Issue 7, June 2009
Welcome
My last communiqué was just before the launch of our new premises which was held in conjunction with the first full board meeting of 2009 on 25 March. The launch was a special event and I would like to thank everyone who attended to join in the celebrations with us.
Since then, AHCSA has continued to be very busy with program delivery, securing new programs and responding to media announcements.
Additional funding was released last week for Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Care (AMIC) and AHCSA is pleased to announce that we were the recipient. The official signing of the Agreement was held on 9 June 2009 at AHCSA between AHCSA Chairperson Ms Yvonne Buza and Country Health SA CEO Mr George Belchev.
The AMIC Agreement provides $155,530 over two years for AHCSA to facilitate the delivery of Certificate IV Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care Practice with ‘AMIC’ electives. This qualification allows for a distinct career path into Midwifery.
I am also pleased to announce that Dr David Scrimgeour, AHCSA’s Public Health Medical Officer was named on the Queens Birthday Honours List on Monday 8 June. David will receive an Order of Australia (AM) from the Governor in September for service to medicine through the development and delivery of services and programs in remote Indigenous communities and to public health research.
David is an extremely worthy recipient and I congratulate him on behalf of staff, the Board of Management, and community members. He has demonstrated a long term commitment to Aboriginal health and is well respected amongst our members. We are pleased to have him as a staff member of the Aboriginal Health Council of SA.
There’s lots more news to follow which I hope you will enjoy reading.
If you have any queries about CEO Communiqué, please contact Mandy Green or Angela Francisco on (08) 8132 6700, mandy.green@ahcsa.org.au
Kind Regards
Mary Buckskin
Chief Executive Officer
New ABS Data Not Applicable to SA
One of the main issues which AHCSA responded to recently in the media and for which I was interviewed on ABC TV was the release of data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics stating that the life expectancy gap for Indigenous men is now 11.5 years lower than for non-Indigenous men and for Indigenous women 9.7 years lower than non-Indigenous women.
Not only is AHCSA concerned by the experimental nature of this data but also that SA statistics were not included nor were data from VIC, ACT & TAS and yet it was still released to the public. To read the media release, please click here.
In the interview with ABC TV, I highlighted that life expectancy gap is only one of many measures used to highlight the continuing disadvantage of Aboriginal people. Death and funerals are a constant in our lives, often with no time for recovery from one loss to another.
NACCHO Chairperson Dr Mick Adams also raised concerns about the inadequate and inconsistent ways that data is used to inform Aboriginal mortality and that we need to be conscious that quality of life is also important.
Ironically, the data was released during Reconciliation Week and I questioned what message this sent to our communities and the public. A false message that implies life is not so bad for Aboriginal people will undo some of the good work that the Close the Gap Campaign has achieved in the last two years. AHCSA will continue to monitor this issue and respond appropriately.
Close the Gap
AHCSA recently signed a contract with Oxfam SA for $30,000 to consult with AHCSA members. A workshop is scheduled for July.
CCRE ‘Mapping the Journey’
The CCRE publication ‘Mapping the Journey’ is almost complete and will be available by the end of June. A proposal for funding is currently being developed for an ongoing Sector Research Support Officer position, a key focus of which will be to support AHCSA members in research.
Why Smoking is a Silent Deadly Killer
AHCSA’s Tobacco Control Project Officer Harold Stewart delivered the presentation ‘Why Smoking is a Silent Deadly Killer’ to staff at the Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service and Pika Wiya Aboriginal Health Service in February. He also visited Pangula Mannamurna Health Service, Umoona Tjutagku Health Service, Oak Valley Health Service, Tullawon Health Service, Ceduna/Koonibba Health Service and the Flinders and Far North Division of GPs with Dr David Scrimgeour in March 2009.
A new advisory group ‘Puyu Wiya’ (‘No Smoking’) has been established with key stakeholders from Quit SA, Drug & Alcohol Services SA, and the Aboriginal Health Division. The group will advise AHCSA on Aboriginal priorities for Tobacco cessation activities in SA such as the Smokecheck program.
Education & Training
Thirty-five candidates have enrolled in Certificate III Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care and a further 60 have enrolled in Certificate IV. Many of these students are completing the ‘bridging program’ to gain the competencies of the ‘new’ Certificate III. Trainers are currently engaged in a Recognition process with students across the state.
From May to November, students will travel to AHCSA to undertake refresher training in clinical skills. AHWs with the old Certificate III qualification will upgrade skills to include the additional clinical competencies the new Certificate III.
The Education and Training Team is also delivering Certificate IV Training and Assessment to candidates from SA, WA and VIC. By August 2009 there will be 11 graduates from this course.
Fifteen students have enrolled in Certificate IV Indigenous Research Capacity Building and another 15 will enrol part-time to undertake a cluster of units.
GPET State Affiliates Meeting
Representatives from five NACCHO State/Territory Affiliates met recently to discuss progress of various initiatives, gain a clearer understanding of the GPET Training Post Accreditation process, review the strategic planning, action planning and reporting templates, and share ideas.
Indigenous Health Training
GPET currently has a substantial amount of funding for IHT projects and has sent out an Expressions of Interest for projects. The projects that would be looked on most favourably are collaborative initiatives between State/Territory Affiliates and Regional Training Posts.
Public Health
An AHCSA Public Health Network has been formed with representatives from all ACCHSs in SA which meets monthly via teleconference. The second Public Health Workshop was held in April in Adelaide.
A Sexual Health Co-ordinator has been appointed to provide support for improved sexual health services with an initial focus on the development of a co-ordinated STI screening program.
Dr David Scrimgeour is currently developing a Trachoma Eradication Strategy for SA in association with all relevant ACCHSs and the AHCSA Eye Health Co-ordinator. This follows a workshop held in April to discuss development of the strategy.
David is also assisting services with development of pandemic influenza preparedness plans, investigating models for improved access to dental services within ACCHSs, and is forming a network of agencies to develop strategies to attract GPs to work in ACCHSs in SA.
Good Medicines Better Health Pilot
The pilot phase of the Good Medicines Better Health project will be complete on 30 June 2009.
The evaluation findings will determine a way forward and the development of a model for the national roll out of the ‘Train the Trainer’ package.
The partners (AHCSA, NACCHO and NPS) are currently discussing the resources required to ensure implementation and sustainability of the program at a national level.
ATSIHRTONN
The ATSIHRTONN website is nearing completion and will be launched in the next week – see www.atsihrtonn.com.au
From 25-26 June, the national Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Qualification implementation workshop will be held at the new Aboriginal Health College in NSW.
In response to the Australian Government’s recent COAG announcement of an Indigenous Health National Partnership, ATSIHRTONN members and secretariat have completed a discussion paper for DoHA outlining how Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health RTOs are in the best position to train the future Aboriginal health workforce.
The ATSIHRTONN Secretariat is currently considering the national rollout of the Good Medicines Better Health project and its implications for members, and exploring possibilities within SAMSIS and NCVER regarding RTO data and information management.
AHCSA News
The next AHCSA News will be out in July. If you do not currently receive a copy and would like to be added to the distribution list, please email amanda.mitchell@ahcsa.org.au or call (08) 8272 7300.
Further Information
If you would like further information on any of the above stories, please email mandy.green@ahcsa.org.au or phone (08) 8272 7300.
Disclaimer
CEO Communiqué is copyright to the Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc. (AHCSA). No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the Chief Executive Officer of AHCSA. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that the information contained in this newsletter is accurate, errors and omissions may occur. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, we apologise for any inconvenience caused and ask that you click the unsubscribe link below.
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