Our work ahead
Queensland Health has made meaningful progress in shifting the health system towards achieving health equity. But the journey is far from over. This work is part of a long arc of First Nations strength, vision, and advocacy, grounded in generations of resilience and guided by a legacy that looks forward while honouring the past.
We remain committed to building a system that listens to, invests in, and is accountable to First Nations peoples. Our priority is to continue elevating First Nations voices across all levels of the health system to ensure it is not only culturally safe and capable, but also equitably resourced and governed.
Eliminating racism remains central to our efforts. Cultural safety must be embedded as core business, it is not an optional extra and it must be supported by accountability measures, community partnerships, and workforce reform.
We look forward to the findings of the health equity strategy review, which will help sharpen our collective focus and drive further improvements and continue the significant momentum we have established in Queensland.
Queensland Health will continue to focus on:
- increasing the representation and authority of First Nations leadership across the system
- embedding cultural safety as core practice, supported by policy, workforce reform and structures that enable accountability
- co-developing and implementing health equity strategies every 3 years across our 16 hospital and health services with First Nations peoples and communities
- strengthening partnerships with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health sector
- prioritising First Nations-led responses to mental health, suicide prevention, and social and emotional wellbeing
- securing structural reform through the next National Health Reform Agreement that enables equitable funding, governance and service delivery.
While gains have been made in life expectancy and healthy birthweight outcomes, the increasing rate of suicide among First Nations Queenslanders signals an urgent need for a different response.
We must have First Nations community-led care across the care continuum, from social and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention, to community mental health services and inpatient admission. Connection to culture and community is a protective and supportive factor for mental health and wellbeing.
It will be critical to strengthen investment in the health and wellbeing of children and young people – in the next generation of healthcare leaders, and the next generation of healthcare consumers. In Queensland, 45% of First Nations people are under the age of 19 years. Prioritising young people in health service planning and delivery is not only key to our Closing the Gap efforts, but it is a critical opportunity to invest in primary prevention and establish positive experiences with healthcare systems that will set the tone for health access through a child’s life. Investing in the health and wellbeing of children and young people will enable us to fulfill our responsibility to protect Queensland’s future cultural custodians.
In partnership with the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), we will continue to strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health sector, and advocate for sustainable, equitable funding.
The next National Health Reform Agreement presents an opportunity to deliver the structural and funding changes required across all parts of Australia’s health system needed to Close the Gap. We will keep pushing for a reform agenda that includes accountability for health equity and cultural safety. We will continue our support for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health sector to be recognised as an integral partners in the design, commissioning, and delivery of integrated care for and with First Nations people, and for investment or innovative funding models that enable First Nations-led integrated care pathways that we know will deliver equitable and better health outcomes.
Queensland Health remains committed to walking alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to build a system that is fair, responsive and culturally safe. This includes shaping policy and reform in ways that uphold the strength and aspirations of First Nations communities, creating equitable outcomes for future generations.
We need to endeavour to ensure that we:
- increase First Nations people in the system
- strengthen First Nations voices in the system
- build a more coordinated, integrated and culturally safe system that is equitably funded.
Haylene Grogan
Chief First Nations Health Officer