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

Moving Forward TogetherJanet KellyThe first National Aboriginal and Islander Health Organisation was formed in1970, and the first Aboriginal controlled health service opened in Redfern,Sydney, in 1971 with the aim of improving access to health services for thelocal Aboriginal community in a culturally appropriate environment (Hunter &(NACCO) 2001). These developed well before the Alma Ata Declaration of1978 and highlight that Aboriginal health services and policies have beenadvocating for effective primary health care to address health issues for manyyears. Aboriginal Health Services were developed across the country asAboriginal values and practices were incorporated into community initiatives(Anderson & Brady 1999, p. 191). Aboriginal Health Services often began asgrass roots movements with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff membersvolunteering their services until funding could be obtained (Anderson, Ian &Brady 1999). Health service staff members embraced the principles of selfdeterminationand accountability to the community. Two-way knowledgesharing and skills transfer between (usually) non-Aboriginal professionals andAboriginal health workers was embedded into organisational services andcollaborative health care practice (Anderson, Ian & Brady 1999).The first South Australian metropolitan Aboriginal controlled health serviceNunkuwarrin Yunti was opened in Adelaide in 1971. Health programs wereestablished with the aid of donations, a small amount of government fundingand the ‘services of an empathetic and dedicated doctor’ and Aboriginalwoman activist Mrs Gladys Elphick (Nunkuwarrin Yunti 2008). Once again,the development of this service was driven by community based decisionmaking, rather than top down policy decision making.The first National Aboriginal Health Strategy (National Aboriginal HealthStrategy Working Party 1989) was developed in 1989 following acomprehensive and inclusive national consultation process. It promoted arights based framework to be used by health services, service providers andpolicy makers and planners (National Aboriginal Health Strategy WorkingParty 1989). The strategy clearly stated an emphasis toward comprehensiveprimary health care principles (and knowledge sharing and collaboration) bystating that;76