PCD Strategy Evaluation 2007.pdf - NT Health Digital Library ...

In the regional health zones in Central Australia the revenue raised through Medicare ismonitored and transferred back to communities. A similar transparent process is not in place forother NTDH&CS clinics and as such there are no incentive for the local team to be more diligentin completing chronic disease activities to claim EPC items.Assessment against objectiveThere has been a definite shift in the general understanding across the Northern Territory of theneed for dedicated and focused chronic disease activities. The PCD program has been taskedwith the development of chronic disease programs and activities, and there is evidence of strongleadership in this endeavour. Where additional resources have been provided dedicated staff andstrategies have been implemented to address chronic disease issues, but chronic diseaseprograms with dedicated staff are not consistently in place in all remote clinics. The key barrieridentified in achieving this is financial resources, community infrastructure and the decliningAboriginal Health Worker workforce numbers.3.5 FUNDING & INDIGENOUS GOVERNANCEThe provision of resources is key to enhancing the core range of services required forcomprehensive primary health care and building capacity in communities. There are 4 objectivesrelated to funding that will be discussed in this section. They include: financing objectives tosupport community control of health services, funding community controlled health services andnon government agencies to deliver prevention and health promotion programs and investmentin intersectoral action to support health promoting actions.In addition to providing an overview of the activities related to these objectives, other fundingstrategies that have contributed to the chronic disease activities are discussed in this section.They include S100, the use of EPC items and NT growth funding for priority servicedevelopments.Funding arrangements at baselineIn the late 1990s, it became apparent that the economic and social costs of chronic diseases inthe Northern Territory were escalating, and that the current health system had limited capacity todeal with these increasing costs. Altogether it was estimated that chronic disease accounted forChapter 3: Progress Against PCDS Objectives – Evaluation of the NT Preventable Chronic Disease Strategy 2007 58