South Australian peak body for Aboriginal health
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
On Wednesday 8 July 2009, Australia’s first Centre of Clinical Research Excellence (CCRE) in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health will launch the findings of the five-year inaugural project at the Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc., 9 King William Road, Unley, at 1.30pm.
The launch comes on the back of the Australian Government’s announcement last week that almost $15 million has been awarded for six new CCREs and that there are still unacceptable disparities in outcomes for Indigenous and other Australians as revealed in the 4th COAG Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage report.
CCRE Chairperson Yvonne Buza said their report ‘Mapping the Journey’ explains how Australia’s first CCRE came into existence, how it was established and its key work, providing important lessons for how to make solid improvements in Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage.
Ms Buza further said, “Additional investment in CCREs comes at a crucial time. I am concerned that the outcomes for Aboriginal Australians on a wide range of social indicators are not showing the kind of clear improvement that should be happening in a country as rich as Australia.”
The inaugural CCRE was the result of a five year partnership between the Aboriginal Health Council of SA (AHCSA) and Flinders University, involved several Aboriginal Health Services in regional South Australia, and was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Ms Buza said “The focus of the partnership was to improve the health of Aboriginal people by conducting quality research and to build the capacity of the Aboriginal community controlled health sector to be actively involved in, and determining, such research – which would progress the long-held demands of Aboriginal people for self- determination.
“I am conscious that a critical issue in relation to Aboriginal health data is the importance and recognition of Aboriginal people and their organisations in producing, using and managing such data.
“We hope that our experience will promote Aboriginal controlled structures and processes in health data systems, and more partnerships in health data and research systems. To achieve this requires developing more Aboriginal people with research skills and experience,” said Ms Buza.
The collaboration between AHCSA and Flinders University highlights the importance of continuing to invest in developing the research and evaluation skills of the Aboriginal community controlled health sector in Australia, and conducting research into managing and preventing chronic conditions among Aboriginal people.
Ms Buza said, “The CCRE successfully built on relationships and research initiatives between various regional South Australian Aboriginal health organisations and health researchers from Flinders University.
“The CCRE also developed and delivered, for the first time in Australia, a Certificate IV in Indigenous Research Capacity Building; continued research into managing Aboriginal patients with long-term or chronic illnesses, and shared information with Aboriginal communities in South Australia”, Ms Buza said.
