The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA) has today launched its new blueprint for addressing the health inequalities of young Aboriginal people.

Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Ken Wyatt, AM launched AHCWA’s Western Australia Aboriginal Youth Health Strategy 2018-2023, Today’s young people, tomorrow’s leaders at AHCWA’s 2018 State Sector Conference at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle.

“The Turnbull Government is proud to have supported this ground-breaking work and I congratulate everyone involved,” Minister Wyatt said.

“Young people are the future, and thinking harder and deeper about their needs and talking to them about how to meet them is the way forward.”

Developed with and on behalf of young Aboriginal people in WA, the strategy is the culmination of almost a decade of AHCWA’s commitment and strategic advocacy in Aboriginal youth health.

The strategy considered feedback from young Aboriginal people and health workers during 24 focus groups hosted by AHCWA across the Kimberley, Pilbara, Midwest-Gascoyne, Goldfields, South-West, Great Southern and Perth metropolitan areas last year.

In addition, two state-wide surveys were conducted for young people and service providers to garner their views about youth health in WA.

AHCWA Chairperson Vicki O’Donnell said good health was fundamental for young Aboriginal people to flourish in education, employment and to remain socially connected.

“If we are to make gains in the health of young Aboriginal people, we must allow their voices to be heard, their ideas listened to and their experiences acknowledged,” Ms O’Donnell said.

“Effective, culturally secure health services are the key to unlocking the innate value of young Aboriginal people, as individuals and as strong young people, to become our future leaders.”

During the consultation, participants revealed obstacles to good health including boredom due to a lack of youth appropriate extracurricular activities, sporting programs and other avenues to improve social and emotional wellbeing.

Of major concern for some young Aboriginal people were systemic barriers of poverty, homelessness, and the lack of adequate food or water in their communities.

Significantly, young Aboriginal people shared experiences of how boredom was a factor contributing to violence, mental health problems, and alcohol and other drug use issues.

They also revealed that racism, bullying and discrimination had affected their health, with social media platforms used to mitigate boredom leading to issues of cyberbullying, peer pressure and personal violence and in turn, depression, trauma and social isolation.

Ms O’Donnell said the strategy cited a more joined-up service delivery method as a key priority, with the fragmentation and a lack of coordination in some areas making it difficult for young Aboriginal people to find and access services they need.

“The strategy provides an opportunity for community led solutions to repair service fragmentation, and open doors to improved navigation pathways for young Aboriginal people,” she said.

Ms O’Donnell said the strategy also recognised that culture was intrinsic to the health and wellbeing of young Aboriginal people.

“Recognition of and understanding about culture must be at the centre of the planning, development and implementation of health services and programs for young Aboriginal people,” she said.

“AHCWA has a long and proud tradition of leadership and advocacy in prioritising Aboriginal young people and placing their health needs at the forefront.”

Under the strategy, AHCWA will establish the Aboriginal Youth Health Program Outcomes Council and local community-based Aboriginal Youth Cultural Knowledge and Mentor Groups.

The strategy also mandates to work with key partners to help establish pathways and links for young Aboriginal people to transition from education to employment, support young Aboriginal people who have left school early or are at risk of disengaging from education; and work with local schools to implement education-to-employment plans.

More than 260 delegates from WA’s 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services are attending the two-day conference at the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle on April 11 and 12.

Over the two days, 15 workshops and keynote speeches will be held. AHCWA will present recommendations from the conference in a report to the state and federal governments to highlight the key issues about Aboriginal health in WA and determine future strategic actions.

The conference agenda can be found here: http://www.cvent.com/events/aboriginal-health-our-culture-our-communities-our-voice-our-knowledge/agenda-d4410dfc616942e9a30b0de5e8242043.aspx

Two Aboriginal women, leaders in Aboriginal health care in Western Australia, have been recognised for their lifelong dedication and commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people.

The women were posthumously honoured with the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia’s prestigious lifetime achievement awards at the State Sector Conference Dinner last night.

Donnybrook Elder Gloria Khan and Derby Elder Maxine Armstrong have dedicated their lives to advancing the agenda for Aboriginal health in WA.

AHCWA Chairperson Vicki O’Donnell said both women had made positive differences to their communities.

Maxine, who passed away in March 2018, was the last of five founding members of the Derby Aboriginal Health Service, and had served as the Derby Aboriginal Health Service Chairperson for over 15 years. Maxine was also Chairperson of the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service Board for over 10 years and a Director on the AHCWA Board for more than a decade.

“Maxine was a passionate advocate for Indigenous and Aboriginal health, with her driving force to ‘help her people’,” Ms O’Donnell said.

“In particular, she was steadfast in her commitment to address the alarming rate of chronic disease in indigenous communities, the unacceptable rate of suicide and the impact of drugs on individuals, their families and their communities.

“Maxine was particularly proud of her efforts to secure funding for key medical facilities such as the Derby Aboriginal Health Service Dialysis Hub and Renal Health Centres in Derby, Kununurra and Fitzroy Crossing. She was also integral to the establishment of a refuge for Indigenous women.”

Maxine’s dedication and commitment to Aboriginal primary health was passionate and instrumental in developing strong partnerships with many community stakeholders across WA and Australia.

Gloria, who passed away in February 2018, was a passionate leader who worked tirelessly to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people both in WA and across Australia.

She served as the AHCWA chairperson from 2005 to 2008, during which time she was also the Chair and the Deputy Chair of the South West Aboriginal Medical Service and Executive Director of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.

Gloria also sat on several committees including the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention and the Telethon Kids Institute’s WA Aboriginal Child Health Survey Steering Committee, the largest and most comprehensive study into the health, wellbeing and development of Indigenous children.

“Gloria was a strong, proud Nyoongar woman who dedicated many years of service to Aboriginal health in WA and across Australia,” Ms O’Donnell said.

“Along with her kindness and compassion, she brought a wealth of knowledge to the sector as a nurse and a trained counsellor, with experience in the areas of domestic violence, sexual assault, grief and drug and alcohol abuse.

“Gloria’s depth of knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal health at the local, state and national level gave her the opportunity to advocate these issues in many forums.

“She showed true leadership, advocacy and commitment to help close the life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of Australia.”

Maxine and Gloria’s legacies will continue through the efforts of others to ensure the advances and progress they made will continue.

More than 260 delegates from around the state are attending AHCWA’s annual state sector conference at the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle over April 11 and 12.

Yesterday, AHCWA unveiled its revolutionary new health atlas, Mappa, which provides cutting edge mapping technology to help align patients with local healthcare providers.

Tomorrow will see Federal Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt launch AHCWA’s Western Australia Aboriginal Youth Health Strategy 2018-2023: Today’s young people, tomorrow’s leaders.

Developed with and on behalf of young Aboriginal people in WA, the strategy is the culmination of almost a decade of AHCWA’s commitment and strategic advocacy in Aboriginal youth health.

Over the two days, 15 workshops and keynote speeches will be held. AHCWA will present recommendations from the conference in a report to the state and federal governments to highlight the key issues about Aboriginal health in WA and determine future strategic actions.

An innovative new health service mapping system developed by the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA) will deliver better access to medical services and improved health outcomes for Aboriginal patients in regional and remote WA.

Mappa – Mapping Health Services Closer to Home is an adaptable browser-based mapping directory that integrates health services across WA with helpful information for all regional areas, including remote communities that do not register in Google searches.

The system, which is based on cutting-edge technology, was unveiled at AHCWA’s annual state sector conference at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle today. Data is available to primary and allied healthcare professionals through a free, public online map.

AHCWA Chairperson Vicki O’Donnell said Mappa offered comprehensive health service delivery information to help Aboriginal people living in regional and remote WA access services closer to home and improve their patient journeys in Perth.

“In Australia, people from all backgrounds and cultures routinely travel thousands of kilometres for healthcare with, at times, extremely sensitive and debilitating health issues,” Ms O’Donnell said.

“Through our expansive reach into regional and remote areas, AHCWA and our member services identified a severe lack of clarity in the types of health services available in country WA.

“For years, we have been hearing stories of Aboriginal people being flown to Perth for appointments and sent back home, only to be recalled to Perth two weeks later for a follow-up.

“In many cases, hospital staff do not realise that a patient’s journey home may involve a three or four day journey and travel by bus, train, plane, on unsealed roads and walking.

“We want to minimise patient dislocation by showing health professionals and patients what services are available in regional and remote WA so patients are closer to home, family, and country.

“Mappa is part of the solution to help bridge the gaps and bring greater cohesion around healthcare offerings.

“Mappa will actively help improve access for people living in regional and remote areas by showing them where their nearest health service is, even in the most remote communities. It will also better connect people with culturally appropriate healthcare closer to home.

“We hope this landmark tool will work to overcome the growing inability and inequality for Aboriginal people to access healthcare services, the unacceptably high rates of preventable health issues and the importance of culturally appropriate health care.”

Ms O’Donnell said it was likely that Mappa would also reduce costs to the public health system by decreasing non-attendance and costly unplanned re-admissions with extended lengths of stay.

“Not only will Mappa help to better connect Aboriginal people with appropriate healthcare, but we strongly believe it will also reduce costs associated with patient travel, regional and remote emergency responses and publicly funded specialist visits,” she said.

More than 260 delegates from around the state are attending AHCWA’s annual state sector conference at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle on April 11 and 12. Tomorrow will see Federal Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt launch AHCWA’s Western Australia Aboriginal Youth Health Strategy 2018-2023: Today’s young people, tomorrow’s leaders.

Developed with and on behalf of young Aboriginal people in WA, the strategy is the culmination of almost a decade of AHCWA’s commitment and strategic advocacy in Aboriginal youth health. Over the two days, 15 workshops and keynote speeches will be held. AHCWA will present recommendations from the conference in a report to the state and federal governments to highlight the key issues about Aboriginal health in WA and determine future strategic actions.

The conference agenda can be found here: http://www.cvent.com/events/aboriginal-health-our-culture-our-communities-our-voice-our-knowledge/agenda-d4410dfc616942e9a30b0de5e8242043.aspx

The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA) will host its annual two-day State Sector Conference this week at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle.

The 2018 State Sector Conference brings together representatives from AHCWA’s 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Member Services and key stakeholders and a range of disciplines and key portfolio areas, including representatives from Non-government, and State and Federal Government agencies.

More than 260 delegates, many who are Aboriginal leaders in health, will travel from all parts of the state to attend the state conference at the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle on Wednesday, April 11 and Thursday, April 12.

Highlights of the conference include an opening address by the Federal Indigenous Health Minister and Minister for Aged Care the Hon. Ken Wyatt AM and a keynote speech from National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) Chief Executive Officer Pat Turner.

Minister Wyatt will open the conference and return on day two to launch the Western Australia Aboriginal Youth Health Strategy 2018 – 2023, Today’s young people, tomorrow’s leaders.

Developed with and on behalf of young Aboriginal people in WA, the strategy is the culmination of almost a decade of AHCWA’s commitment and strategic advocacy in Aboriginal youth health.

AHCWA Chairperson Vicki O’Donnell said the conference was an opportunity for people involved in Aboriginal health to come together and share their professional experiences and knowledge, while engaging in frank, informed discussions about the health needs of Aboriginal people in WA.

The conference provides delegates with the opportunity to examine the successes and learning across the sector and to explore future strategic priorities and directions in Aboriginal health.

“Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS), one of the largest employers of Aboriginal people in WA, are the also the largest provider of primary healthcare for Aboriginal people,” Ms O’Donnell said.

“Across Australia, these services provide more than 3 million episodes of care to 350,000 people each year.”

Located across geographically diverse metropolitan, rural, remote and regional locations in WA, ACCHS represent the most effective model of comprehensive primary health care for Aboriginal people and their communities.

The ACCHS model of care delivers comprehensive, holistic healthcare that reflects an understanding of the cultural needs of Aboriginal people, as well as the importance of connections to land, culture, spirituality, ancestry, family and community.

“We are very proud to be at the forefront of some of the most innovative projects and technological advancements in the Aboriginal health sector, Ms O’Donnell said.

“Our landmark projects will undoubtedly help improve access to vital healthcare for Aboriginal people and communities across Western Australia, particularly those living remotely.”

One of the highlights of the conference will be the launch of the innovative Mappa project, an adaptable browser-based mapping directory developed by AHCWA. Mappa offers health service delivery information to help facilitate more seamless treatment options for rural and remote Aboriginal people to access services closer to home and during their patient journey in Perth.

ACHWA is also pleased to welcome Professor Charles Watson, Senior Health Advisor in the WA Office of the Chief Health Officer to the conference. Professor Watson will deliver a keynote address – The Hype and the Reality – on medical cannabis.

The dedicated staff of ACHWA’s member services will play a key role in the conference, delivering a range of thought-provoking and informative presentations. Among the topics will be Aboriginal men’s health, Balgo bush medicine, programs to tackle indigenous smoking in WA and the need for community led solutions in the rebuild of the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service.

Leaders in Aboriginal youth health, including young achievers and two women who made it their lifelong mission to improve the health outcomes for Aboriginal communities, will be recognised at the conference dinner on Wednesday night.

“This conference draws together some of the best minds and expertise so we can work together on culturally appropriate solutions to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal people,” Ms O’Donnell said.

“We are dedicated to addressing the health inequities in Aboriginal Health and doing all we can to close the gap, to ensure parity in the health outcomes and life expectancy between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians.”

Over the two days, 15 workshops and keynote speeches will be held. AHCWA will present recommendations from the conference in a report to the state and federal governments to highlight the key issues about Aboriginal health in WA and determine future strategic actions.

The conference agenda can be found here

The disparity between the life expectancy of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal West Australians has surged, bucking a national trend that shows a closing of the gap, a new report has found.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report, released this week, shows the life expectancy gap between indigenous and non-indigenous West Australians increased from 14.7 years to 15.1 years in men and 12.9 years to 13.5 years in women in a comparison of data between 2005-2007 and 2010-2012.

Nationally, the gap decreased from 11.4 years to 10.6 years for men and remained stable at 9.6 years to 9.5 years for women during the same period.

The figures come despite the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2017: Western Australia report showing small increases in the life expectancy of indigenous males in WA from 64.5 to 65 years and indigenous females from 70 to 70.2 years between 2005–2007 and 2010–2012.

Aboriginal Health Council of WA chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said despite the improvements to indigenous longevity and several other health outcomes, there was still a long way to go and health education remained a key focus.

“Positively, this report identifies several areas of improvement in Aboriginal health, including a 48% drop in deaths from circulatory diseases and five-fold increase in the rate of indigenous health checks being claimed,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

The report showed a substantial increase in the rate of indigenous-specific health checks being claimed, rising from 42 per 1000 in 2006-07 to 254 per 1000 in 2014-15, she said.

“This is a significant move that shows health education campaigns and our commitment to making health checks more available to Aboriginal communities are having an impact,” she said.

“But we remain deeply concerned at several findings, including that the rate of indigenous women smoking during pregnancy is five times higher than non-indigenous women and the disparity in notifications for sexually transmitted infections for indigenous Australians.

“In addition, the death rates for chronic diseases are much higher for indigenous Australians than non-indigenous Australians.

“To that end, this report highlights the need for greater investment in evidence based, culturally safe, high quality responsive and accessibly primary health care for Aboriginal people in WA.

“AHCWA urgently calls on the government to provide further support to Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) who continue to be the strongest, most effective means to addressing the gap in health outcomes.

“Without this investment, achieving our Closing the Gap targets will remain out of reach.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said while it was recognised that governments invested significant funding in Aboriginal health, Aboriginal community and community-controlled organisations were the most effective agencies.

There also needed to be greater transparency and accountability of other stakeholders in the sector, she said.

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA has demanded the State Government prioritise more funding for early intervention programs that promote positive families to help reduce the high number of Aboriginal children in state care.

AHCWA chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox has responded to comments by WA Treasurer and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt in Monday’s The West Australian, in which he said he was “deeply and personally committed” to addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in state care.

The story cites statistics from the Department of Communities that shows 2603 of the 4795 children in care are indigenous, despite just 5 per cent of all children and teenagers in WA being Aboriginal.

“The overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in state care is a grave concern to the Aboriginal Health Council of WA and indigenous communities across the state,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“Ben Wyatt’s commitment to addressing the great number of Aboriginal children in care is admirable, but the reality is there needs to be greater investment in early intervention programs that foster positive parenting to help overcome this terrible toll.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA had recently provided a submission to the Department of Communities about its Parent and Baby Support Service model, which will target Aboriginal parents aged between 15 and 25 and offer intensive, live-in support services.

“This service will be designed in consultation with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and help support the most at-risk Aboriginal babies so that they can remain in the care of their parents from birth,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“This is an initiative that has the ability to make very real differences to the large number of children in care, but for it to be successful there needs to be adequate investment in the trial.

“AHCWA understands that Western Australia is facing some of its toughest financial times, but Ben Wyatt needs to make good appropriate funds for this model and other early intervention programs to support parents. Only then will we begin to reverse the trend of children in state care.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA was currently developing a family and wellbeing program to focus on the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal people and communities in WA.

“Through this program, AHCWA hopes to help strengthen families and offer strategies to help our people build better foundations to overcome poor family wellbeing. We want to create stronger communities where children grow and thrive.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said it was vital that government afforded Aboriginal community and community-controlled organisations the opportunity to help design policies and programs that impact on them.

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services has spoken out against claims by two federal Labor politicians that the Kimberley Aboriginal suicide trial needs to be doing more to tackle the issue of suicide in remote communities, saying the comments are nothing more than a shallow attempt at political point scoring.

WA Labor Senator for regional affairs Glenn Sterle and Federal Senator and shadow assistant minister for mental health Deborah O'Neill made a whistle-stop visit to Broome last week.

In a story published in the Broome Advertiser yesterday, Senator O’Neill was quoted as saying “not enough is being done with the $3 million allocated to the (Aboriginal Suicide Prevention) trial” and that she has “serious concerns about how this money is being used”.

Today, Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service Deputy Chief Executive Officer Rob McPhee hit back. Mr McPhee said Ms O’Neill’s comments were “deplorable”, “ill-informed” and did not acknowledge the tireless work being undertaken by Kimberley Aboriginal communities, health agencies and stakeholders to help turn the tide on the complex issue of suicide.

“We are appalled by the comments made by Senators O’Neill and Sterle in relation to the Aboriginal Suicide Prevention trial in the Kimberley,” Mr McPhee said.

“Suicide is a sensitive issue that strikes at the core of families and communities.

“It is a complex issue and will not be resolved by $3 million of funding in three years. Rather, we must establish adequate groundwork now to ensure we can make a sizeable impact to combat this terrible social issue.”

Earlier this year, the Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt committed $1 million a year for three years to undertake evidenced-based initiatives in a bid to reduce the high rates of Aboriginal suicide in the region. The Kimberley is one of 12 sites involved in the trial.

The Kimberley trial is working to develop a suicide prevention approach that can support the unique and culturally sensitive requirements of remote Aboriginal communities.

Mr McPhee said communities were best placed to identify the needs and programs to assist.

Significant community engagement had already been undertaken as part of the trial, he said. “For two MPs who supposedly have an interest in improving mental health and the rates of suicide in regional communities to ride into town and take aim at the hard work of local authorities is deplorable,” Mr McPhee said.

“The reality is that Deborah O’Neill made a fly-in visit to Broome with a week’s notice at a time when senior, well-briefed KAMS executives were unavailable to meet. Further, her office requested a general discussion about mental health issues, not the suicide trial per se.

“This visit was nothing more than a bid to use the complex, sensitive community issue of suicide as a means of pushing a political agenda.

“Using an issue like suicide to gain political points is irresponsible. It is not acceptable and it must stop.

“Addressing the high rates of self-harm and suicide in the Kimberley is complex and while the trial will go some way towards this, significant change will only occur through long-term and sustained efforts in this area.”

At the request of the community, a high level working group was formed, which is co-chaired by the Federal Minister for Indigenous Health Ken Wyatt and Mr McPhee.The trial working group consists of Aboriginal representatives from Kimberley towns, leaders from key regional Aboriginal community controlled organisations and senior officials from state and federal government agencies.

Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services is a regional Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS), providing a collective voice and support for a network of ACCHS from towns and remote communities across the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

If you or someone you know needs urgent support please contact the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467, the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia staff this week travelled to the Pilbara as part of a national first project exploring the most significant health issues facing young Aboriginal people in regional WA.

AHCWA staff will host a series of age appropriate workshops with young indigenous people and health workers across the state, including in the Mid-West, Kimberley, Pilbara, Goldfields and South-West before the end of the year.

Results of the workshops will form part of AHCWA’s Aboriginal Youth Health Strategy – a new blueprint that will document the most important health concerns of young people and the availability of local health services. “We are excited to undertake the first ever WA Aboriginal Youth Health Strategy in Australia and hear directly from young people in WA about the health issues they are most concerned about,” AHCWA Aboriginal youth coordinator Hayley Thompson said. “Over the years there have been general strategies conducted about youth health in Australia but this is the first time a strategy has been undertaken exclusively for young Aboriginal people in WA. “We know that mental health, drugs and alcohol are among the most pressing issues facing young indigenous youth today, along with boredom, which can lead to young people engaging in criminal activity and violent behaviours.

“This plan will help us to navigate the most significant health issues facing young Aboriginal people in remote WA, determine how accessible health services are and the best way forward to provide the support they need.”

On Tuesday, the team hosted a workshop at the Warralong community with 17 Warralong Community School students aged between 11 and 18, before meeting with a group of 34 Year 8 and 9 Hedland Senior High School students on Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday afternoon, the team held a workshop at the JD Hardy Youth Centre in South Hedland with 10 young people aged between 12 and 16.

The Pilbara workshops were organised with the support of the Wirraka Maya Health Service. Youth workers will gauge health-related information as part of the workshop, asking young people between the ages of five and 24 about health issues in their communities, where they would go for help and what the word “healthy” means to them.

“This is about working with children and young people on an age appropriate level to determine the health issues of most concern and ensure they know where to seek help should they need it,” Ms Thompson said.

“Workshops will be presented in a fun, engaging way and be tailored to a variety of literacy levels, locations and interests of the group.

“Through this project, AHCWA hopes to achieve a better sense of the health issues affecting young people in each region and any potential gaps that may need attention.

“We hope that by chatting face-to-face with young people and service providers in each region it will provide richer data and more comprehensive information.”

So far, 134 young Aboriginal people have participated in the state-wide consultation with workshops in Port Hedland, Geraldton, Carnarvon, Broome and Derby.

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA has called for a “voluntary, opt-in” cashless welfare program for “at-risk” welfare recipients if the Federal Government pushes ahead with plans for an income management system.

The proposal is outlined in AHCWA’s submission to the Inquiry into the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Cashless Debit Card) Bill 2017 and will be detailed in evidence, due to be given by AHCWA chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox in Kalgoorlie today.

The submission also calls for the cashless debit card to be considered on a case-by-case basis; and significant investment in community-led, culturally appropriate local programs to address alcohol, gambling and drug abuse.

Ms Nelson-Cox said the council was vehemently opposed to the Bill and the Federal Government’s “one-size fits all approach” to address complex social issues.

“AHCWA and our member services remain gravely concerned at the continued endorsement of the cashless debit card as the best solution to respond to the harms of alcohol, gambling and drug abuse,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“This proposal is a blanket, one-size fits all approach that punishes the majority because of the actions of a few.

“The government must support local solutions to inherently complex social issues, rather than impose an autocratic system that disempowers people and communities.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said there was no evidence to support a wider roll-out of the cashless debit card and there was no clear plan to increase community programs and support services.

“AHCWA is keen to work with governments to develop solutions to address the harms related to alcohol, gambling and other drugs in communities, but we do not believe the cashless debit card is the answer,” she said.

“There has been no conclusive quantitative data to support its introduction and there is an overwhelming lack of community support and involvement in its design.

“What needs to be considered is a welfare system that is equitable, sustainable, innovative and responsive to the unique and complex needs of Australians.”

Ms Nelson-Cox urged the government to give Aboriginal community and community-controlled organisations the opportunity to help design policies and programs that impact on them.

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA has called for greater focus on local, culturally appropriate suicide prevention programs for West Australian youth, as new statistics reveal indigenous Australians are twice as likely to take their own lives.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Causes of Death 2016 report, released yesterday, showed 2866 people died as a result of suicide last year. Of those, 162 were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with the figure slightly up on the 152 intentional deaths recorded in 2015.

The ABS data shows the standardised death rate for indigenous Australians was 23.8 per 100,000, more than twice the non-indigenous rate of 11.4 per 100,000.

Suicide was the fifth leading cause of death for indigenous Australians, compared to the 15th for non-indigenous Australians, with suicide deaths accounting for a greater proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths (5.5%), compared to non-indigenous Australians (1.7%).

AHCWA chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said it was an “absolute tragedy” that intentional self-harm was one of the leading causes of death among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“Sadly, suicide was the leading cause of death for both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-indigenous children and young people aged between five and 17 years of age, as well as young indigenous Australians aged between 15 and 34 years,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“These statistics are a social tragedy. The death of even one of our young people to suicide is not acceptable.

“AHCWA believes that there must be a greater focus on increasing and improving access to culturally appropriate and locally responsive suicide prevention programs for Aboriginal youth in WA – and it must be done as a matter of urgency.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA was committed to investing in future generations to help support young indigenous Australians at risk of suicide.

Last week, the Carnarvon Medical Services Aboriginal Corporation hosted a series of mental health and suicide prevention events with former rugby league star turned professional boxer Joe Williams, who uses his sporting career to speak about his mental health experiences.

“During his visit to Carnarvon, Joe Williams ran workshops with young people, delivered motivational talks to local school students and addressed the Carnarvon Suicide Prevention Network,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“These are the sort of events that will have an impact with our youth and give them the strength and courage to seek help and support to improve their mental health.

“We will continue to advocate for more of these locally-driven events to help raise awareness about mental health and the risk of suicide amongst Aboriginal youth. High profile athletes sharing their experiences provide good role modelling for our young people and can hel

p break the stigma of mental illness in our community.”

In addition, AHCWA’s Aboriginal Youth Program Coordinator was recently trained to deliver Youth Mental Health First Aid, which will be delivered to Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services across the State.

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

If you or someone you know needs urgent support contact Lifeline on 131 114, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 or the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.

Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia youth workers will travel to Geraldton this week as part of a national first project exploring the most significant health issues facing young Aboriginal people in regional WA.

AHCWA staff will host a series of age appropriate workshops with young indigenous people and health workers across the state, including in the Mid-West, Kimberley, Pilbara, Goldfields and South-West before the end of the year.

Results of the workshops will form part of AHCWA’s Aboriginal Youth Health Strategy – a new blueprint that will document the most important health concerns of young people and the availability of local health services.

“We are excited to undertake the first ever WA Aboriginal Youth Health Strategy in Australia and hear directly from young people in WA about the health issues they are most concerned about,” AHCWA Aboriginal youth coordinator Hayley Thompson said.

“Over the years there have been general strategies conducted about youth health in Australia but this is the first time a strategy has been undertaken exclusively for young Aboriginal people in WA.

“We know that mental health, drugs and alcohol are among the most pressing issues facing young indigenous youth today, along with boredom, which can lead to young people engaging in criminal activity and violent behaviours.

“This plan will help us to navigate the most significant health issues facing young Aboriginal people in remote WA, determine how accessible health services are and the best way forward to provide the support they need.”

On Monday, the team will host a workshop with high school students at Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) before speaking to youths at the Geraldton Flexible Learning Centre on Tuesday.

Youth workers will gauge health-related information as part of the workshop, asking young people between the ages of five and 24 about health issues in their communities, where they would go for help and what the word “healthy” means to them.

“This is about working with children and young people on an age appropriate level to determine the health issues of most concern and ensure they know where to seek help should they need it,” Ms Thompson said.

“Workshops will be presented in a fun, engaging way and be tailored to a variety of literacy levels, locations and interests of the group.

“Through this project, AHCWA hopes to achieve a better sense of the health issues affecting young people in each region and any potential gaps that may need attention.

“We hope that by chatting face-to-face with young people and service providers in each region it will provide richer data and more comprehensive information.”

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia youth workers will travel to the Kimberley this week as part of a national first project exploring the most significant health issues facing young Aboriginal people in regional WA.

AHCWA staff will host a series of age appropriate workshops with young indigenous people and health workers across the state, including in the Kimberley, Mid-West, Pilbara, Goldfields and South-West before the end of the year.

Results of the workshops will form part of AHCWA’s Aboriginal Youth Health Strategy – a new blueprint that will document the most important health concerns of young people and the availability of local health services.

“We are excited to undertake the first ever WA Aboriginal Youth Health Strategy in Australia and hear directly from young people in WA about the health issues they are most concerned about,” AHCWA Aboriginal youth coordinator Hayley Thompson said.

“Over the years there have been general strategies conducted about youth health in Australia but this is the first time a strategy has been undertaken exclusively for young Aboriginal people in WA.

“We know that mental health, drugs and alcohol are among the most pressing issues facing young indigenous youth today, along with boredom, which can lead to young people engaging in criminal activity and violent behaviours.

“This plan will help us to navigate the most significant health issues facing young Aboriginal people in remote WA, determine how accessible health services are and the best way forward to provide the support they need.”

On Wednesday, the team will host a workshop with children aged between five and 10 at the Broome Youth and Families Hub before travelling to Derby on Thursday for a workshop with young people at Derby Aboriginal Health Service.

On Friday, they will speak with staff at Headspace and Aarnja in Broome.

Youth workers will gauge health-related information as part of the workshop, asking young people between the ages of five and 24 about health issues in their communities, where they would go for help and what the word “healthy” means to them.

“This is about working with children and young people on an age appropriate level to determine the health issues of most concern and ensure they know where to seek help should they need it,” Ms Thompson said.

“Workshops will be presented in a fun, engaging way and be tailored to a variety of literacy levels, locations and interests of the group.

“Through this project, AHCWA hopes to achieve a better sense of the health issues affecting young people in each region and any potential gaps that may need attention.

“We hope that by chatting face-to-face with young people and service providers in each region it will provide richer data and more comprehensive information.”

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

Filmmakers will work with youth in four remote Aboriginal communities in the East Pilbara to shed light on the personal stories of local smokers and warn about the perils of the deadly habit.

Young people, assisted by a professional production team, will create a series of short films as part of the “you CAN quit” project, to document the stories of community members who have successfully kicked the habit and those who have been affected by smoking-related illnesses in Jigalong, Parnngurr, Punmu and Kunawarritji.

The project, organised by Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service’s Tackling Indigenous Smoking team, will be carried out with funding from a Healthway Indigenous Health Promotion grant and the Federal Government’s Tackling Indigenous Smoking Program.

Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service regional tobacco coordinator Danika Tager said smoking rates in the East Pilbara were exceptionally high and more needed to be done to support communities to address tobacco addiction.

Statistics from the Federal Department of Health show that tobacco smoking is responsible for one in five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths, with the number substantially higher in remote areas.

“Smoking rates in remote East Pilbara communities are as high as 80% and tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in this population,” Ms Tager said.

“Through this important film project we hope to encourage people in these communities to quit smoking, as well as air the many benefits of quitting and where they can find help and support.”

Filming of the four short films will start September 19. It is expected the films will be screened in each community on completion and also be aired on indigenous television stations and social media.

Ms Tager said the project was unique in that the films would be entirely community owned and directed, giving young people the opportunity to actively make a difference in their community.

“Youth will be responsible for all aspects of researching, shooting, editing and promoting the films” she said.

“All too often NGOs will come into a community with a health message that may or may not be relevant, and expect it to change people’s behaviour,” she said.

“What we are doing here is empowering the community to send its own messages and fight tobacco-related harm using its own experience and stories.”

The project will also involve a series of posters to celebrate non-smokers in the communities, and offer education sessions and details about the availability of support programs.

The Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service (PAMS) is a community controlled health organisation that provides primary health care, 24-hour emergency services and preventative health and education programs in the communities of Jigalong, Parnngurr, Punmu and Kunawarritji.

The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia has challenged outgoing Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan to look in his own backyard and adequately police remote communities rather than advocate for greater disempowerment of indigenous Australians.

AHCWA chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox today rejected calls by Mr O’Callaghan, whose contract ends on August 15 after 13 years at the helm of WA Police, for an urgent expansion of the cashless welfare system to combat child sex crimes in regional WA.

“The cashless welfare card is not a panacea to complex social problems,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“While AHCWA supports the government’s commitment to improve the health outcomes of Aboriginal people and prevent child sexual abuse, we do not support the ill-conceived idea that cashless welfare cards can turn the tide on the abhorrent abuse of children.

“There has been no conclusive evidence to date that cashless welfare cards play any role in reducing the impact of issues such as illicit drug use or child sexual abuse.

“Instead, greater investment is needed in programs that address social determinants and build strong families and communities.

“Ultimately, we need to see an increase in community programs and comprehensive support services to help address these complex social issues in Aboriginal communities.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said Mr O’Callaghan’s admissions in The West Australian newspaper that his officers could not protect children in remote communities was gravely concerning.

“At what point does the buck stop with police and governments to keep communities safe? Over the past 13 years, how have the high instances of sexual abuse not have been addressed earlier?” she said.

“There is a large police presence in Roebourne, and admissions by Karl O’Callaghan that ‘police were not capable of protecting children in those communities’ and ‘neither the police nor government can guarantee protection of these children’ shows a lack of commitment to work with communities to effectively address these issues.

“The reality is there are a huge number of people very unhappy with the way they have been affected by the cashless welfare system imposed by the Federal Government.

“If anything, this is a failure of policing in the Roebourne area to address these crimes.

“The cashless welfare card does not need to be expanded. The solution does not lie in the disempowerment of Aboriginal people, but rather additional police resources and a greater commitment to stamp out these shocking and abhorrent crimes.”

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

An Aboriginal Health Worker from Kalgoorlie is the latest graduate of an innovative program that teaches how to administer vaccinations to children in a bid to bolster immunisation rates.

The Bega Garnbirringu Health Service health worker graduated last week after taking part in

the two week course at the Nindila Training Centre in Kalgoorlie.

AHCWA launched the training program for Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs) in partnership with the Communicable Disease Control Directorate (CDCD) at the Department of Health in March 2015.

Since then, 34 Aboriginal Health Workers from across the state have been trained to administer vaccinations and promote immunisation.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the program had been initiated to improve immunisation rates amongst Aboriginal children in WA, which were the lowest in the country.

“Until this program was launched, only nurses and doctors were authorised to carry out immunisations,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“By expanding the number of Aboriginal Health Workers trained to administer vaccinations to children, we hope to decrease the risk of our young people contracting preventable diseases.

“In addition, the added benefit of having Aboriginal Health Workers trained to conduct vaccinations means that they can relate to Aboriginal children and gain the trust of their parents to help spread message about the importance of immunisation.”

A WA Auditor General report, published in December last year, cited immunisation rates amongst Aboriginal children, infants and toddlers were lower than the national target.

The report suggested the training program had helped contribute to improvements in low immunisation rates among Aboriginal children, with rates for Aboriginal infants in several regions increasing by an average of 8.5% between June 2015 and June 2016.

“We are thrilled that it appears this training program has already contributed to immunisation rates among Aboriginal children increasing significantly in some areas,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“We hope that as more Aboriginal Health Workers are trained, the rates will go up even further.

“We have received an overwhelming response from our Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, who see the value in their AHWs being trained to administer immunisations,” she said.

Courses are planned for Broome and Carnarvon later this year.

Kimberley health professionals have participated in sexual health training in a bid to increase testing rates among Aboriginal people.

Nine north-west health practitioners are the latest graduates of the Aboriginal Health Council of WA’s intensive two-day course held at the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services in Broome on June 28 and 29.

Among the participants were remote area nurses from Bidyadanga, Aboriginal health practitioners from Broome and Fitzroy Crossing and a prison re-entry case manager from the Men’s Outreach Service in Broome.

The sexual health training program, The Birds and the BBVs, offers health professionals the skills to routinely offer and undertake opportunistic testing for STIs, blood borne viruses (BBVs) and HIV.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson Cox said rates of STIs and blood borne viruses were higher among Aboriginal people than the general population.

“Over the past two to three years the Kimberley region in particular has been faced with a syphilis epidemic,” Ms Nelson Cox said.

“Health workers have expressed grave concerns about the surge in syphilis cases and the need to increase testing so that positive cases can be treated early.”

Latest Health Department statistics show that 18,099 people were diagnosed with STIs and BBVs in WA in the year to March 31, 2017 – an increase from 15,943 on the previous year.

Ms Nelson Cox said the training program, which was developed by AHCWA, Sexual Health Quarters and Hepatitis WA, was designed to be fun and interactive.

“The course is designed to help Aboriginal health workers and other people working with Aboriginal people to feel confident to broach the subject of STI and blood borne virus testing with their clients,” she said.

“We’re seeking to normalise testing by making it a routine part of a visit to an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service, even when people present at the clinic for an unrelated issue.

“We are hopeful that this training program will contribute to increasing the rate of STI and BBV testing among Aboriginal people, and in turn, help to decrease the number of these infections and viruses.” Since the courses started in 2016, 59 Aboriginal health workers have completed the sexual health training. This year, courses are planned for Northam, Carnarvon and Perth.

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

New Aboriginal family wellbeing training will be prioritised across the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields regions, in a West Australian first to address social and emotional health risks in indigenous communities.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA welcomed today’s State Government announcement to contribute $1 million over two years towards the pilot Aboriginal Family Wellbeing project to help prevent self-harm and suicide in the regions by strengthening families.

The project includes an accredited six-month Certificate II training program, which will be delivered jointly by the WA Mental Health Commission, AHCWA and the 22 Aboriginal Medical Services across the state.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson Cox said the initiative would ensure all Aboriginal Medical Services in WA had at least one key staff member skilled in delivering the program.

“This is about building the skills and confidence of our social and emotional wellbeing teams across all Aboriginal Medical Services so they can identify communities where there is real need to strengthen family wellbeing and, in turn, self-harm and suicide prevention strategies,” Ms Nelson Cox said.

“Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in Aboriginal communities.

“Statistics show that the suicide rate for indigenous Australians is almost twice the rate for non-indigenous Australians. And concerningly, the suicide rate of our young people aged 15 to 19 is five times as high as non-indigenous Australians.”

At least six trainers will be educated in the program in the first year, with a focus on the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields regions. Other services and regions will be invited to participate in the second year.

“This is the first time that this training has been delivered in WA and we feel proud to have built a partnership with the Mental Health Commission to share this important initiative,” Ms Nelson Cox said.

“Until now, there has been a lack of specific Aboriginal family wellbeing training. We hope that by providing this new program it will lead to more and more trainers in the regions and real health benefits to our communities.”

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia says a new Federal Government report about the state of indigenous health is encouraging, but evidence that an increased focus is needed in investing in Aboriginal community-controlled health services.

The 2017 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework, released by the Federal Government on May 30, monitors health outcomes, health system performance and broader health factors across Australia.

AHCWA chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the key findings of the report reflected several improvements in the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but also found there was overwhelming need for continued progress.

“Improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people requires a focus on community-led programs,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“We are pleased to see a number of West Australian community-based programs highlighted in this important report, specifically strategies to improve child and maternal health in regional WA.”

The report cites the success of a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders prevention program run by the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service in Kununurra that provides education and support to antenatal clients and their families, as well student education sessions.

“The success of the program can be attributed to both community investment and ownership and the willingness of the Aboriginal community to embrace change,” the report states.

Another positive strategy highlighted in the report is the Birth to School Entry project in the Pilbara region, in which the Wirraka Maya Health Service Aboriginal Corporation was allocated funding to provide primary prevention activities.

About 400 child health checks and 1000 immunisations are conducted each year in Port Hedland, South Hedland and surrounding communities through the program, which also offers hygiene sessions, ear health education, an alcohol in pregnancy intervention and an outreach service.

“We are proud to support some of the most innovative and effective grassroots health programs in the country,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“The success of these projects not only provides better health outcomes for our people living in remote WA, but gives others the motivation to build similar initiatives in their own communities.”

Across the board, the report found that the amount of care delivered through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care services had tripled, increasing from 1.2 million in 1999–2000 to 3.5 million in 2014–15.

In addition, there has been a significant decline in the mortality rate for indigenous children up to the age of four, which dropped 33% between 1998 and 2015.

While the report found significant health improvements in some areas, indigenous Australians are still more prone to disease and chronic illnesses – 2.3 times the rate of non-indigenous Australians in 2011.

It also found the life expectancy of indigenous Australians had improved slightly in recent years but progress is needed to close the gap if the target of 2031 is to be met.

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia has called for better access to early intervention and prevention programs to help turn the tide on increasing methamphetamine use in regional WA.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said it beggared belief that there had not been any significant investment into grassroots community intervention programs despite “ice” use continuing to increase over the past decade.

“It is frustrating that despite several state and federal strategies highlighting the need to increase investment in community-led and culturally appropriate early intervention, prevention, treatment and support services, we are yet to see any significant amounts of funding directed to our sector and other Aboriginal community-controlled organisations,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

Ms Nelson-Cox said there had been a concerning shift with methamphetamine use overtaking excessive alcohol use in some communities, resulting in services being unprepared and lacking the appropriate programs and services to provide care to those using the illicit drug.

“There is a growing presence of illicit drugs in the regions,” she said.

“While there is evidence that alcohol use is still higher than methamphetamine use, from the Aboriginal community perspective, we are certainly seeing methamphetamine use becoming just as significant as alcohol use.

“Our people are crying out for help. They want community-led solutions and want to work with government departments but all they are getting is lip service.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said there was no conclusive evidence that cashless welfare cards had made any impact in minimising drug use.

“Our elders are gravely concerned about the impact of the cashless welfare card. There is no significant evidence to suggest that cashless welfare cards lead to any reduction in drug use in our regional communities,” she said.

“What we have seen in certain towns is an increase around elder abuse, black-market trades of the cards for cash, reports of prostitution and a rapid rise in crime.

“Regional communities are trying to take practical approaches and strategies to deal with this problem.

“Penalising people through their Centrelink payments is not the solution. This approach will not deal with the crux of the problem, it will not empower our people and we are also yet to see investment into additional support services as was promised with its introduction.”

AHCWA is the peak body for Aboriginal health in WA, with 22 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) currently engaged as members.

Around 200 delegates have wrapped up a three-day conference in Perth which highlighted some of the major issues in Aboriginal health.

The annual state sector conference, hosted by the Aboriginal Health Council of WA, was held at the International on the Water Hotel in Ascot from April 4-6.

The conference was attended by representatives of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services from around WA, as well as state and federal government delegates and observers from the not-for-profit sector.

New Minister for Health Roger Cook addressed the member planning day on April 4, summarising the relevant WA Labor election promises, such as a patient ‘meet and greet’ service for remote Aboriginal patients flown to Perth to help them with orientation.

The conference was officially opened by new Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt, who said one of his key ambitions for this term of government was to significantly reform the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.

Some of the topics discussed at the conference included child growth and development, a patient-centred Medicare model, the needs of LGBTI people, the role of Aboriginal men in addressing family violence, and dealing with suicide.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the conference was a great opportunity for people involved in Aboriginal health to come together.

“Because our state is so large and so remote, we don’t get many opportunities to all come together and talk about common issues in the sector,” she said.

“This conference gave people the chance to discuss problems, hear stories about what is working and what’s not, and put forward culturally appropriate solutions.

“It’s very important that Aboriginal people are given opportunities to find our own solutions to problems and then work out how to implement them.”

The conference also hosted a youth forum facilitated by AHCWA’s Youth Coordinator which identified the key health issues affecting young people around the state.

Over the two days, more than 10 workshops were held. The recommendations from those workshops will be collated into a report and presented to the state and federal governments.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA) has welcomed news that Ferro-F and Ferro-Tabs have been added back to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

The tablets were delisted from the PBS in January last year, which meant that patients no longer had access to these essential medications under subsidised supply and access schemes.

These schemes have been very successful in ensuring access to medications for financially disadvantaged Aboriginal people and those living in remote regions.

AHCWA Public Health Medical Officer Dr Marianne Wood said the delisting had potentially dangerous health implications for Aboriginal people across the country.

“Iron and folate deficiency are significant issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly during pregnancy,” she said.

“Lack of iron can lead to debilitating anaemia, among other complications.”

Dr Wood said AHCWA lobbied to have the medications relisted on the PBS.

“Once these medications were delisted, they were no longer available through the PBS schemes, and could only be obtained over the counter, which posed particular problems for patients living in remote communities which don’t have community pharmacies,” she said.

“We’re very glad that the drugs’ manufacturer, AFT Pharmaceuticals, recognised the importance of this issue and worked with us to have them relisted.

“AHCWA is very pleased that this issue could be resolved, and that the drugs will once again be readily available and subsidised for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

“It’s essential for Aboriginal people to have access to affordable medications through the PBS, because there can be serious consequences otherwise.”

Both Ferro-F and Ferro-Tabs will be relisted on the PBS from 5th April 2017.

WA’s peak Aboriginal health organisation has extended its congratulations to WA’s new Minister for Health and Mental Health, Roger Cook.

Aboriginal Health Council of WA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the peak body had enjoyed a positive relationship with the Labor party in Opposition, which she hoped would continue in Government.

“AHCWA is particularly keen to work

with the new Health Minister on priorities aimed at Closing the Gap,” she said.

“The latest report cards have shown that inadequate progress is currently being made in closing the gap in health outcomes, which is having serious consequences for Aboriginal people in this state.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA was looking forward to working with the new government on implementing its pre-election promises.

“In particular, we would like to see the government establish a culturally appropriate housing facility for regional Aboriginal people who have to travel to Perth for medical treatment,” she said.

“We would also hope the government honours its commitment to fund a dialysis bus for people in the Kimberley and expand the successful Earbus program to provide a screening service in the Kimberley.

“We’d also like to work with government on how to set up a meet and greet service for people travelling from remote communities to Perth and big regional centres for treatment.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA wished Mr Cook the best in his new role and looked forward to setting up a meeting with him in the near future.

At a meeting today, the full Board of the Aboriginal Health Council of WA has welcomed Federal Minister for Indigenous Health Ken Wyatt’s call for Primary Health Networks to work more closely with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.

Mr Wyatt has appealed to Primary Health Networks (PHNs) across the country to ensure they ‘have the appropriate mix of skills, knowledge, experience and capabilities to deliver the best health outcomes’, and consider whether this could be improved.

Mr Wyatt pointed out that this must be addressed in order to work toward Closing the Gap.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox agreed, and said the peak body had been seeking to work closely with the PHNs in WA.

“We hope that this announcement will bring about greater meaningful engagement with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs), regional bodies and state peaks into the future,” she said.

“The ACCHSs in WA are the largest providers of comprehensive primary health care to Aboriginal people, and evidence clearly shows that they’re the best placed to deliver health care to Aboriginal people.

“As we know from the Closing the Gap reports, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the most disadvantaged group in Australia, particularly regarding their health.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said that as a central part of the WA health system, the ACCHS sector needed a position on the Board of the WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA), the organisation which runs WA’s three PHN regions.

“We acknowledge the WAPHA Board already has an Aboriginal representative, but the ACCHS sector does not currently have a voice at that table,” she said.

“Aboriginal people, through community controlled services, must have the opportunity to lead the development and implementation of services and programs designed to impact upon them.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said it was also important for ACCHSs, regional bodies and state peaks to be recognised as the preferred providers for any targeted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs.

A training program to assist Aboriginal Health Workers to provide ear health care to their communities is being delivered around the state by the Aboriginal Health Council of WA.

The two week ear health training program was delivered in four different locations last year, and 23 Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs) have graduated from the course so far.

The program is scheduled to be delivered in at least four more locations this year including Perth, Broome and Kalgoorlie. More trainings will be scheduled for the second half of the year.

The program teaches AHWs how to manage ear infections, carry out screening, identify risk factors and plan ear health promotion and strategies.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said poor ear health was a significant problem among Aboriginal people, particularly children.

“The prevalence of ear disease and hearing loss in Aboriginal kids has a major effect on their speech and educational development, social interactions, employment and future wellbeing,” she said.

“While many children are vulnerable to chronic ear disease, in WA it represents a significant burden for Aboriginal children who can experience their first onset within weeks following birth.

“Aboriginal children can also have more frequent and longer lasting episodes compared to non-Aboriginal children.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said people in regional areas were more susceptible to ongoing ear problems.

“Children living in remote communities have some of the highest rates of chronic ear disease in the world,” she said.

“We want to spread the message in regional communities that early detection and treatment of ear diseases in children is vital to ensure optimum development of speech, language, and to minimise the long term effects on educational performance.”

AHCWA has also launched a giant inflatable ear to be used as an interactive teaching tool among Aboriginal communities.

Koobarniny, which means ‘big’ in the Noongar language, is believed to be the first of its type in Australia.

Koobarniny is currently being used at different events around the metropolitan area, but it’s hoped it will travel to regional areas in the future.

WA’s peak Aboriginal health organisation has called on governments to invest more in Aboriginal controlled services if they are serious about closing the gap.

The latest Closing the Gap report revealed very little progress was being made to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people in Australia.

The report showed the life expectancy of Indigenous Australians was still on average 10 years less than non-Indigenous Australians.

The report also found there had been no significant decline in child mortality rates since 2008, with Indigenous children aged 0-4 more than twice as likely to die than non-Indigenous children.

Aboriginal Health Council of WA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said she was very disappointed the report didn’t focus more on the role of local Aboriginal community control in improving health outcomes.

“The experience across Australia is that putting Aboriginal health in Aboriginal hands improves the health and wellbeing of our people,” she said.

“The Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector is clearly the best placed to deliver preventative and other primary care interventions to Aboriginal people.

“Delivering culturally appropriate care is the best way forward for Aboriginal people, and we are disappointed that this report doesn’t focus on that.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said one of the few positives in the report was a nine per cent decrease in Indigenous smoking rates for those aged 15 years and over since 2002.

“Reducing smoking rates among Aboriginal people has been a focus at AHCWA, and our Tackling Indigenous Smoking Team has been working with services around the state to support people quitting the habit,” she said.

Ms Nelson-Cox said governments across Australia needed to recognise and invest more in the Aboriginal Communitry Controlled Health Sector if they were really committed to closing the gap.

Aboriginal Health Workers around the state are being trained to carry out testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections, in a bid to increase testing rates among Aboriginal people.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA initially ran the pilot program ‘The Birds and BBVs’ in Albany in May last year, and since then, 49 people have participated in the training.

The two-day training course has been held in Broome, Kalgoorlie, Bunbury, Roebourne and Perth.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson Cox said rates of STIs and Blood Borne Viruses were far higher among Aboriginal people than the general population.

“Aboriginal people are five times more likely to have chlamydia, 14 times more at risk of gonorrhea, 6 times more likely to contract syphilis and 10 times more at risk of Hepatitis C than non-Aboriginal people,” she said.

“Concerningly, the rates of infections such as syphilis, gonorrhea, Hepatitis C and HIV are increasing among Aboriginal people, particularly in the 15 to 30 year age group.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said the training program, which was developed by AHCWA and Sexual Health Quarters, was designed to be fun and interactive.

“The course is designed to help Aboriginal Health Workers (

AHWs) and others working with Aboriginal people to feel confident to broach the subject of STI testing with their clients,” she said.

“We’re seeking to normalise testing by making it a routine part of a visit to an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service, even when people present at the clinic for an unrelated issue.

“The feedback we’re getting is that if health workers feel confident, and can explain that it’s simply a routine test, clients are generally happy to agree.

“We are hopeful that this training program will contribute to increasing the rate of STI testing among Aboriginal people, and further down the track, help to decrease the number of STIs.”

AHCWA is currently working with Curtin University to evaluate the efficacy of the training program.

This year, courses are planned for Wiluna, Carnarvon, Newman, Derby, Kalgoorlie and Perth.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA has called on the major political parties to commit to changing spending priorities in Aboriginal health.

The Council wants whichever party wins the upcoming election to redirect health spending to prevention, promotion, early intervention and community-based services, and to commit to more consultation with Aboriginal people on health issues.

“Investing in community-based services is proven to deliver healthier communities and substantial long-term cost savings,” said AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox.

“Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHs) understand the communities they operate in, and are able to offer culturally sensitive care, which is shown to deliver better outcomes for Aboriginal people.

“We hope that the new government will commit to building the capacity of ACCHSs to deliver therapeutic healing, intensive family support and child protection services.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA also wanted the government to fund a patient coordination program within the Aboriginal health sector to manage, coordinate and provide support to patients required to travel to Perth for medical reasons.

“Aboriginal people continue to encounter poor experiences when required to travel to Perth, as no individual service is responsible for the journey, leaving patients vulnerable – particularly those who speak little English and are unfamiliar with the city,” she said.

“Coordination is vital in working towards a solution, to not only ensure communication and collaboration between key stakeholders, but also to ensure successful outcomes and continuity of quality of care for patients.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA also wanted the government to implement the results of the Holman Review, which evaluated Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in 2014.

The Review found that of the Aboriginal health projects it evaluated, 91.3% delivered ‘good’, ‘excellent’ or ‘outstanding’ value for money.

“The Holman report found that ACCHSs are the best placed to deliver culturally appropriate health services to Aboriginal people,” she said.

“We want the government to increase funding for the programs that the review found demonstrated excellence and achieved results.”

AHCWA is part of the ‘What if it was me?’ state election campaign, which brings together organisations from across the state who are campaigning on a range of issues in the social services sector.

WA Council of Social Service CEO Louise Giollito said redirecting health funds to community-led services would deliver healthier communities.

“If you, or somebody you cared about, were affected by chronic health issues, wouldn’t you appreciate accessible, high-quality services that support and promote your health and wellbeing?” she asked.

“Increasing support to community-based and community-led services will reduce long-term costs and greatly benefit individuals, families and communities.”

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA is hopeful the new Minister for Indigenous Health will make closing the gap a priority.

Ken Wyatt was the first Aboriginal Australian elected to the Lower House and has now made history by being the first Aboriginal person appointed to the Commonwealth ministry.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the promotion of Mr Wyatt was a good sign that the government was prepared to take Aboriginal health seriously.

“Successive governments have made very slow progress in closing the gap, and the life expectancy for Aboriginal people is still 10 years lower than the general population,” she said.

“We are very confident that Mr Wyatt, as an Aboriginal person with a long history working in health before entering politics, will have a better understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal people’s health and wellbeing.

“AHCWA and the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) in WA very much look forward to working with Mr Wyatt to ensure ACCHSs continue to

deliver culturally appropriate health services across WA.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA would seek a meeting with Mr Wyatt to bring him up to date on the health needs of Aboriginal people in WA.

“We really hope that Mr Wyatt can make sure that the health of Aboriginal people is made a priority for the decision-makers in Canberra,” she said.

“We hope that this will be a new era of collaboration in the health sector and will result in better decisions and better outcomes for the health of Aboriginal people.”

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA and Youth Affairs Council of WA have called on the State Government to accept and immediately begin work on implementing the recommendations from an inquiry into Aboriginal youth suicide in remote areas.

AHCWA and YACWA made a joint submission to the Education and Health Standing Committee inquiry, which was launched following the tragic suicide of a 10-year-old girl in the Kimberley.

The Committee’s report, which was tabled in state parliament today, contains 44 recommendations, many of which focus on empowering Aboriginal people to address the issues in their communities.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the Kimberley region had one of the highest suicide rates in the world, and she hoped the report would convince the government it was time to make changes.

“We are pleased with the report’s acknowledgement that the government has been reluctant to fund culturally-based programs in the past,” said Ms Nelson-Cox.

“We fully support the recommendation that the government needs to recognise the importance of cultural knowledge as a protective factor preventing Aboriginal youth suicide.

“We also support the recommendation that Aboriginal communities should be empowered to develop and action all strategies, programs and services.

“Aboriginal people understand the issues in Aboriginal communities, they just need the support to put community-led, culturally appropriate strategies in place.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA called on the government to acknowledge that Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHS) were the best placed to deliver services.

“The people employed by ACCHS live and work in their communities, and they have a deep understanding of the issues that affect them,” she said.

“We need both the State and Federal Governments to engage and consult with them, because they are the ones on the ground who know what’s going on.

“ACCHSs focus on a preventative model of mental health services, which is in line with the Committee’s report, which highlighted the need for early intervention programs.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA was also pleased to see the recommendation that 24 hour mental health services be implemented in remote areas.

“Aboriginal people do not die by suicide between 9 and 5 when services are open. They need to be able to access support around the clock,” she said.

YACWA CEO Ross Wortham said he agreed with the Committee’s acknowledgement that there had already been enough inquiries and reports into Aboriginal suicide.

“As the report points out, the time for talking is over,” said Mr Wortham. “What we need now is action.

“We call on the government to immediately begin work on implementing some of these recommendations, in the hope that lives can be saved.”

Both organisations also welcomed the report’s finding that the State Government’s Suicide Prevention 2020 Strategy was a generic strategy which did not specifically address the needs of Aboriginal communities.

They supported the recommendation that the state urge the Commonwealth to release funds for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA has unveiled a unique new health education tool – a giant inflatable ear – believed to be the first of its type in Australia.

Koobarniny, which means ‘big’ in the Noongar language, was officially launched at the Warlang Festival at Murdoch University earlier this month.

The ear is 10 metres wide and 4.1 metres high, takes 30 minutes to inflate and looks like an ear-shaped bouncy castle, which can be used by up to 8 children or adults at a time.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the design of Koobarniny featured the intricate parts of the inner and outer ear, with colour coded parts.

“This inflatable ear will allow people to learn about ear health in a fun and interactive way,” said Ms Nelson-Cox.

“AHCWA has developed lots of fun and informative activities, including getting people to label the anatomy of the ear both internally and externally, explore the various parts of the ear and discover how normal hearing works.

“We can also use the ear as a tool to explain the importance of early detection and treatment of ear diseases in children.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said the ear was a light-hearted way to educate people about a serious topic.

“The prevalence of ear disease and hearing loss in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children has a major effect on their speech and educational development, social interactions, employment and future wellbeing,” she said.

“While many children are vulnerable to chronic ear disease, in WA it represents a significant burden for Aboriginal children who can experience their first onset within weeks following birth.

“Aboriginal children can also have more frequent and longer lasting episodes compared to non-Aboriginal children.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said Koobarniny would visit various community events throughout the Perth metro area, and it was hoped it would also travel to the regions next year.

“Children living in remote communities have some of the highest rates of chronic ear disease in the world,” she said.

“We want to spread the message in regional communities that early detection and treatment of ear diseases in children is vital to ensure optimum development of speech, language, and to minimise the long term effects on educational performance.”

Preventable blindness and other eye conditions are being tackled head on in regional and remote WA, with a mobile eye health van seeing more than 1200 patients in its first six months.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA has partnered with the Lions Eye Institute to run a pilot project to test the procedures and protocols for delivering mobile health services across WA.

The Community Compact project seeks to detail how services are currently being delivered, the extent to which mobile services are meeting need and identify any barriers to delivering services efficiently.

Since its launch in March, the Lions Outback Vision Van has visited 15 regional communities, including Kalgoorlie, Leonora, Wiluna, Albany, Newman, Roebourne, Karratha, Port Hedland, Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Kununurra, Katanning and Onslow.

To the end of August, staff had provided 1213 consultations, with almost half the patients Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders.

“The mobile eye health service is a game-changer for regional and remote Western Australia, particularly for Aboriginal patients,” said AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox.

“There are hundreds of Aboriginal people in regional and remote WA who are suffering from preventable eye conditions every day because they don’t have access to appropriate services.

“Now, services are being brought to them, which means they no longer have to travel vast distances to get an appointment with an ophthalmologist.”

The Van is staffed by eye health specialists and has the capacity to treat 200 patients a week for a range of eye conditions including cataracts, refractive error, trachoma, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

Ms Nelson-Cox said Lions staff liaised directly with 10 of AHCWA’s member services around the state to coordinate visits and the referral of patients.

“Treating these patients on their own country, in a culturally appropriate way, is life changing for some people,” said Ms Nelson-Cox.

“The Van has the potential to reduce the rates of preventable blindness and vision loss in regional WA.”

The Van is expected to cover about 24,000 kilometres a year, and has travelled 13,650 kilometres since its launch in March.

So far this month, the Van has visited Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Kununurra.

The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA) has welcomed a Federal Government decision to abandon immediate plans to further limit salary support for rural doctors.

The decision comes after Aboriginal Medical Services in WA and the NT publicly opposed the restrictions and called for a moratorium on implementing any changes until the department conducted a full review of the program.

Currently, GP Registrars who are completing their training in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) have their full salary paid by the Federal Government for up to three years.

However, the government had proposed removing support for the most experienced GP registrars (Advanced Rural Skills Training ‘ARST’ placements).

The proposal prompted concerns from AHCWA that it would not only lead to a decreased pool of senior GP Registrars participating in training over this period, but also threaten the placements of entry-level Registrars, who rely on mentoring support provided by these more senior and experienced Registrars.

The council also warned that any reduction in salary support to these experienced GP Registrars would have a lasting detrimental impact on training capacity, workforce retention and continuity of care in the sector.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the Federal Government had made the right decision to suspend plans to limit salary support and instead undertake a review of the system.

“The work of experienced doctors who contend with the complex medical needs of Aboriginal patients in rural WA is highly valued,” Ms Nelson-Cox said.

“It imperative we retain capable doctors to ensure Aboriginal people living in rural WA have access to the best possible medical care.”

The ACCHS sector is recognised as being a leader in the training of GP Registrars, who develop a greater skill set and cultural expertise than those exposed only to mainstream settings.

“We welcome the Department’s commitment to undertake a substantial review of the salary support program to not only ensure its effectiveness, but also enhance it,” said Ms Nelson-Cox.

“The program had significantly improved training and health outcomes in the Aboriginal health sector; built upon the cultural expertise of our GP workforce; and, subsequently the health outcomes of Aboriginal patients.

“As such, it has been an important contributor to achieving the aims outlined in our Closing the Gap commitments.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said whilst this recent review was a positive step, there had been consistent attempts by the Department to limit support provided by the programme since 2014.

In particular, the incremental changes implemented by the Department since 2015 have resulted in a significant decrease in the uptake of experienced Registrar placements in the program.

“In 2015 there were 163 ARST placements,” Ms Nelson-Cox said. “That shrunk to 77 in 2016, and currently for 2017 there are only 4 confirmed placements.

“Whilst it will take time to reverse the negative impacts of recent policy changes made by the Department to the program, AHCWA looks forward to working with the Department through the review to ensure the 2018 program is as effective as it can and should be,” she said.

The Aboriginal Health Council and Youth Affairs Council of WA have given a joint submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Aboriginal Youth Suicides, telling the inquiry there is a disturbing lack of consultation, funding and coordination of services.

The Education and Health Standing Committee is conducting the inquiry following the suicide of a 10 year old girl in the Kimberley.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox told the Committee she was frustrated by the lack of consultation and engagement with Aboriginal people.

“Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHS) have been proven to be the best placed to offer services and support to Aboriginal people,” she said.

“The people employed by ACCHS live and work in their communities, and they have a deep understanding of the issues that affect them.

“We need both the State and Federal Governments to engage with them and consult with them, because they are the ones on the ground who know what’s going on.

“The last thing we need is more fly in fly out services being introduced into communities, without proper engagement with those communities about what they really need.

“We need our people who are already on the ground to be trained and supported to adequately deal with suicides in their communities.

“And we need more 24 hour services. Aboriginal people do not die by suicide between 9 and 5 when services are open. They need to be able to access support around the clock.”

Both organisations agreed there had already been too many inquiries and reports on Aboriginal health, and said that while they see value in calls for a Royal Commission they do not believe it should be a priority.

“The time for talking is over,” said YACWA CEO Ross Wortham. “What we need now is action.

“We believe governments need to broaden their focus from funding clinical and acute services to funding preventative programs that address underlying issues such as housing, employment and family support.

“We need to put more focus on creating resilient, independent young people, and to do that, we need to listen to them and ask them what they need, rather than telling them.

“For those that do not feel comfortable accessing services, we need to equip communities to develop peer and mentoring programs.

“We cannot have a one size fits all approach. We need to listen to individual communities, find out what they need, and then find a way to provide it. And to do that, there needs to be better communication and coordination between the government and non-government sectors.”

The joint submission called for an Aboriginal specific youth suicide strategy to complement the broader Suicide Prevention 2020 Strategy.

Four local Aboriginal Health Workers (AHW) are the latest graduates of a program which teaches them how to administer vaccinations to children.

The four health workers graduated last week after taking part in the two week course at the Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA) in Highgate.

Two of the course participants work at the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service in Perth, while one works at Nidjalla Waangan Mia, which delivers services in the Peel region.

AHCWA launched the training program for Aboriginal Health Workers in partnership with the Communicable Disease Control Directorate (CDCD) at the Department of Health in March last year.

So far, the program has been rolled out in a number of locations including Perth, Port Hedland, Roebourne and Broome, and 22 Aboriginal Health Workers have been trained to administer and promote immunisation.

“Until this program was launched, only nurses and doctors were authorised to carry out immunisations,” said AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox.

“The benefit of also training Aboriginal Health Workers is that they can relate to Aboriginal children and gain the trust of parents in order to educate them about the importance of immunisation.”

Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service Acting CEO Neil O’Donnell congratulated his staff members on graduating from the course.

“This will add to the great health services delivered by DYHS to the community operating in a culturally secure environment,” he said.

The State Government has released figures suggesting the program has already contributed to increasing immunisation rates among Aboriginal children.

The figures show Aboriginal immunisation rates in 5 year olds have exceeded those of non-Aboriginal children, with 94.3% of Aboriginal children now vaccinated.

“We are thrilled that it appears this training has already contributed to immunisation rates among Aboriginal children increasing significantly,” said Ms Nelson-Cox.

“The figures show that the immunisation rate among Aboriginal children increased from 91.3% in the September quarter to 94.3% in the December quarter, and we hope to see that rate has increased even further when we receive the latest figures.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said the training program would be expanded this year and she hoped it could be rolled out to several remote locations later in the year.

“We have received an overwhelming response from our Aboriginal Medical Services, who see the value in their Aboriginal Health Workers being trained to administer immunisations,” she said.

“We are working hard to meet the demand for the course, and we hope that the more Aboriginal Health Workers we can train, the higher the immunisation rates will be.”

The next course will take place in Geraldton this week.

Note: an immunisation rate of about 95% is required to effectively prevent outbreaks of highly infectious diseases.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA has welcomed a State Government commitment to fund suicide prevention training in the Kimberley as a step in the right direction.

The government today announced $145,000 would be provided to organisations in the Kimberley to conduct suicide prevention training, with $93,000 of this allocated to train Aboriginal people.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the funding was a good first step.

“Our member services have told us that they feel they lack the support and training to deal with the serious and complex issues around suicide, particularly in regional communities,” she said.

“It is so important for those working with Aboriginal people to have proper training to understand the complexity of the issues and how to handle them, and we hope this funding means many of them will get that training.

“However, we have called for all frontline primary health care workers, community service employees and youth workers to be given access to Aboriginal-specific training and support relating to mental health and suicide intervention. We don’t believe this funding will stretch far enough to provide training for all those people.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA was also concerned that the government announcement did not specifically mention young people, who are the most at risk of suicide.

ABS statistics show that the rate of suicide among Aboriginal people aged 15-19 is almost 6 times higher than for non-Aboriginal people.

“While providing suicide prevention training is a good start, our members believe the most pressing problem is the lack of specific Aboriginal youth mental health and suicide prevention programs, particularly in the regions,” she said.

“A survey of AHCWA’s member services around the state found the vast majority said they were concerned by the absence of programs, and we believe this is contributing to the high rate of suicide among Aboriginal people.

“The survey also found that across all age groups there was a lack of culturally appropriate programs in the regions.

“The rate of suicide among Aboriginal people, particularly young people, is an absolute tragedy, and we hope that once training has been provided, there will be more funding to allow Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) to develop programs to tackle these issues.

“It is imperative that Aboriginal people have access to local, culturally appropriate services that they trust, and we believe that these services are best delivered by well trained staff at ACCHS.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said it was also vital that an Aboriginal specific youth suicide strategy be developed to complement the broader Suicide Prevention 2020 Strategy.

“I think we need to acknowledge that there are circumstances that are unique to Aboriginal young people, particularly those in remote communities, that are not specifically addressed in the broader Strategy,” she said.

“Given the appalling statistics around Aboriginal youth suicide, it is clear that this group

of young people need a strategy that is specifically tailored to their circumstances and culture.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA also welcomed news that grants for suicide prevention training would be rolled out across the state.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA said the lack of specific Aboriginal youth mental health and suicide prevention programs was contributing to the high suicide rate among young Aboriginal people in WA.

A survey of AHCWA’s member services around the state found the vast majority said they were concerned by the absence of programs in their community tailored specifically to Aboriginal young people.

This was despite ABS statistics, which showed that the rate of suicide among Aboriginal people aged 15-19 is almost 6 times higher than for non-Aboriginal people.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the survey also found that overall there was a lack of culturally appropriate programs in the regions.

“Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) believe that the biggest priority should be to introduce culturally appropriate and locally responsive empowerment and health programs for Aboriginal people,” she said.

“ACCHS are the best placed to deliver suicide prevention programs to Aboriginal people, however the survey found that they lack the training and funding to do so.

“It is imperative that Aboriginal young people have access to local, culturally appropriate services that they trust, but many of our members told us that their staff weren’t trained to deal with the complex issues around suicide,” she said.

Ms Nelson-Cox said this had prompted AHCWA to call for all frontline primary health care workers, community service employees and youth workers to be given access to Aboriginal-specific training and support relating to mental health and suicide intervention.

“It is so important for those working with Aboriginal people to have proper training to understand the complexity of the issues and how to handle them,” she said.

“The rate of suicide among Aboriginal people, particularly young people, is an absolute tragedy, and ACCHS must be given more support to tackle these issues.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said it was also vital that an Aboriginal specific youth suicide strategy be developed to complement the broader Suicide Prevention 2020 Strategy.

“I think we need to acknowledge that there are circumstances that are unique to Aboriginal young people, particularly those in remote communities, that are not specifically addressed in the broader Strategy,” she said.

“Given the appalling statistics around Aboriginal youth suicide, it is clear that this group of young people need a strategy that is specifically tailored to their circumstances and culture.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said the survey of members had been used to inform a joint submission with the Youth Affairs Council of WA to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Aboriginal Youth Suicides.

The Education and Health Standing Committee inquiry was launched following the suicide of a 10 year old girl in the Kimberley and hearings began in Broome this week.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA is honoured to have been announced as a finalist in the Quality Innovation Performance Excellence Awards.

The Awards acknowledge community organisations across Australia that provide high quality care and/or services to members of their local communities.

AHCWA supports 22 Aboriginal Medical Services across WA to deliver culturally appropriate health services to Aboriginal people.

The organisation has been selected as a finalist under the award sub-category Excellence in partnerships, with an emphasis on diversity and inclusive practice within the Community Services Sector.

CEO Des Martin said AHCWA was thrilled to be a finalist for the award.

“AHCWA assists its member services in their efforts to Close the Gap, and we are dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people,” he said.

“AHCWA supports its members in many ways, including running training courses, giving advice on managing funding, assisting with capacity building and helping to deal with governance or management issues.

“WA is a diverse and geographically challenging state, and we work hard to maintain the relationships between our members, the community, government and stakeholders.

“We are really grateful that these efforts have been recognised through becoming a finalist in these awards.”

The Excellence Recipients under each sub-category for the QIP Awards will be announced at the AGPAL and QIP 2016 Conference in Brisbane and the award will be presented at a gala dinner on Friday 27th May.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA said the Federal Government’s new plan to provide better care for people with chronic illnesses amounted to trialing the Aboriginal Medical Service model in non-Aboriginal communities.

A meeting on Thursday of CEOs from WA’s Aboriginal Medical Services welcomed the $20 million Health Care Homes trial, which will start on 1 July 2017.

The trial will include about 65,000 Australians over 2 years and will ensure that people with chronic diseases will have their healthcare coordinated through one GP or medical service, rather than multiple GPs.

The most prominent chronic health conditions to be treated will be diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental health, eye disease, respiratory conditions and arthritis.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said Aboriginal people were more likely than the general population to suffer from these chronic health conditions.

“About a third of Aboriginal people suffer from three or more long term conditions,” she said.

“They often struggle to navigate what is a complex system to get the care they need, and we are very hopeful that this trial will simplify the system and allow people to stay on Country more and travel to hospital less if at all.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said the new model was essentially adapted from the model of service which Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services have been providing for forty years around Australia.

“An Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service is a primary health care service initiated and operated by the local Aboriginal community to deliver holistic, comprehensive and culturally appropriate health care to the community under locally elected Board of Management,” she said.

“The model of service delivery is founded upon integrated primary health care, and is recognised in best-practice evidence as being key to reducing the numbers of people who end up in the hospital system, which is notoriously expensive and inefficient.”

The Carnarvon Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation is back on track after appointing a new General Manager and three new board members.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA had to step in to take over management of CMSAC after it fell into financial difficulty under the management of its previous CEO Shane Van Styn, who was removed from his position.

A full independent audit of CMSAC’s finances has now been finalised for the 2015 financial year and the board, regulators and funders are now confident that the organisation is financially stable.

“AHCWA and CMSAC have worked hard to ensure that the finances were put back in order to allow the auditor to do its job,” said AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox.

“We are now all confident that CMSAC is in a good position moving forward and can not only continue to deliver services effectively, but expand into the future.”

CMSAC held its AGM on the 24th of February, during which board members Maria Poland and Camillia Thorne were re-elected.

Chairperson Susan Oakley was not up for re-election and remains in her position.

Three new board members Gail Bellotti, Margaret Stewart, Nora Mallard were also elected.

Board member Rhodda Capewell chose not to run due to family reasons.

AHCWA has also appointed a new General Manager, Tammy Bundle from the Yuin Nation at Wallaga Lake in NSW.

“We are very confident that there is now stability and unity within the board and management at CMSAC and we look forward to working with them to ensure the organisation now returns its focus to service delivery,” said Ms Nelson-Cox.

“CMSAC is entering a new era of transparency and consultation with the local community to ensure it meets expectations.

“A clinical review will also begin at the end of April to ensure that CMSAC is delivering services as effectively and efficiently as possible.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said four separate forensic audits into CMSAC’s financials were still continuing.

AHCWA will retain responsibility for CMSAC’s funding agreements until 2018, when they will be handed back to local control.

Over 150 delegates from around the state attended a conference in Perth this week to address issues in the Aboriginal health sector.

The conference, hosted by the Aboriginal Health Council of WA, attracted delegates from AHCWA’s 22 member services, relevant government departments and other health focused non-government organisations.

The conference held small group workshops on topics affecting the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people in WA.

Topics included the health effects of drugs and alcohol, sexual health, suicide prevention, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and mental health.

“These topics were chosen by the Aboriginal Medical Services around the state, and were identified as areas of particular concern for Aboriginal people and their communities,” said AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox.

“Each of the workshops came up with at least one recommendation on how to solve the issues that were discussed.

“It was really important that we didn’t just identify problems, but that we came up with workable solutions that were agreed upon by our members.”

The conference also hosted a youth forum facilitated by AHCWA’s Youth Coordinator and involved Aboriginal young people from across WA, which identified the key health issues affecting them.

Ms Nelson-Cox said it was very important for Aboriginal people to identify culturally appropriate solutions.

“Almost all of the workshop facilitators were Aboriginal people, so this was about Aboriginal people coming up with solutions that affect the health of Aboriginal people,” she said.

“We strongly believe that Aboriginal Medical Services around the state are the best placed to understand and treat the complex health issues of Aboriginal people.

“This conference gave them the chance to not only consult with each other, but develop collaborative solutions that we believe will lead to meaningful change.”

The conference also heard presentations from the Director General of Health, the First Assistant Secretary in the federal Department of Health and the state Minister for Mental Health and Child Protection.

The recommendations from the 12 workshops will be collated into a report, which will be presented to both the State and Federal governments to form a vital evidence base for future advocacy.

The conference was held in Perth on Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th March.

A training program for Aboriginal Health Workers to administer vaccinations will expand into more regional areas, with figures suggesting the program has already contributed to increasing immunisation rates among Aboriginal children.

The State Government has released figures that show Aboriginal immunisation rates in 5 year olds have exceeded those of non-Aboriginal children, with 94.3% of Aboriginal children now vaccinated. The Aboriginal Health Council of WA launched a training program for Aboriginal Health Workers in partnership with the Communicable Disease Control Directorate (CDCD) at the Department of Health in March last year.

So far, the program has been rolled out in a number of locations including Perth, Port Hedland and Broome, and 15 Aboriginal Health Workers have been trained to administer and promote immunisation.

“Until this program was launched, only nurses and doctors were authorised to carry out immunisations,” said AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox.

“The benefit of also training Aboriginal Health Workers is that they have access to Aboriginal children living in remote locations and are trusted by the communities where they live. “We are thrilled that it appears this training has already contributed to immunisation rates among Aboriginal children increasing significantly.

“The figures show that the immunisation rate among Aboriginal children increased from 91.3% in the September quarter to 94.3% in December and we hope that rate will increase even further.” Ms Nelson-Cox said the training program would be expanded this year to include Kalgoorlie and Roebourne, and she hoped it could be rolled out to several remote locations later in the year.

“We have received an overwhelming response from our Aboriginal Medical Services, who see the value in their Aboriginal Health Workers being trained to administer immunisations,” she said. “We are working hard to meet the demand for the course, and we hope that the more Aboriginal Health Workers we can train, the higher the immunisation rates will be.”

Note: an immunisation rate of about 95% is required to effectively prevent outbreaks of highly infectious diseases.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA is pleased to have secured Federal Government funding to ensure the future of the Carnarvon Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation. AHCWA is now overseeing the management and finances of CMSAC, after the organisation fell into financial difficulties and the former CEO was removed.

An investigation into the former CEO Shane Van Styn’s handling of CMSAC’s finances is still ongoing.

AHCWA applied to the Federal Department of Health for funding to keep services running, and the Minister has approved one-off funding of $300,000 for 2015-16, $40,000 in 2016-17 and $40,000 in 2017-18.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the money would ensure that the organisation could continue to provide culturally appropriate health services to Aboriginal people in Carnarvon.

“Our biggest priority is to ensure that services are maintained,” she said. “CMSAC is a vital instrument in delivering medical services to Aboriginal people in the Carnarvon area, and this Federal Government money will ensure it continues to deliver those services.

“The Directors and staff have been working very hard to minimise any impact on patients.” Ms Nelson-Cox said some of the money would also assist AHCWA to cover the costs associated with managing CMSAC, as well as undertaking capacity-building activities to ensure it continued to improve.

“AHCWA will implement policies and procedures across the organisation to strengthen all processes, including open and transparent recruitment,” she said. “We will be looking to attract qualified professionals to the organisation to ensure its long-term viability.

“We also intend to rebuild the governance of the board, to prevent this type of situation occurring again in the future.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said the department had also entered into a Deed of Novation to transfer CMSAC’s funding agreement to AHCWA, which would ensure that the organisation would continue to be responsible for CMSAC’s finances until an intended hand-back to local control in 2018.

The Carnarvon Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation (CMSAC) has received notification from Fair Work Australia that its former CEO has discontinued his claim for unfair dismissal against the organisation.

Shane Van Styn was removed from his position in June last year and the financial position of the organisation is still under review.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA has stepped in to ensure

services at CMSAC continue, despite the loss of its CEO.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said an interim audit conducted last year picked up serious financial issues, and a subsequent independent audit recommended urgent cost cutting measures be implemented.

“AHCWA and the Directors of CMSAC are continuing their investigation into the incorrect reporting of the finances of the organisation by the former CEO,” she said.

“The Directors want to reassure clients and members that CMSAC has received confirmation of support to continue the provision of services.

“The Directors continue to seek ways to improve the efficiency of the service, whilst not compromising the high level of healthcare service delivery.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said CMSAC had always been confident that the termination of Mr Van Styn's employment was in all ways fair and reasonable in the circumstances.

“The Directors are pleased the unfair dismissal claim has been discontinued so that they can concentrate on ensuring culturally appropriate medical services are provided to Aboriginal people in the Carnarvon area,” she said.

“AHCWA will also continue to work with CMSAC’s remaining directors and staff, with the aim of building a strong and stable organisation that can meet the health needs of Aboriginal people now and into the future.”

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA is very alarmed by a new draft Federal Government policy, which seeks to limit salary support given to GP Registrars working in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS).

Currently, doctors working in ACCHS have their full salary paid by the Federal Government for up to 3 years.

However, a draft policy released by the government for comment this week reduces that salary support to only 12 months.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said this would have a profound impact on ACCHS around WA.

“Currently, doctors are committing to stay in regional areas longer partly because their salaries are guaranteed by the government for up to 3 years,” she said.

“If this support is limited to only 12 months, we are going to start seeing a never ending merry-go-round of staff who will only stay in a regional area until their support is withdrawn.

“This is going to have serious effects on Aboriginal patients in regards to continuity of care, which is vital for ongoing health and wellbeing.

“It’s also important for patients to build up trust and confidence in their doctors, and this will not happen if they see someone new every 12 months.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said the proposed change in policy was also likely to lead to a huge reduction in the number of doctors working in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.

“The government is also proposing to withdraw financial support for doctors wishing to undertake Advanced Rural Skills Training, which will have a huge impact.

“As an example, if the new funding arrangements were to be implemented in 2016, the Aboriginal health services in the Kimberley would lose 15 of the 18 doctors who have been offered positions for the first half of the year.

“Clearly, this would severely limit the services the ACCHSs could offer, as they cannot afford to make up these salaries themselves.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said the new draft policy would also force ACCHSs to continually have to train new doctors, only to have them leave 12 months later.

“ACCHSs currently have some very experienced doctors who are capable of contending with the often complex medical needs of Aboriginal patients,” she said.

“If this new policy is implemented, they would have to replace the experienced staff with inexperienced doctors, which would obviously affect the standard of care provided.”

Ms Nelson-Cox called on the Department of Health and Federal Government to bring together key stakeholders to discuss and resolve the concerns regarding the draft policy.

MEDIA CONTACT: Rebecca Boteler – 0424 569 179 rebecca@campaigncapital.com.au

The Kimberley’s peak Aboriginal health body, the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS), is seriously concerned about the Federal Government’s proposed changes to the Aboriginal Health Training policy.

Changes announced by the Federal Department of Health on 17 November 2015, which if approved will apply from 1 January 2016, will result in the dismantling of the successful Kimberley General Practice Training (KGPT) program which commenced in 2003. The program was established to help address the chronic shortage of doctors in Aboriginal health, improve access to primary medical care in the Kimberley and increase the number of doctors practicing in rural and remote areas.

Under the proposed changes, Kimberley Aboriginal health services across the region would stand to lose 15 out of 18 (84%) doctors who are due to commence training in the first half of 2016 and 10 out of 15 (67%) doctors in the second half of 2016. The biggest impact will be felt in the very remote parts of the Kimberley which are serviced by the more experienced doctors in training. Under the changes, these experienced doctors will no longer be eligible for the KGPT support.

KAMS CEO, Vicki O’Donnell says ‘the changes will place enormous risk on delivering quality medical services, not only in many remote communities but also in the largest centres, including Broome, both in the short and long term’.

The proposed policy changes completely contradict the Federal Government’s commitment to improving health workforce capability, increasing doctors in rural and remote areas and closing the gap in Aboriginal life expectancy by 2031. It also contradicts the Council of Australian Government Health Council’s recently released ‘Review of Medical Intern Training Report’ which recognises the importance of community-based placements.

Since its inception in 2003, the KGPT program has supported 104 doctors to undertake their training in the Kimberley. A review of the program in September 2015 highlighted that between 2003 – 2015, over 50% of doctors who completed their training continue to practice in the Kimberley and over 66% are now working in Aboriginal health across Australia.

The proposed changes include restricting the amount of training a doctor can undertake with an Aboriginal Medical Service to a maximum of 12 months, and discontinuing support for doctors commencing their training and those doctors in the last 12 months of their training. The result will see less doctors spending less time training in Aboriginal health and rural and remote areas, reduced mentoring and training opportunities between doctors in training and significant impacts on continuity of care to patients.

KAMS calls on the Department of Health and Commonwealth Government to bring together key stakeholders, including the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA), to discuss and resolve the concerns regarding this draft policy.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA is reaching out to regional Aboriginal youth through a number of workshops being held in regional towns.

AHCWA is inviting about 20 young people to participate in each of the forums, which are being held in Carnarvon, Geraldton, Broome, Bunbury and Roebourne. The workshops have been tailored to address particular issues in each town, and will cover topics such as leadership, self confidence, cultural healing, drug and alcohol abuse and health and wellbeing.

The workshops are being delivered by AHCWA’s Youth Coordinator Hayley Thompson, in conjunction with Aboriginal Medical Services in each town.

Miss Thompson is a 20 year old Noongar (Whadjuk) woman who has previously been nominated for a National Youth Award as well as being a finalist in Miss NAIDOC Perth; a leadership and empowerment program for young Aboriginal women.

Miss Thompson said the aim of the workshops is to educate and inform young Aboriginal people about the issues they are facing and give them tools to overcome adversity. “It’s so important to bring young people together to talk about issues they might not necessarily talk about at home,” she said.

“We really want to get young people thinking about their health and wellbeing and to make this a priority in their lives.

“We want young Aboriginal people to have the confidence in themselves to pursue whatever they want to do, even if they have hurdles such as early parenthood, which includes a high percentage of Aboriginal youth.

“We want to encourage our youth to continue their education or gain employment, no matter what previous issues they may have had.”

Miss Thompson said some of the workshops would include personal training sessions to encourage young people to live healthy lifestyles free from drugs and alcohol.

“I have been involved in athletics, netball and Aussie Rules football from a young age, which sparked my passion for fitness and led me to gain my Personal Training qualification,” she said.

“The personal training session in the workshops will be free to all youth participants and will also give them a glimpse into the fitness industry as a career path.”

The first workshop was held in Carnarvon on the 15th and 16th of September and the next will be in Roebourne and Geraldton on October 30th.

Later workshops will be held in Broome and Derby in April next year.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA is hopeful the new Assistant Health Minister will make Aboriginal health and closing the gap a priority.

Ken Wyatt was the first Indigenous Australian elected to the Lower House and has now made history by being the first Indigenous frontbencher in federal parliament.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said the appointment of Mr Wyatt was a good sign that the government was prepared to take Aboriginal health seriously.

“Successive governments have made very slow progress in closing the gap, and the life expectancy for Aboriginal people is still 10 years lower than the general population,” she said.

“We are very confident that Mr Wyatt, as an Aboriginal person with a long history working in health before entering politics, will have a better understanding of the issues facing Aboriginal people’s health and wellbeing.

“AHCWA and the Aboriginal Medical Services (AMSs) in WA very much look forward to working with Mr Wyatt to ensure AMSs continue to deliver culturally appropriate health services across WA.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said AHCWA would seek a meeting with Mr Wyatt to bring him up to date on the health needs of Aboriginal people in WA.

“We really hope that Mr Wyatt can make sure that the health of Aboriginal people is made a priority for the decision-makers in Canberra,” she said.

“We hope that this will be a new era of collaboration in the health sector and will result in better decisions and better outcomes for the health of Aboriginal people”.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA has stepped in to ensure services at the Carnarvon Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation continue, despite the loss of its CEO.

The CEO was removed in June and the financial position of the organisation is still under review. An independent audit has recommended urgent cost cutting measures be implemented, and five staff members have been made redundant in order for CMSAC to remain solvent and continue to provide services.

AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox said half of CMSAC’s board had retained their positions, which would provide stability to the organisation.

“The remaining directors and staff are working very hard to minimise any impact on patients,” she said.

“CMSAC is a vital instrument in delivering medial services to Aboriginal people in the Carnarvon area, and everything possible is being done to ensure it continues to deliver those services.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said despite this effort, there would be some disruption to dental services, however AHCWA was working with the WA Department of Health on a temporary plan.

“It is AHCWA’s role to support our member service through this difficult process, and we will continue to take advice from the independent auditor on how best to do this,” she said “AHCWA will also continue to work with CMSAC’s remaining directors and staff, with the aim of building a strong and stable organisation that can meet the health needs of Aboriginal people now and into the future.

“It is important that Aboriginal people in the Carnarvon area continue to have access to medical services that are culturally appropriate, and we will do everything we can to ensure that happens.” Ms Nelson-Cox said the previous CEO had launched an unfair dismissal claim that AHCWA would vigorously defend.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA has called on the Federal Government to act on the recommendations of a recent report and increase funding for eye health among Aboriginal people.

The PwC report found that more than 32,000 Indigenous Australians would go blind over the next decade unless the Federal Government increased funding.

AHCWA said it was deplorable that a third of Aboriginal adults had never had even a basic eye exam.

AHCWA said hundreds of Aboriginal people in WA were missing out on important treatment because there was not enough funding for services.

The CEO of the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service in Perth said the service currently had an eye health program, which was delivered in partnership with the Lions Eye Institute (LEI), and sponsored by the Fred Hollows Foundation.

The program provided a culturally appropriate service this year to over 200 Aboriginal people in the city.

“The report found that 94% of vision loss is preventable or treatable. Without culturally safe and affordable treatment many Aboriginal people are at the risk of going blind simply because they can’t access or afford the required treatment,” said CEO Barbara Henry.

“Our eye health program gets minimal federal funding apart from one staff member, and would not exist if it wasn’t for the support of the LEI and the Fred Hollows Foundation. “Many of the clients we see can’t afford to contribute as little as $10.00 toward the cost of a pair of glasses, so we either have to try and cover the cost or the client misses out.”

Ms Henry said the eye health program was very successful and the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service would like to expand it to the 3 other clinics it operates in the metropolitan area, however the lack of funding prevented any expansion.

The PwC report said that current government funding for 2015/16 is $40 million. It recommended the government invest an extra $227 million over 10 years, which would generate $578 million in economic savings.

The Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA) has welcomed news that WA’s mobile eye health clinic will begin taking services to more remote areas of the state.

The State Government has committed $4 million in funding which will allow the eye health clinic to now reach remote parts of regional Western Australia.

Lotterywest funding will also be used for research and evaluation as well as vehicle modifications to get the mobile clinic on the road.

The mobile clinic has been developed following work between AHCWA and the Lions Eye Institute to develop protocols to deliver services to Aboriginal people.

“Aboriginal people in remote areas often have limited access to specialist medical services, including ophthalmologists,” said AHCWA Chairperson Michelle Nelson-Cox. “Preventable blindness and vision loss are a big issue for Aboriginal people and we hope that this new mobile eye health clinic will ensure that more people get better access to the medical help they need.

“We are very pleased that there will now be a service that brings eye specialists to Aboriginal people, rather than them having to travel vast distances to get to an appointment with an ophthalmologist.”

Ms Nelson-Cox said the opportunity for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services across WA to work in conjunction with the mobile clinic would ensure the best delivery of services to Aboriginal people.

The van will visit towns including Katanning, Albany, Esperance, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Leonora, Wiluna, Newman, Roebourne, Karratha, Port Hedland, Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Kununurra and Carnarvon.