Aboriginal health
What is Aboriginal health?
"'Aboriginal health' refers to the physical well-being of an individual and the social, emotional and cultural well-being of the whole Community in which each individual is able to achieve their full potential as a human being, thereby bringing about the total well-being of their Community. It is a whole-of-life view and includes the cyclical concept of life-death-life. Health care services should strive to achieve the state where every individual is able to achieve their full potential as a human being and thus bring about the total well-being of their community.”
National Aboriginal Health Strategy, 1989
See the Network's Aboriginal Health Strategy
How do we help improve the health of Aboriginal children?
Our Network ensures the cultural appropriateness of our programs and services and that we positively impact on the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal children. We utilise Aboriginal people's skills, knowledge and experience to provide the best possible services.
Our Network is achieving excellence in many areas of clinical care, research and education in Aboriginal health. Establishing changes in health outcomes in the paediatric environment is the best opportunity to influence lifelong health outcomes for individuals and communities.
The Aboriginal Health Unit
The Aboriginal Health Unit promotes equality of outcomes using equitable processes, The Aboriginal Health Management Advisor works across both Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, with an office based at Westmead.
The role of the Aboriginal Health Management Advisor is to work across the executive structure to develop the organisation's strategic responses to State and National Aboriginal Health and Aboriginal Workforce needs.
The goal is that of connecting the Network's local strategies to enhance the care outcomes for Aboriginal clients, effectively seeking to Close the Gap across the broadest spectrum possible within the Network.
The Aboriginal Health Management Advisor is linked to NSW Health's policy activities and core networks through:
Plans, policies and resources
Aboriginal Health
- Active & Safe Injury Preventions Guidelines
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan (NATSIHP)
- Implementation Plan for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan
- NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2013-2023
- The health of Aboriginal people of NSW: Report of the Chief Health Officer 2012
- Communicating Positively
Workforce
- Good Health - Great Jobs PD2011_048
- Respecting the Difference PD2011_069
- Stepping Up (NSW Health online resource for Hiring Managers and Aboriginal applicants)
- Decision-Making Framework for Aboriginal Health Workers
- Aboriginal Health Worker Guidelines
- Work with us
External Resources
- Australian Indigenous HealthInfonet
- The Australian Government Department of Health - Indigenous: www.health.gov.au/Indigenous
- Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Closing the Gap – The Prime Minister’s Report 2015
- Medicare - Indigenous Health
- Australian Human Rights Commission - Close the Gap
- National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
- Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC)
Aboriginal Medical Services
Aboriginal Medical Service Co-operative Ltd in Redfern, NSW
- 36 Turner St, Redfern NSW 2016
- Phone (02) 9319 5823
- Fax (02) 9319 3345
Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation Aboriginal Medical Service
- 187 Riverside Drive, Airds NSW 2560
- Phone: (02) 4628 4837
- Web: http://tacams.com.au/
Western Sydney
- 2 Palmerston Road, Mt Druitt NSW 2770
- Phone: 1800 225 363 or (02) 9832 1356
- Web: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/aboriginal/Pages/aboriginal-medical-service.aspx
Partnerships
Sydney Metro Local Aboriginal Health Partnerships Agreement Aboriginal Health Priorities 2015-6
Significant calendar dates
Significant calendar events for Aboriginal people
- National Apology Day, 13 February
- National Close the Gap Day, 19 March
- Harmony Day, 21 March
- National Sorry Day, 26 May
- National Reconciliation Week, 27 May – 3 June
- National NAIDOC Week, Sunday to Sunday (first full week in July)
- National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day, 4 August
- International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, 9 August