September 2019

CEO Clinical Governance CQI Workshops

Posted on September 20, 2019October 30, 2023 by Pawas Gupta

In August 2019, the AH&MRC hosted the first of a series of Clinical Governance Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Workshops for our Member Services. Delivered in two phases, the overarching objective of this initiative is to empower Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) to increase revenue through improved clinical governance processes, ensuring fiscal sustainability in the face of an ever-changing funding landscape.

As part of the first phase of this project, two one-day workshops specifically designed for ACCHS CEOs and executive-level staff were hosted by the AH&MRC in Dubbo and Sydney. The AH&MRC engaged an external consultant, Dr Vlad Matic, to develop and deliver these workshops. With extensive experience in the provision of primary and secondary healthcare within rural and remote Aboriginal communities, Dr Vlad worked closely with attendees during these sessions to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges arising across various areas of clinical governance and began to explore customised solutions to meet the individual needs of each ACCHS.

With a total of 12 attendees across eight Member Services, the Dubbo CEO Clinical Governance CQI Workshop offered ACCHSs the opportunity to deep dive into areas of clinical governance most relevant to their communities. Medicare, the role of the GP and the patient journey were key themes of the day and provided the foundation for many of the robust discussions shared by attendees.

The Sydney CEO Clinical Governance CQI Workshop saw 20 attendees from 13 different ACCHSs across NSW gather to engage in a dialogue about how ACCHSs can best demonstrate their value to funders. The role of data and the relationship between data, information, knowledge and wisdom provided the framework for many discussions throughout the day, while the importance of having defined internal processes was another core focus.

If you can’t describe what you are doing as a process, you don’t know what you’re doing. W. Edward Deming

With the second phase of the project now well underway, Dr Vlad has taken the concepts, processes and feedback from the initial CEO Workshops and will utilise these to develop effective, practical and tailored implementation strategies to support ACCHSs to improve their clinical governance practices.

For more information about the Clinical Governance CQI initiative, please don’t hesitate to contact Rosie Edwards REdwards@ahmrc.org.au or Richie Garcia RGarcia@ahmrc.org.au.

Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network 2019 Conference

Posted on September 19, 2019October 30, 2023 by Pawas Gupta

On the 27th and 28th of August, the Public Health Team attended the Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network 2019 Conference in Kirribilli. The conference aimed to improve the experience and delivery of healthcare for Aboriginal people with chronic conditions in NSW. Themed “Power in Partnerships”, the conference posed the question: How do we work in partnership with Aboriginal organisations and agencies to better the health of Aboriginal people, families and communities?

Dr Kate Armstrong from AH&MRC was part of the opening discussion on partnerships which also included Ashley Brown, Principal Advisor, Partnerships and Strategy from Centre for Aboriginal Health, Dr Jean-Frederic Levesque, Chief Executive from Agency for Clinical Innovation and Andrew Harvey, Chief Executive Officer from Western NSW Primary Health Network. The AH&MRC team had a stall where we provided My Health Record booklets, strength cards and other resources.

Discussions on intergenerational trauma and institutional racism, which had a profound and powerful effect on many attendees, were led by Emeritus Professor Judy Atkinson and Dr Chris Bourke. Janine Mohammed spoke about white privilege and how we can dismantle colonist power structures.

Innovative health projects at the conference included improving chronic pain care for children, a program to send paramedics to communities to educate Aboriginal people on diabetes and improving chronic kidney disease through recognising the nuances of the patient/medic relationship. Another new program aims to leverage the intersections between health and the justice system, providing case studies of how the partnerships have assisted local Aboriginal people to find housing and contest illegitimate fines.

Authors:

Nina Betts – AH&MRC

Imran Mansoor – AH&MRC

Introducing Submittable – AH&MRC’s new Ethics software

Posted on September 18, 2019October 30, 2023 by Pawas Gupta

The AH&MRC Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is changing the way it does business. Welcome to the first public viewing of the new AH&MRC Ethics software Submittable. Submittable is a portal-based system whereby applicants can monitor and maintain files they submit to the AH&MRC HREC. The HREC is putting researchers in control of their application. As a researcher, you are now able to see what meeting your application is going to and be able to monitor the progress of your application. Best of all, you can submit documents as they are updated directly into your file.

Step 1) In order to submit an application Simply click ‘Apply Now’ on the meeting you would like to submit to (See below).

Step 2) Complete the AH&MRC HREC Cover Sheet by filling in 5 Key Principles in an online form (see below).

Step 3) Upload the documents you want the reviewers to see. You will also be able to add any final comments using the ‘additional information’ comments section (see below).

The Submittable portal is now open. It is optional for researchers to use Submittable up until the December 2019 AH&MRC HREC Meeting. We encourage applicants to start using the portal as early as possible. Using the Submittable portal will ensure your application file is saved on our database and help streamline the HREC Application Process.

To submit an application through the Submittable portal click here.

The AH&MRC Ethics Committee looks forward to providing more information on the system as it becomes available.

Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing in an Australian Urban Community

Posted on September 11, 2019October 30, 2023 by Pawas Gupta

The mental health and wellbeing of Indigenous people across the globe is an area of great focus, no more so than in Australia currently as Indigenous health is set to be a key issue in the upcoming Federal Election.

The social and emotional wellbeing of Australia’s Indigenous people (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) is an area of disadvantage and inequity that the Australian Government and nation as a whole continues to grapple with. The release of the recent Closing the Gap – Our Choices Our Voices Report (The Lowitja Institute, 2019; Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2019) highlights limited gains in the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians.

The gap in life expectancy is widening not closing with Indigenous people continuing to die early due to preventable chronic health diseases. The incidence of mental distress and disorder and the incarceration rate of Indigenous Australians is disproportionately high when compared to non-Indigenous Australians.

Tharawal Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) is based in Airds, NSW and celebrated its 35^th year of operation in 2018. Tharawal AMS provides healthcare, social and cultural support services to Indigenous Australians across South West Sydney. Tharawal AMS is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO), independent of the Government, Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and independent of but aligned in principle to other AMSs across Australia.

The Byala team, Byala meaning ‘lets talk’ in the local Dhawaral People’s dialect, is a multi-disciplinary team made up of 7 staff. The team is led by a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (MHNP) and includes an Aboriginal Mental Health Worker, Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Worker, Aboriginal Youth Worker and a Psychologist. Access to a second Psychologist for 2 days of the week and a Child Psychologist 1 day a week. The Byala team provides direct service to Indigenous Australians aged 5 years and older. Services are delivered in a number of modes including individual and group, office-based and outreach (including hospital visits, home visits, school visits and other service visits). To meet the needs of our target community both appointment-based and walk-in clinics are offered. 71% of the Byala team are Aboriginal.

The Byala team sits within Tharawal’s Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) team supporting a Manager, Social Support Worker, 2 Housing Support Workers, Home Support Worker and a Bringing Them Home Worker (reconnecting the Stolen Generation) to provide broad SEWB support to the Community.

The Byala team is a partnership between clinical and cultural staff. Our PHN funds the staff through mental health stream funding or drug health stream funding. Our MHNP is funded jointly through both mental health and drug health streams. Our MHNP coordinates and provides service across both mental health and drug health areas, comorbidity is overwhelmingly the rule, not the exception. The extended roles, broad education and competence of the MHNP is a key element that allows the team to manage a wide spectrum of presentations and levels of acuity.

The Byala team works from the belief that connection to land, culture, spirituality, family, and community are important to people and impact their wellbeing.

The practice of this belief is reflected in the mix of clinical, social and cultural services and programs run by the team’s staff – from twice weekly Nurse Practitioner mental health / drug health walk-in clinics, psychology sessions, cultural art groups, fortnightly psychiatry clinic, twice-weekly youth cultural dance groups and regular community wake / memorial events.

The success of the Byala team is grounded in the fact that Tharawal AMS is a community controlled and run organisation for the local Aboriginal Community by the local Aboriginal Community that places equal importance on the complementary role of clinical and cultural staff. We are a service run by the Community we serve and accountable to the Community we serve.

Author:

Matthew James – Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation

Your Health Your Future Ambassador Program shoots and scores

Posted on September 9, 2019October 30, 2023 by Pawas Gupta

The Your Health Your Future Ambassador Program kicked off with a high-octane bang last week as the Illawarra Hawks challenged the Australian Indigenous All Stars to their first event match against an NBL team. Both teams showed off their sportsmanship by engaging in various health promotion activities with some local primary school students.

All Stars visit Warilla North Public School

On Friday in collaboration with Illawarra AMS, the All Stars visited Warilla North Public School, a local school with a passion for basketball, and challenged the kids to a classic 5-on-5 set up. The points flew thick and fast from both sides, but some tricky manoeuvres and skilful defence saw the kids from Warilla North Public beating the All Stars by just one point. Congrats to Warilla North, and of course to the All Stars for bringing the challenge and the passion for the game.

All Stars face off against the kids at Warilla North

After the game, the players and coaching staff spoke to the students about the importance of playing sport and being active, and why water is the healthiest drink to choose if they want to grow up and be an All Star! The players and the AH&MRC team distributed Your Health Your Future health promotion items including hats, skipping ropes, bouncy balls and other equipment that can empower kids to get active.

It was a fabulous day all round which illustrated the power of health partnerships where the Warilla North teaching staff, the All Stars, IAMS and the AH&MRC all came together to demonstrate and promote the importance of sport and fitness for children and young people.

All Stars and Illawarra Medical Service hand out Your Health Your Future Resources

On Saturday, the Hawks and the All-Stars held an open training session in Wollongong, where Warilla North students (proudly wearing their new Your Health Your Future hats) got to watch the pros warm-up and shoot hoops in anticipation of the Saturday night pre-season Indigenous challenge. This game gave the Hawks a chance to debut their 2019 squad including new recruits LaMelo Ball and Aaron Brooks, and was also the first time the All Stars had the chance to compete against an NBL team. While the Hawks won the game, the All Stars’ exciting performance against the established Hawks means it surely won’t be the last.