gap SEE LINK BELOW

 “To close the gap in life expectancy of 17 years was the core commitment of the Australian Government and Opposition in the Close the Gap Statement of Intent.” Mr Mohamed said.

 “Five years ago all state and territory governments also signed up to the Close the Gap statement of intent which would see this appalling statistic reduced by 2030

“Since then we have made some advances and invested in Aboriginal community controlled health services (ACCHO,s)which is starting to have an impact.

“But we can’t stop now. Aboriginal health is not a quick fix – it requires a long-term commitment by all levels of government.

“We must continue to build on the great work being done by the 150 Aboriginal community controlled health services around the country that are making inroads in our communities and making a real difference to their health.

“ACCHO’s  are best placed to provide culturally appropriate primary health care and need support to continue and expand their service delivery. 

“COAG must make the National Partnership Agreement a priority at Friday’s meeting”

Mr Mohamed said many quality and effective programs were at risk if COAG delayed any longer.

“It is unacceptable that Aboriginal people who rely on health programs funded through the agreement don’t know if they will still be there come July,” Mr Mohammed said.

NACCHO is calling on COAG to show continued commitment to the Close the GAP agreement

How can you ask your state Premier or territory Chief Minister to support Close the Gap?

All Australian governments have committed to Close the Gap through the COAG process and the National Indigenous Reform Agreement.
 
The development of the Closing the Gap policy platform to back up this commitment set the foundations to meet this generational target.Ask your State Premier or Chief Minister to publicly commit to renewing investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality.
 

Write a letter with this template

ACTIVATE your letter automatically

Dear Premier

The commitment to close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people by 2030 was a watershed moment for the nation.

All Australian governments have committed to this important national priority through the COAG process and the National Indigenous Reform Agreement. The development of the Closing the Gap policy platform to back up this commitment set the foundations to meet this generational target.  Thank you for your government’s commitment to this national priority.

More than 185,000 Australians, have signed the close the gap pledge and last year alone more than 130,000 Australians attended 850 events on National Close the Gap Day. In a country as wealthy as Australia, it is unacceptable that a baby born to an Indigenous mother can expect to live between 10 and 17 years less than a baby born to a non-Indigenous mother, or die before the age of four at between two  and three times the rate of non-Indigenous children.
That is why I believe that now is the time to build on the foundations in place and continue the necessary investment to close the gap.

I therefore ask that you publicly commit to renewing investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality through:

- Committing to invest in the renewal of the National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes which expires on June 30, with your state funding maintained at least at the level allocated to the current Agreement
- Committing to invest in the delivery of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan due for completion later this year

This year the number of National Close the Gap Day (March 21st) events has again grown to over 900 right around Australia; these events show continuing and growing support for the goal of closing the life expectancy gap by 2030. The message at these events was that it is critical to continue to invest in closing the gap programs.

I trust that you and your government will continue to play your part in this national effort and look forward to your response to my letter.

Apr 12 2013

NACCHO health report: NT debate mandatory rehabilitation for treatment for alcohol dependant persons

 alcoholbottles

In response to the NT Governments press release April 12

BOLD NEW PLAN FOR TREATING PROBLEM DRUNKS (full release below)

AMSANT the NACCHO affiliate in the NT has provided the following report and in COMMENTS below is their response press release

 A Report into the Effectiveness of Civil Commitment in the Treatment of Alcoholism, and its Suitability for Implementation the Northern Territory

Alcohol and Australian Communities

Download full report here

Alcohol plays a significant role in the way of life for many Australians, with people drinking for enjoyment, to socialise and celebrate.

Unfortunately, as a nation with a high per capita consumption of alcohol, it is perhaps also unsurprising that alcoholism has created major problems in Australia. Alcoholism is a multi-faceted issue. Not only does alcohol abuse have devastating effects on its consumer, it also poses serious threats to the individual’s community.

Alcoholism is a significant contributor towards a number of long and short term health problems, as well as socio-economic issues in society.

With the second highest per capita consumption rates in the world, alcoholism is especially detrimental in the Northern Territory. Shockingly enough, with an average of 14.6 litres per NT resident aged 15 years and above, the PCAC (Per Capita per Alcohol Consumption) rate of the Northern Territory is almost five litres higher than the national figure.

As a result, minimising alcohol related harm and anti-social behaviour is a high priority for the NT government.  Despite the achievements of many programs that have produced short term improvements, it is undeniable that alcoholism remains a large problem in the Northern Territory.

 The Proposal

 Recently, the Country Liberal Party has proposed a model of civil commitment for ‘problem drinkers’

Under the planned scheme, if a person is arrested for being drunk three times within a six month period, they will become subject to an order that will require compliance with a voluntary rehabilitation program.

If the individual fails to complete the program (thus breaching the order) they will be guilty of the offence of having breached the order. If found guilty of the breach, they will face a mandatory sentence of 3 months in a rehabilitation centre

 The centres, famously promoted as a ‘world first’, and ‘one of the best tools for combatting alcohol abuse in the Territory’, have been met with considerable opposition

Many have labelled the policy as ‘dangerous’, with the potential to kill dependant users through for example, the effects of further traumatisation on mental health, rather than rehabilitation

Current Australian civil commitment laws, upon which the proposal will likely be based, have been strongly criticised on a number of ethical, moral and legal grounds

 Many have argued that  is not an ethical process, and should not be implemented unless it has been proven to be highly beneficial for subjects of the treatment.

Civil commitment legislation from Victoria and New South Wales have faced condemnation as they potentially breach numerous human rights, including those of liberty, freedom from arbitrary detention, least restrictive treatment and access to an acceptable appeals and review process As a consequence, there is also the risk that the legislation may breach the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

 This paper wishes to explore existing evidence from studies on both civil and forensic mandatory rehabilitation in order to evaluate if this is indeed an efficacious form of treatment for alcohol dependant persons, and if it would be appropriate to implement such a regime in the Northern Territory.

Given the lack of evidence for the effectiveness of civil commitment, the potentially significant impact that is will have upon the freedoms individuals, families and the community. it appears that it could be difficult to justify the proposal.

NT Government press release April 12

BOLD NEW PLAN FOR TREATING PROBLEM DRUNKS

Repeat problem drinkers will be required to undertake alcohol mandatory treatment under new legislation to be introduced at the next Parliamentary sittings by the Northern Territory Government.

 The landmark reform will require problem drunks to undergo a clinical assessment and referral to an Alcohol Mandatory Treatment Tribunal for recommendation to appropriate mandatory treatment.

 They will face up to 12 weeks of mandatory rehabilitation in centres located in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Nhulunbuy.

 Alcohol Rehabilitation Minister Robyn Lambley said the measures target problem drunks who are disrupting businesses, affecting local neighbourhoods and harming themselves.

 ”Territorians are fed up with the levels of anti-social behaviour and violence on the streets and they want their Government to implement real measures that work,” Mrs Lambley said.

 ”Every year, thousands of problem drinkers are picked up by police only to be placed in Police Protective Custody and then released back out on the street to continue drinking and anti-social behaviour.

 ”Our Mandatory Rehabilitation measures will ensure serial habitual drunks are off the streets and receiving meaningful treatment.”

 The measures proposed by Government include:

 Enshrining into law three Police Protective Custodies in two months as a trigger for referral into alcohol mandatory treatment

Start-up of an Alcohol Mandatory Treatment Tribunal to assess the suitability of problem drinkers for alcohol mandatory treatment and/or income management orders.

 At start-up, establishment of treatment centres in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Nhulunbuy.

 Phase two roll-out of additional capacity in Tennant Creek and the Tiwi Islands.

 In the initial implementation phase there will be up to 140 alcohol mandatory treatment places, increasing to 200 in coming years.

 When it is fully operational, up to 800 habitual drunks will undertake alcohol mandatory treatment every year.

 Treatment may include participation in therapeutic alcohol and drug treatment, chronic disease and other health management, life skills programs and work readiness as well as after care programs to assist people when they are discharged.

 It is proposed the Alcohol Mandatory Treatment Tribunal will have income management referral powers.

 ”I am speaking with rehabilitation service providers and am encouraged at their response to this innovative initiative,” Mrs Lambley said.

 ”Last year police placed more than 19,000 people in Protective Custody and of those, almost 3000 were repeat offenders.

 ”One drunk was placed in Protective Custody 117 times – this is clearly unacceptable and shows the deficiencies in supply side alcohol reduction measures like the ineffective Banned Drinker Register.

 ”Our new rehabilitation model will provide repeat problem drinkers with a real chance to break the cycle of alcohol abuse and harm.

 ”This is a significant commitment by the Northern Territory Government to work with health service providers to tackle the problems caused by alcohol within the community.

 ”It also gives value to the work done by police who become understandably frustrated with putting the same drunks in Protective Custody night after night.

 ”The Northern Territory has the highest per capita alcohol consumption in Australia, one-and-a-half times the national average.

 ”Studies show alcohol costs the Territory $642 million a year through hospitalisation costs, policing costs, courts and correctional services costs and loss of productive.

 ”Police statistics show 60 per cent of all assaults and 67 per cent of all domestic violence incidents involve alcohol.

 ”Our alcohol mandatory treatment policy, alongside our commitment to deliver an additional 120 police on the beat, the fast tracking of outstanding Alcohol Management Plans and residential rehabilitation programs ensures the Country Liberals Government has a comprehensive plan to get drunks off the streets.”

Apr 10 2013

NACCHO health news:For true primary healthcare and better outcomes, support Aboriginal community controlled healthcare

Selwyn B

Selwyn Button, CEO of the NACCHO affiliates QAIHC (Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council.) writes

As published this week in Melissa Sweet’s health blog that we highly recommend you follow

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Over the past few weeks, authorities have released a number of reports about the performance and expenditure of our national health system, and some of these relate directly to efforts aimed at improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

View reports here

This might seem a good thing on face value, as we need to know whether our efforts are making any difference, and where to direct resources in future to ensure ongoing outcomes.

But if this information is used without the appropriate context, it may be used as a means of reducing expenditure on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, in the name of creating ”efficiencies”.

This presents a significant risk for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, as we continue efforts in improving the health of our people, while remaining at the whim of Ministers and government officials who rely on this information to determine policy priorities and resource investments.

What is needed now is for governments to re-think how we analyse, interpret and use data to inform ongoing priorities, practice and future innovation.

Firstly, let’s take the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework report released in early 2013. and used as the main body of evidence for the Prime Minister’s Close the Gap Report card.

This report clearly demonstrated that the most significant gains in access to care and improvement of outcomes is and continues to be achieved through the national network of community controlled health services.

Upward of 75% of health improvements outlined in the report were directly attributed to the community controlled sector, and clearly justifies the increased investment into community controlled services as the most appropriate provider of healthcare for Indigenous people as they are making the best health gains.

Secondly, let’s consider the most recent Indigenous Expenditure report of 2012 produced by the Productivity Commission, that averages overall Medicare expenditure on Indigenous people as 60 cents in the dollar compared to the rest of the Australian population.

As many readers would be aware, Medicare was created as a safety net to ensure that all Australians get access to required care and benefits through quality primary health care services.

With community controlled services focused on providing comprehensive primary health care to our people, efforts in increasing access to an individual’s entitlements through Medicare can and will be best achieved by our organisations.

In spite of this data, we now have more recent releases stating the overall expenditure of the National health budget is 1.5 times greater for Indigenous people than the broader population.

Additionally, we have received further data stating that mortality rates for certain illnesses are only reducing by slight amounts and chronic diseases are still high placing burden upon the public health system.

Although much of this information is already 2 years old by the time it is released, it fails to identify why much of the burden is borne by secondary and tertiary public health systems, as access to comprehensive primary health care is still limited for our people nationally.

Consequently, when you don’t have access to quality primary health care, many of our people will present at secondary and tertiary facilities when their issues have escalated to a point where hospital is the last resort, requiring treatment for not only one health condition, but generally 2 or 3 issues.

Even though we have over 150 community controlled organisations across the country, our services do not exist in every corner of the nation, and fundamentally this would be impossible to achieve without enormous costs involved.

Alternatively, what we should be aiming to achieve is to have a strong community controlled presence providing quality care to our communities in all areas with populations greater than 900 residents focused on increasing access to comprehensive primary health care.

Why primary health care? Current and historical research by credible researchers have proven that the most effective means of delivering care and improving outcomes for Indigenous people is through community controlled services.

Health economists such as Professor Theo Vos and colleagues identified this in their work in assessing cost effectiveness of primary prevention activities across all health providers. This work clearly highlighted that compared with government-run, mainstream and private services, community controlled organisations achieve close to 50% better outcomes than other providers in delivering care to our own people.

Although this method was documented to be more expensive than other models, the focus on outcomes should not be lost, as the only variable included in his analysis that increased the overall expenditure against the model was transportation services for clients.

Due to the implementation of a comprehensive primary health care model, transport services are a core component and will always be included within the community controlled delivery of care, which does not diminish the model but does and will continue to achieve far greater outcomes.

Unfortunately, the notion of ‘If you build it he will come..’ only works for Kevin Costner in the movies, and does not work to improve health outcomes for our people.

With all this data now publicly available for all to review and analyse, we must hope that in determining future policy and funding priorities for Indigenous health care, consideration is given to understanding the context and reliablity of the information.

Importantly, there already exists some credible evidence that encapsulates comprehensive primary health care delivery into a set of core functions. This research was conducted and undertaken as a partnership between all healthcare providers, and should be the central component of any current and future policy debate about improving the health of Indigenous people, as it is widely accepted within the community controlled sector as the gold-standard in health service delivery for our people.

This work is the Core Functions of Primary Health Care in the Northern Territory, and with minimal adjustments to ensure local contexts are considered can and is applicable across all parts of the country. Utilising the Core Functions as a means to support improving outcomes goes a long way to encapsulate high quality service delivery standards with current data and information to ensure that we are all targeting the right priorities, through appropriate mechanisms.

This was not evident at start of the COAG investment to support overall Indigenous improvements, which saw over 65% of the entire $1.6B commitment channelled into mainstream and government-run service providers, as it was determined the most effective way to improve outcomes. Data was used showing that 70% of our people access care through government-run and mainstream services.

New data and information available now rebuts this myth that community controlled services have struggled with over the last 4 years.

Information now available within the community controlled sector shows that over 40% of Indigenous Queenslanders access care regularly through community controlled services, yet we are not in every part of the state.

With the end of the current Indigenous Health National Partnership Agreement set for 30 June 2013, we need to ensure that all of the relevant information and context is considered as part of ongoing discussions, policy setting and resource allocations to improve the health of our people.

Consequently, we are confident that this evidence will lead to what we have been seeking for many years – an increased investment in those services known to make a difference to the health of our people. That is community controlled organisations.

• Follow Selwyn Button on Twitter @qaihc

Apr 4 2013

NACCHO health news:AMSANT Kidney Action: It is all about life!

John Paterson AMSANT photo by Simon Hewson

John Paterson, CEO, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory

Speaking at the launch of Kidney Action Network, Alice Springs 14 March 2013

 We are here  to give one simple message: an absolute affirmation of life, and lives well lived with family and friends.

Kidney disease is increasingly affecting Australians – from Darwin to Hobart, from Perth to Sydney.

But, it is something that affects Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory – and in the traditional lands that lie just beyond our borders – at greater rates than anywhere else in the nation. In some areas, at greater rates than anywhere internationally.

And its impact is felt most acutely in our remote communities, where the social and cultural structures and everyday wellbeing of our communities depends on the presence of our old people – we need them to be present as long as possible.

So, when our old people are forced to move hundreds or thousands of kilometres away from kin and country, families get torn apart.

Families spend most of their time travelling out of their home communities to visit their loved ones in faraway places, and attending court cases and prison visit for their members who get caught up in problems when they are away in these faraway places.

Old people are the social and cultural glue which holds communities together – but many other people have died when they are young or middle aged.

The remaining old people are truly precious to everyone.

The recommendations of the Central Australian Renal Planning Study were supposed to be implemented so they could deal with these problems, but they have been ignored.

AMSANT is absolutely disgusted by the refusal of the state and Territory governments to engage with the key recommendations of the 2010 Central Australian Renal Planning Study.

The Commonwealth has shown some inclination to try and sort these problems out, but has been met with complete disinterest from the SA, WA and NT governments. These governments refuse to acknowledge the gravity and importance of the situation.

To put it bluntly, these governments are behaving irresponsibly, with little regard for the people they are elected to represent.

The state and Territory governments must begin to work sincerely with the Commonwealth and the community sector to engage in proper planning and provide the extra services and infrastructure that are essential for a fair deal for remote area kidney patients.

The SA and WA state governments must also begin to provide accommodation in Alice Springs for their clients who need to be here for health reasons.

The NT government must provide more accommodation for NT patients who have to live in its regional centres, including Tennant Creek, Nhulunbuy and Katherine, to receive dialysis services and while they are waiting for kidney transplants.

As I said a moment ago, today is about delivering a message about the preciousness of life. That is why the Kidney Action Network has been established: to put life at the front and centre of health policy here in the Northern Territory.

It is important to remember, that the partners who have joined in the Kidney Action Network see their work as part of a broader, comprehensive approach to health. We are not a “one disease at a time” movement; we recognise the full complexities of the social determinants of health.

Lives well lived, with families and friends, means having access to good primary health care, for all our people.

Mar 28 2013

NACCHO political alert:Aboriginal Community Controlled Health can make a difference

Selwyn B

Selwyn Button, CEO of the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) has welcomed these weeks’ findings

The release of Queensland’s version of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework report, and the Coalition of Australian Governments (COAG) release of Closing the Gap targets, further proves that good quality and comprehensive primary health care services, through community controlled organisations, supports communities in addressing Indigenous health needs.

The Australian Institute for Health and Welfare this week released jurisdictional versions of data and information gathered over the period 2001 – 2010.

Stemming from a range of providers across the health care industry aimed at addressing health concerns for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, these impacts were measured predominantly relating to secondary and tertiary care in hospital settings.

Selwyn Button, CEO of the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) has welcomed these weeks’ findings.

“This data and information clearly supports the notion that in order to make longlasting impacts upon the overall health of our communities, we must continue to focus our efforts in providing good quality comprehensive primary health care,” Mr Button said.

“Many of the issues identified, like Type 2 Diabetes, kidney disease and smoking related illnesses are all better managed when people are accessing care through their local community controlled service provider and getting access to early intervention, support and ongoing care.

“Although this data is now two years old, over the past three years there have been major improvements in the overall numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

people accessing services and undertaking comprehensive health assessments for health workers to know and understand what their ongoing care needs are,” Mr Button stated.

Although the report shows that there have been improvements in overall avoidable mortality rates, deaths relating to circulatory disease and infant mortality rates, there are still some concerns in ongoing management of chronic disease, smoking rates across communities and smoking during pregnancy.

“Importantly this data clearly demonstrates that in Queensland we are taking the issue of early detection, diagnosis and management very seriously,” Mr Button said.

“Recent Medicare data shows Queensland has accounted for more than one-third of national health checks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in recent years.

“Queensland has the second largest population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the country.

“Approximately forty per cent of this population access regular care through community controlled services,” Mr Button stated.

“Undertaking this exercise annually and improving these numbers enables community controlled services to get a clear understanding of our communities, families and individuals health needs.

“We get a clear understanding of what is required to meet this growing demand for services to support better care and management of chronic diseases.

“Capturing baseline evidence will provide much clearer indication of our community’s needs and challenges that are ahead for us to address.

“This data must be used wisely to determine new investments and allocation of resources supporting quality care and improving outcomes for our people,” Mr Button advised.

More than sixty five percent of the COAG announcement of $1.6 billion towards Close the Gap went to non-Indigenous and mainstream services. This was based on data at the time showing that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were primarily receiving care through GP services and government-run facilities.

The evidence in Queensland shows otherwise.

“We are seeing significant improvements in accessing care through community controlled services and we must ensure that we address the funding imbalance to support this work.” Mr Button said.

Selwyn Button is the CEO of QAIHC, the peak body representing the Community Controlled Health Sector in Queensland at both a state and national level.

Media Enquiries: Judi Jabour, Campaign Capital, 0412 402 946.

Mar 28 2013

NACCHO member good news alert:A new beginning for Dubbo Aboriginal Community Controlled Health

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Aboriginal health services return to Aboriginal Community control with the opening of the Interim Dubbo Aboriginal Medical Service

27 March 2012 – Sydney: The Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of New South Wales (AH&MRC) and the Bila Muuji Aboriginal Health Service have formed a Coalition to support the re-establishment of Aboriginal health services in Dubbo following the closure of Thubbo Aboriginal Medical Co-op Ltd (Thubbo AMS) in 2012.

 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) in the region are concerned about the Dubbo Aboriginal Community’s ability to access culturally appropriate primary health care.

The Coalition was formed to provide interim services to Aboriginal people in Dubbo while also working with the Community towards the long-term goal of establishing a viable ACCHS in Dubbo that is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of the local Aboriginal Community.

 The Interim Dubbo Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) will open at 211 Brisbane Street in coming weeks and will soon be taking bookings for GPs to start providing clinics three days per week.

 “Restoring access to high-quality, culturally appropriate primary health care in Dubbo, which is delivered by Aboriginal health services from the region, has been our first priority,” said Ms Sandra Bailey, CEO of the AH&MRC.

 “The AH&MRC is leading this Coalition to assist the Community with the eventual development of a new Community Controlled Health Service and will coordinate ongoing services in the interim. Bila Muuji has already responded quickly to restore access and primary health care services in the area,” Ms Bailey said.

 The Interim Dubbo AMS is located right in the centre of Dubbo and is close to public transport. A toll free hotline has been set up to assist with patient enquires, bookings and concerns. The hotline can be reached on 1800 999 444.

 The Interim Dubbo AMS will be open to new clients as well as people who previously attended Thubbo AMS. Thubbo AMS patients who do not wish to access the new service can choose to have their medical records transferred to a health service of their choice by contacting the hotline number listed above.

 The establishment of the Interim Dubbo AMS has been supported at Community meetings of the Dubbo Aboriginal Community and also has the endorsement of the Dubbo Aboriginal Community Working Party (DACWP).

 The Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) also supports this strategy to re-establish culturally appropriate services in Dubbo. “The Government is committed to the concept of Aboriginal community control for the provision of health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people wherever possible,” said a spokesperson from DoHA.

 The AH&MRC will continue to provide information about the ongoing development of the Interim Dubbo AMS as the service gets up and running and grows to meet the local Aboriginal Community’s health needs. Further consultation will take place to ensure there are opportunities for Community input.

 “We are committed to working together as a team to support the ultimate goal of re-establishing Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in Dubbo as a matter of priority,” said Ms Bailey.

 The Interim Dubbo Aboriginal Medical Service can contacted on 1800 999 444 for clinic appointments and health enquiries.

For all media enquiries please contact Adam Stuart on (02) 9212 4777.

 About the Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council of NSW

The Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council of New South Wales (AH&MRC) is the peak representative body and voice of Aboriginal communities on health in NSW. The AH&MRC represents its members, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs), which deliver culturally appropriate comprehensive primary health care to their communities.

 Aboriginal Community Control has its origins in Aboriginal people’s right to self-determination. The AH&MRC is governed by a Board of Directors who are Aboriginal people elected by our members on a regional basis and represents, supports and advocates for our members and their communities on Aboriginal health issues at state and national levels.

 For more information about the AH&MRC please visit our website at www.ahmrc.org.au or contact Matthew Rodgers, Media and Communications Officer, at mrodgers@ahmrc.org.au or (02) 9212 4777.

  Acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which the Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council operates and respecting all Elders past and present.