Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Health
Aboriginal-led partnerships for healthier communities
Healthy North Coast works alongside Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), communities and health partners across the North Coast to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In 2023, Healthy North Coast and the six North Coast Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations formalised an Aboriginal Health Partnership that places Aboriginal leadership, shared decision making and self-determination at the centre of regional health planning.
This partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensuring Aboriginal people have access to healthcare that is culturally safe, responsive to community needs and centred in culture.
Rather than developing programs in isolation, Healthy North Coast works with Aboriginal organisations to identify priorities, plan services and invest in initiatives that deliver meaningful outcomes for communities.
How we work together
The Aboriginal Health Partnership is guided by principles agreed by Healthy North Coast and North Coast Aboriginal Medical Services.
Self-determination
Aboriginal communities should lead decisions about Aboriginal health and wellbeing. Healthy North Coast supports Aboriginal-led planning, commissioning and service design.
Aboriginal leadership
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations are the experts in Aboriginal health and are central to improving health outcomes across the North Coast.
Working together
Shared planning and partnership approaches make better use of resources and create stronger outcomes for communities.
Data sharing and data sovereignty
Communities should have access to and influence over the information that affects them. Shared regional data supports better planning and more informed decision making.
Shared responsibility
Improving Aboriginal health outcomes is the responsibility of the entire health system and requires collaboration across primary care, hospitals, government and community organisations.
Trust and transparency
Strong partnerships are built through openness, respect and a willingness to work through challenges together.
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations
The North Coast is home to 6 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations that provide holistic, culturally safe and community-led healthcare for Aboriginal people and communities.
These organisations provide much more than primary healthcare. Their services often include:
- General practice and chronic disease management
- Social and Emotional Wellbeing support
- Women’s, men’s and family health programs
- Child and maternal health services
- Drug and alcohol support
- Allied health and specialist outreach services
- Drug and alcohol support
- Cultural healing and connection to Country programs
Healthy North Coast recognises that Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations are not simply service providers: they are community-controlled organisations with deep cultural knowledge, trusted relationships and expertise in Aboriginal health.
Shared planning and data sovereignty
One of the priorities of the Aboriginal Health Partnership is improving how health information is shared, understood and used across the North Coast.
Healthy North Coast and our Aboriginal partners are working together to develop:
- A joint North Coast Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Needs Assessment.
- A regional Aboriginal Data Sovereignty Agreement.
- Shared approaches to measuring outcomes and evaluating services.
This work supports investment decisions that reflect community priorities and local knowledge rather than relying solely on state or national datasets.
Aboriginal health programs and initiatives
Healthy North Coast works in partnership with Aboriginal organisations to commission, support and evaluate programs that improve health outcomes for Aboriginal communities.
The work differs across communities and organisations because local priorities and local solutions matter.
Featured programs and stories from across the region will be highlighted here.
Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing Program
Supports Aboriginal people through culturally appropriate mental health and wellbeing services delivered through local Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations.
Mid North Coast GP Public Health Initiative
Provides shared clinical and public health leadership across Aboriginal Medical Services to strengthen care quality, coordination and access to services
Integrated Team Care
Supports Aboriginal people with chronic conditions to access coordinated care, specialist services and practical supports to improve health outcomes.
AMS Cancer Quality Improvement Collaborative
Supports Aboriginal Medical Services to improve cancer prevention, screening and care through community-led quality improvement initiatives.
Cultural capability and workforce development
Improving Aboriginal health outcomes requires a health system that is culturally safe and responsive.
Healthy North Coast supports cultural capability training, Aboriginal workforce development and opportunities for shared learning across general practice, allied health, pharmacies, hospitals and community services.
This work is delivered in partnership with Aboriginal organisations and aims to strengthen relationships between mainstream services and Aboriginal communities.
Reconciliation Action Plan
Healthy North Coast’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan commits our organisation to truth-telling, stronger relationships and practical action.
Our reconciliation vision is to work towards a better future together through respectful partnerships, shared learning and equitable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the North Coast.
The Healthy North Coast Board, Executive Leadership Team and staff are committed to delivering the actions within our RAP and embedding reconciliation across our organisation and our work.
