Working with community to design better care
The First Nations Health Office is helping shift how we understand and respond to First Nations health needs by combining data, community knowledge and system insights to identify where change is needed and where things are working.
The focus is on equity, access and outcomes. This means looking through both a system lens and a priority population lens to identify gaps and assess whether investments are making a difference.
‘It’s about investing in local capability, with local leadership driving the process and taking ownership of education and disease prevention. Real change happens when community leads and owns it.’
Renee Williams
Board Chair, Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service
CEO of Torres Health Indigenous Corporation
This work also aims to improve accountability by embedding First Nations health indicators into performance measures and highlighting preventable hospitalisations.
Ultimately, it is about working with and for community to design culturally safe models of care that deliver better outcomes for patients and families.
Cherbourg leading the way in preventative care
Story | Darling Downs
A local push to encourage child and family health checks is working, thanks to the leadership of community and the visibility of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.
At Cherbourg Hospital, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advanced Health Practitioner Fran Duncan said health check appointments are becoming more popular.
‘I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact’ Fran said.
‘Patients walk away with a much better understanding of their personal health risks and what to do to minimise chances of developing chronic illnesses.’
Fran Duncan, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advanced Health Practitioner