Moving Forward Together in Aboriginal Women's Health: - Theses ...

Moving Forward TogetherJanet Kelly2005 Aboriginal Neighbourhood House opened with medical servicesprovided by GP and Aboriginal Health Workers, & diabetes group2005 Gilles Plains Community Campus Workshop with SA CommunityHealth Research Unit to enhance collaboration across campus(Aboriginal health not directly involved)2006/7 Aboriginal Neighbourhood House renamed Aboriginal OutreachHealth Service in line with APHCAP / Medicare fundingLocal community informed when signs appeared2006/7 NE Neighbourhood House to come on site, but building unsuitable andremoved unused.2006/7 Gilles Plains CHS was to be realigned with Northern services as partof the Generational Health Review organisational reshuffle but CHSstaff argued to remain in Central and North East sector.CHS Staff encouraged to reduce community development andcomprehensive PHC in favour of selective primary care2007 Close the Gap campaign highlighting inequities in Aboriginal health2007 New Campus focus on children under 5 years and new arrivals/refugee people2008 First national Government apology to Aboriginal peopleThis table illustrates the interconnections and disconnections between localservice provision and external policies and events. These events foregroundmany of the discussions in Collaboration Areas One and Two. It is important tonote that some of the Aboriginal community members and health professionalshave been involved with the campus for as long as, or longer, than thecommunity health services has been open (since 1981). Others are morerecently connected, and know little of past events. This has led to a diverserange of perspectives and responses to events occurring during this research.Aboriginal health worker involvement with the campus has varied. Short termemployment contracts and organisational and policy changes have determinedlevels of involvement. At times, Aboriginal health workers have beenpositioned in community locations including Gilles Plains as part of regionalmultidisciplinary primary health care teams. At other times the Aboriginalhealth workers have been based in an Aboriginal Health Team, providingoutreach services across the region. These changes reflect differingmanagement and policy strategies regarding community engagement,collaborative partnerships, specific health promotion programs, and workforcedevelopment, as discussed in Chapter Three.155