Issue 9, December 2009
Welcome
AHCSA would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and safe and prosperous New Year.
This is our last Communiqué for 2009 and we hope you have enjoyed each edition. The end of the year is fast approaching and the pace is increasing to get work completed before the Christmas break. AHCSA will be closed for two weeks from Friday 18 December and will reopen on Monday 4 January 2010.
Our AGM and Board meeting has been rescheduled to Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 February 2010 in Adelaide at AHCSA. We would like to thank the AHCSA Board and member CEO’s for their continued support and dedication to AHCSA throughout the year.
AHCSA staff and board members attended the NACCHO AGM and board meeting in Darwin on 3-4 November in Darwin where Mr Justin Mohamed was elected as the new Chairperson. We would like to thank Dr Mick Adams for his support and commitment to Aboriginal health and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) whilst NACCHO Chairperson over the last two years and for the many years he has spent working in Aboriginal health. I am sure that he will continue his commitment to Aboriginal health.
Some other activities AHCSA is currently involved in are: reviewing the constitution; representation on the Spirit Festival Committee; liaising with CHSA on the transition of Pika Wiya Health Service, Ceduna/Koonibba Health Service and Nunyara Wellbeing Centre to Aboriginal community control; and reviewing the internal structure of AHCSA to accommodate expansion.
There’s a lot more news to follow which I hope you will enjoy reading.
If you have any queries about CEO Communiqué, please telephone Alison Hambour on
(08) 8273 7200 or email alison.hambour@ahcsa.org.au
Kind Regards
Mary Buckskin
Chief Executive Officer
New NACCHO Chairperson
Mr Justin Mohamed is a Gooreng Gooreng man from Bundaberg Queensland but has lived and worked with Victorian Aboriginal communities for the last 20 years.
In accepting the role, Mr Mohamed said, "We will be working closely with our members and their state and territory peak bodies to draw on their expertise, and their efficiency and effectiveness.
"We want to ensure our health services have the resources and confidence to address our community's health needs.
"We have seen over the years much needed funds diverted away from our sector so that in many parts of Australia our people have less rather than more control over their health.
"Our members want to complete the national framework agreement with the federal government and to again make NACCHO the undisputed national leader in Aboriginal health.
“I’d like to build on the previous Chair Dr Mick Adams’ work establishing the relationship with the Rudd government and hold it to the commitments they have made in the Close the Gap statement to properly resource Aboriginal community controlled health organisations."
Mr Mohamed will be supported by the new Deputy Chair Ms Glenda Humes from Bunbury West Australia.
For further information see New Chair Elected to Peak Aboriginal Health Body
Good Medicines Better Health
It is down to two States vying for the roll out of the Good Medicines Better Health program and SA is currently negotiating with the National Prescribing Service to be one of the States. Hopefully, funding will be available in January and AHCSA will start talking to SA ACCHSs and commence training as soon as possible. The resources will be printed in January and disseminated to services in February.
QUMAX
The Quality Use of Medicines Maximised for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (QUMAX) program has gained an extension until June 2011. This guarantees that patients can access co-pay relief on PBS prescriptions until the COAG co-pay relief scheme is operational, and also transport dose administration aids and Quality Use of Medicine resources until June 2011.
ATSIHRTONN
In 2009, the COAG announced funding increases to expand and strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Registered Training Organisations National Network (ATSIHRTONN) was funded by the Indigenous Health Workforce Section of the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) to conduct a needs analysis on the orientation, education and training of the new and existing Aboriginal health workforce.
The purpose was to identify education and training needs for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce across needs, education and training options, and also to assess RTO capacity to deliver this education and training for the new and existing workforce.
Nine recommendations were made and recently endorsed by the NACCHO Board. For further information about the recommendations or a copy of the final report, please telephone the ATSIHRTONN National Coordinator, Anna Leditschke on (08) 8273 7200 or email anna.leditschke@ahcsa.org.au
Accreditation
On 30 October, Nganampa Health received notice that they had been successful in achieving accreditation against the RACGP Standards through AGPAL. AHCSA would like to congratulate Nganampa Health for this achievement which enables them to promote the quality of their services with confidence. The accreditation reflects the high standards maintained by Nganampa Health over many years and is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of their staff. For further information see www.nganampahealth.com.au
AHCSA met with NACCHO and other Affiliates in December prior to participating in the first Indigenous Health Service Accreditation Implementation Group (IHSAIG) meeting which will focus on a review of the Establishing Quality Health Standards (EQHS) Commonwealth program. AHCSA will be using members feedback from the September Workshop to guide its input into this process.
For more information or assistance with accreditation please telephone Paul Ryan on (08) 8273 7200 or email paul.ryan@ahcsa.org.au
Puyu Wiya
TThe AHCSA Puyu Wiya Advisory Group is now advising the COAG State Implementation Action Group (IAG). A meeting was held at AHCSA with SA Health and DoHA to discuss priority regions for the new tobacco control positions being funded under the COAG tackling smoking initiative. Some of the funding will roll out in 2010 and will be provided up until 30 June 2013.
The Statewide Tobacco Control Coordinator has been nominated by NACCHO to be a representative on the DoHA Campaign Reference Group for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Chronic Disease – Social Marketing Program.
Education & Training
On Friday 20 November, 28 students graduated from the Certificate IV Training and Assessment and the Certificate IV Indigenous Research Capacity Building courses at The Rydges Hotel.
The students were presented with their Certificates from AHCSA Board Member Aunty Kathy Chisholm. AHCSA CEO Mary Buckskin spoke about the importance of study and personal development and the role AHCSA has in the development of Aboriginal Health Workers. All students praised the courses and the opportunity to study with AHCSA. Congratulation Leanne, Merridy and Graham from the Education & Training team.
The refresher training in clinical skills which started in May has now been completed. The course will continue next year in a different format. 15 students have been bridged to the new Certificate III qualification and 2 bridged to the new Certificate IV qualification.
Andrea Merrigan left the team in mid December to join CHSA on the Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Care training. Gilbert Rigney will join the team in mid January as the new Clinical Educator. Gilbert has worked for many years as an Aboriginal Health Worker in Mount Gambier and Pangula Mannamurna and will be a mentor to many young up and coming AHWs.
Public Health
A review of the Public Health Medical Officer (PHMO) program has recently been completed and recommended that funding be continued beyond the initial two year period which ended this year. Therefore, AHCSA’s PHMO Dr David Scrimgeour will continue to provide public health advice and support to AHCSA and member services.
Aboriginal Primary Health Care Workers Forum
At the last meeting in Adelaide on 25-26 November, the Forum was advised that some members will no longer represent their regions. AHCSA would like to thank these members for their participation and contribution to the Forum:
Mr Daryl Cameron - Hills Mallee Regional Health, Aboriginal Primary Health Care Unit
Mr Gilbert Rigney - Pangula Mannamurna Inc., Mount Gambier
Ms Lauren Peel - Tullawon Health Service, Yalata
The new representatives will be introduced at the next meeting in early 2010.
AHCSA News
The next AHCSA News will be out in early February 2010. If you do not currently receive a copy and would like to be added to the distribution list, please telephone Amanda Mitchell on (08) 8272 7300 or email amanda.mitchell@ahcsa.org.au
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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