Manager’s Report
The Public Health Unit of AHCWA has had a busy year undertaking a wide variety of projects, including the Health Promotion Collaboration Project, Beyond the Big Smoke (BtBS), Say No to Smokes, Maternal and Child Health and involvement in external committees, which include:
- Aged Care Planning Advisory Committee – Department of Health and Ageing
- WA Consultative Public Health Advisory Committee
- Western Australian Viral Hepatitis Committee
- NACCHO Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Advisory Committee
- Australian Collaboration for Chlamydia Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance (ACCESS)
- WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network
- Western Australian Immunisation Strategic Advisory Group
- Indigenous Maternal and Child Health Project: Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
- Metropolitan Immunisation Working Group
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder Working Group – WA Department of Health
- WA Indigenous Sexual Health Advisory Committee
- Cardiovascular Executive Advisory Group
Public Health Medical Officer
Since 2003, a Medical Policy Officer (MPO) position at WAACCHO (later AHCWA) has been funded with the assistance of Oxfam and at the initial instigation of the WAACCHO Board. A new position was created in 2007 – the Public Health Medical Officer – as a result of national funding from OATSIH to fund one position in each of the NACCHO State affiliates.
The officer advises on public health policy, especially GP workforce issues, and represents AHCWA on the Rural Health West Board (contributing to the efforts of Rural Health West to increase recruitment and retention of GPs, with a special interest in the WA ACCHS sector). The officer also contributes to the AHCWA Cultural Safety Training package as an author, facilitator and advisor to the project.
This year has seen increased organisational commitment to address GP recruitment and retention issues in WA Aboriginal health from Commonwealth and State Departments of Health, AHCWA, Rural Health West and partner organisations.
The PHMO has been involved in Statewide approaches to various aspects of Aboriginal health improvement, including chronic disease service improvement, better access to cardiovascular interventions, public health advocacy (e.g. contributing to the Aboriginal health section of the Heart Foundation’s pitch to the major WA political parties in the lead up to the WA State election), immunisation, efforts to increase GP access for Aboriginal patients.
Revision of the Cultural Safety training modules was completed, including adding material on identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and new material on approaches to chronic disease.
In the next 12 months, AHCWA aims to get a sustainable model of high quality comprehensive Aboriginal primary health care better accepted and fully funded throughout the WA ACCHSs. This will include these associated activities:
- Gaining public recognition by Commonwealth and State Ministers of Health that funding of GPs in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services is inadequate and a combined approach through COAG;
- AHCWA chairs the Engaging Rural Doctors sub committee on Aboriginal health. This committee is exploring the possibility of a proposal to roll out the successful model of GP supervision and training in the Kimberley across the State, with enhanced incentives for GP recruitment and retention.
The Workforce Division of the Commonwealth Department of Health has funded the formation of state plans to assist in the national rollout of the Cultural Safety training package.
Say No to Smokes
This program established training with health workers from medical services across the State in August 2008. While the package was delivered using the ‘Say No to Smokes’ curriculum, it appeared that Aboriginal Health Workers required further enhanced training.
Consequently, it is being adapted to satisfy the training needs of this group, including more information on skills for workers apart from motivational interviewing. For example, as health workers deliver services to clients, further skills focusing on in-depth discussion with clients about their smoking and how to service this group are needed. This will provide health workers with skills in enabling the client base to self manage their health care in the smoking area. Regular visits to the South West AMS to monitor and train health workers have also been conducted this year.
Hepatitis C
The Hepatitis C Council and ACHWA have been taking a play called Chopped Liver to different areas of the State. The play raises awareness among individuals on the issue of Hepatitis C in the community.
One of the main ways Aboriginal people contract this disease is through injecting drug use. In country regions, the increase in Aboriginal people injecting has increased significantly and campaigns on these issues have seen concerns raised by individuals through different avenues, such as sexual health team and community drug service teams. AHCWA has also been working with AMSs to look at their needs regarding training issues for Say No to Smokes.
WANADA Links, which funds the Aboriginal Alcohol and Other Drug Forum, secured ACHWA’s support in helping to plan and develop a 2008 Aboriginal Alcohol and other Drug Forum to be run on 30 and 31 October at the Citigate Hotel. The forum will provide a total of eight awards to people working in this sector. AHCWA will also host a stall on the day.
Secretariat support
The Secretariat Support position continued to perform secretariat duties for the WA Indigenous Sexual Health Advisory Committee (WAISHAC) and AHCWA’s Partnership Meetings with the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, the Office of Aboriginal Health, WA Country Health Services and the WA General Practice Network. Six bi-monthly meetings were conducted for the WAISHAC, Partnership Meetings and AHCWA staff meetings, with minutes recorded, distributed and filed.
Over the next year, more focus will be placed on ensuring set actions are progressed within set timeframes with greater prioritisation. Terms of Reference for the Partnership Meeting are being developed to establish a new operational arrangement. The transition of the WA Aboriginal Health Information and Ethics Committee secretariat from the Office of Aboriginal Health to AHCWA is underway, with a submission being finalised by AHCWA.
