Brisbane South PHN

Brisbane South PHN Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) May 2018 to May 2021

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians past and present on whose land We walk, We work and We live. Brisbane South PHN gratefully acknowledges the financial and other support from the Australian Government Department of Health.

Baugull nyungai – Yugambeh good day (Beaudesert, Logan)

Gurumba bigi – Yugarabul good day (Brisbane Western Suburbs)

Maroomba biggee – Jandai good day (Minjerribah – Stradbroke Island)

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live and work, and of the many different nations across the wider Brisbane south region.

We pay our respects to the Elders, past, present and emerging, as the holders of the memories, the traditions, the culture and the spiritual wellbeing of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the nation. We acknowledge any Sorry Business that may be affecting the communities as a whole.

In the spirit of reconciliation, partnership and mutual respect, we will continue to work together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to shape a health system which responds to the needs and aspirations of the community.

45

• unifying and inclusive of culture, safe and culturally appropriate

• supported by a workforce that is increasingly representative of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

• accessible and ensures full participation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in health care, prevention and promotion

• closing the gap in key health areas including the incidence of chronic disease.

Brisbane South PHN has a responsibility for improving the health outcomes of the most vulnerable people in our community. As a cornerstone in building an effective response we recognise this needs to be in partnership with the primary health sector, government and non-government agencies and other service providers, with our local communities at the very heart of what we do.

To effect positive change, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities need to be a key part of setting priorities and improving services, and this must be done in an atmosphere of trust and transparency. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been in our region for thousands of years and have shown great strength and resilience. We need to acknowledge this and work with this resilience to support the communities to meet their aspirations for health and wellbeing.

Unfortunately, Australia currently is not on track to meet the target of closing the gap in life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians by 2031. We believe that by more closely engaging our communities, listening and being prepared to try different things, we have an opportunity to make a significant leap forward in addressing health needs and associated risk factors related to chronic disease, smoking, perinatal and infant health and alcohol and other drugs in our region.

In producing this plan, we would like to acknowledge the wise counsel, advice and support we have received from our Elders and our partners:

• Logan First Nations Coalition, including Aunty Heather, Aunty Robyn, Aunty Vicky, and Paula

• Aunty Ruby Sims

• Aunty Peggy Tidyman

• Cooee Elders, including Aunty Bonnie and Aunty Anne

• Lorraine Tutton, Winnum Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Corporation,

• Karla Brady, Inala Wangarra

• Megan O’Callaghan, Yulu Burri Ba

• Noeleen Lopes, Gallang Place

• William Bern , Institute of Urban Indigenous Health

• Professor Cindy Shannon, Director, Brisbane South PHN Board

• Metro South Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Coordination Team, Health Access and Equity Unit.

• Bill and Lyn Schonefeld.

As Chief Executive, it is a privilege to be a part of the Reconciliation Action Plan working group and to fully endorse this initiative. Brisbane South PHN has a strong culture of respect for the rich diversity of our staff, our service providers and of the communities in which we live and work. We value and foster strong and positive relationships with our most vulnerable communities to ensure they have access to timely and appropriate support.

Sue Scheinpflug, Chief Executive Officer

As a Board, we recognise the importance of Brisbane South PHN’s commitment to working with our regional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to prioritise closing the health gap.

To fully deliver on our commitment, it needs to be top of mind. The full adoption of this Reconciliation Action Plan is pivotal to our PHN’s success in achieving fundamental change. Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been in our region for thousands of years and we have much to learn from them.

The Board fully endorses this plan and sets the challenge to the PHN to achieve demonstrated positive outcomes by 2021.

Dr Ian Wiliams, Chair, Brisbane South PHN Board

Our vision for reconciliationA better system that results in better health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Brisbane south region. A health system that is:

67

In preparing this Reconciliation Action Plan, we have been cognisant of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday September 13, 2007 and is the most comprehensive statement of the rights of Indigenouspeoples ever developed. The following Articles are of relevance to our work at Brisbane South PHN.

Article 23

Indigenous peoples have the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for exercising their right to development. In particular, Indigenous peoples have the right to be actively involved in developing and determining health, housing and other economic and social programmes affecting them and, as far as possible, to administer such programmes through their own institutions.

Article 24

1. Indigenous peoples have the right to their traditional medicines and to maintain their health practices, including the conservation of their vital medicinal plants, animals and minerals. Indigenous individuals also have the right to access, without any discrimination, to all social and health services.

2. Indigenous individuals have an equal right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. States shall take the necessary steps with a view to achieving progressively the full realisation of this right.

Article 31

1. Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures, including human and genetic resources, seeds, medicines, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games and visual and performing arts. They also have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions

Our region’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

The Brisbane south region is home to almost 13% (23,122) of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the majority living in metropolitan areas.

The land, sea and waters of the Brisbane south region are the traditional countries of the Yuggera (Ugarapul, Jagera); Turrbal; Quandamooka / Minjerribah / Moongumpin (Nunukal, Ngughi and Gorenpul) and Yugambeh (Mununjahlii, Gugingin, Bollogin, Wangerriburra, Minjungbal, Birinburra, Migunberri and Kombumerri) First Nations (and sub-clans).

Beaudesert

Ipswich Hinterland

Beenleigh

Browns Plains

Forest Lake – Oxley

Centenary

Sherwood – Indooroopilly

Holland Park – Yeronga

Brisbane Inner

Brisbane Inner – EastRedcliffe

Wynnum – Manly

Capalaba

Cleveland Stradbroke

Loganlea – Carbrook

Springwood – Kingston

Sunnybank

Mt Gravatt

Jimboomba

Rocklea – Acacia Ridge

Carindale

Nathan

Gold Coast Hinterland

Scenic Rim LGA

Logan LGA

Redlands LGA

Brisbane LGA

The PHN region covers a total area of

3,770km2

About our regionThis section provides data and information on the region’s geography, demographic and socio-economic characteristics that helps inform our understanding of the people and places in the Brisbane South PHN region.

89

The Brisbane South PHN office in Eight Mile Plains is located almost at the intersection of all three language groups in our region. Situated on Logan Road, the area was developed over the original walking track that connected the people of the southern region to other meeting areas closer to the Brisbane River.

The Brisbane south region is also home to many transient populations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with First Nations peoples from locations all over Queensland making the region home as they connect with family and friends.

Health indicators: the good news

• Across Queensland, gains are being achieved in improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

o The life expectancy gap has diminished by about one year over a five year period increasing from 67.1 years to 68.7 years for males and 72.7 to 74.4 years for females

o The risk of death before 50 years of age has declined (decreased by 24% over the past decade)

o Annual death rates for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and injury have declined (-8.8%, -6.0% and -4.7% respectively)

o While Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders are 2.5 times as likely to smoke as non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, there has been a decline in smoking among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in urban areas since 2002

o Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infant mortality rates per 1000 live births have decreased from 9.1 in 2005-07 to 6.1 in 2012-14¹.

The Footprints in Time report for Wave 5 (2015)² in the Longitudinal Study of Australian children highlighted some good news, at a national level, that is worthy of recognition. Primary Carers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children expressed a higher level of satisfaction than the ‘all Australia’ cohort captured in the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) 2012 in the following domains:

• feeling safe (8.8 vs 8.2)

• the community in which they live (7.6 vs 6.7)

• their health (7.8 vs 7.3)

• their relationships (8.6 vs 8.3)

• the neighbourhood in which they live (8.1 vs7.8).

¹ The Health of Queenslanders report, the Chief Health Officer, Queensland Health 2016, pages 1-4

² https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/

documents/02_2015/3._lsic_wave_5_report_final.pdf

Some of our challenges• A large proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are living

in the most disadvantaged areas in the Brisbane South PHN region³.

• We need to work more closely with the communities around perinatal care:

o Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers are more likely to smoke during pregnancy (when compared to non-Indigenous mothers), which may contribute to a larger proportion of babies of low birth weight and a higher rate of infant mortality (when compared to non-Indigenous mothers)

o Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers are less likely to attend antenatal visits, particularly during the first trimester.

• We need to increase support for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to access safe and respectful primary care environments for sexual health screening as they are 3.9 times more likely to experience burden of disease associated with sexually transmitted infections than non-Indigenous people in Australia

• Clinically and culturally appropriate access to mental health services continues to be a priority. As an example, 43.8% of burden of disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth aged 15-29 years is attributed to mental health conditions (anxiety and depression, suicide and self-inflicted injuries, and schizophrenia)

• Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to prevent or actively manage chronic conditions is vital to increasing the wellbeing of communities. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease are among the highest contributors to the burden of disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth and adults, across all age groups

• There has been a 21% increase in cancer mortality rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and a 13% decline for non-Indigenous Australians between 1998 and 2015. It will take up to 30 years for the reductions in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking rates to flow through to reduced cancer deaths. Research has found disparities in cancer screening rates, stage at diagnosis, treatment rates (including lower rates of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy) and lower survival rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

³ 2017 Brisbane South PHN Needs Assessment

1011

Our business

In 2015 the Australian Government established the primary health networks (PHNs) with the commitment to deliver an efficient and effective primary health care system. Brisbane South PHN is the local primary health network for the Brisbane South region and works closely with local communities, primary health care services, health professionals, government and non-government organisations to improve health outcomes. With a population of just under 1.1 million residents, we are committed to assisting people from our geographically and demographically diverse region that includes metropolitan, rural and remote island locations. While our organisation delivers specific Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs, we are determined to make Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health core to our business, building it into our strategic plan and making it everyone’s business.

Brisbane South PHN employs more than 70 people, both full-time and part-time, with four staff members and one Board member identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Brisbane South PHN has one central office, located at Eight Mile Plains on Brisbane’s southside.

To provide a community and health professional’s perspective to Brisbane South PHN’s governance, Community Advisory and Clinical Councils have been established to ensure that decisions, investment and innovations are person-centred, cost-effective and locally relevant. Membership of our current Councils include four representatives who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Primary health care

Primary health care services play a key role in the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Increasing access to primary health care and specialist services, particularly for people living in regional, rural and remote locations is vital to prevention and management of chronic disease.

The Indigenous Australians’ Health Program provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with access to culturally safe primary health care services in urban, regional, rural and remote locations, delivered through a network of Aboriginal community controlled health services where possible. In addition, the program aims to improve the capacity of mainstream services to deliver culturally safe services.

Primary health networks (PHNs) support Aboriginal community controlled and mainstream health services to improve coordination of care for patients, particularly for those at risk of poor health outcomes. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health is one of the seven priority areas identified for targeted activities and the PHNs work with Indigenous stakeholders in considering the health needs of their region.

Through the PHNs, Integrated Team Care provides an integrated, team-based approach for the provision of coordinated, multidisciplinary care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples with chronic disease. The program seeks to contribute to closing the gap in life expectancy by improving access to culturally appropriate mainstream primary care services. The program consolidates the Care Coordination and Supplementary Services and Improving Indigenous Access to Mainstream Primary Care programs previously managed through PHNs. PHNs also support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-specific mental health and drug and alcohol treatment services.

Social and emotional wellbeing

Social and emotional wellbeing is a holistic concept which recognises the importance of connection to land, culture, spirituality, ancestry, family and community, and how these affect the individual. A person’s wellbeing can be affected by the social determinants of health including homelessness, education and unemployment and a broader range of problems resulting from grief and loss, trauma, violence, removal from family, cultural dislocation, racism and social disadvantage.

Governments are working together to deliver the Fifth National Mental Health Plan to improve the wellbeing of all Australians and prioritise mental health and suicide prevention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health services provide frontline counselling, case management and healing services. The PHNs work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health sector to provide greater access to culturally appropriate and integrated mental health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

1213

Suicide prevention

Suicide rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are double that of non-Indigenous Australians. From 2011 to 2015, 71 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who suicided were male. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project Report was commissioned by the Commonwealth to identify what is working to address this national crisis and provide a blueprint to improve culturally appropriate services in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The report was developed by working with families who have been personally impacted by the tragedy of suicide, including through the first ever Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention conference held in Alice Springs in May 2016. The report recommendations focus on the need for approaches to Indigenous suicide prevention that are culturally-embedded, community-led, and include specialist trauma training for regional workers.

As part of a broad suicide prevention initiative, four PHNs, based in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and North Coast New South Wales are trialling new collaborative approaches to community-based suicide prevention. In addition, eight regional sites including in Townsville and the Kimberley, will trial new suicide prevention and follow-up care models and build partnerships with local service providers and communities. The trial site in the Kimberley will include a focus on the development of a model that can support the unique and culturally sensitive requirements of remote Indigenous communities.

Brisbane South PHN strategic plan

At Brisbane South PHN our efforts are focused on improving the health system for everyone – individuals, families, communities, health professionals, key stakeholders and the primary health sector. We have identified the necessary strategies to ensure the better health of the communities within the region and sector overall by delivering:

• Better knowledge

• Better coordination

• Better health

• Better organisational performance.

Our Strategic Framework

Our Goals

Our values: Courage, Respect, Integrity, Synergy, Purpose

Our vision: Better System, Better Health

A well-coordinated primary health sector improving whole-of-life health and wellbeing across our region

Purpose: Improving Health Care for our Communities

To understand needs, engage and work within the health care system and local communities to improve health and wellbeing

Better Knowledge

Better Coordination

Better Health

Better Organisational Performance

Evidence-based planning

Collaborative partnerships and networks

Accessible, appropriate, patient-centred health care

Excellence in organisational capability and culture

1415

These goals and strategies have been extrapolated to apply directly to our work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities:

Our goal Our strategy Our actions

Our work will be structured around evidence based planning – this includes what we are doing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

• Digital Health team works closely with general practices to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are being identified in their data, enabling better understanding of the needs of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population

• Communications team has established strong relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities including Elder groups and community controlled organisations

• Knowledge, Planning and Performance team monitor our overall performance and report to inform the current and future health needs of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in our region.

Our success will be based on collaborative partnerships and networks – this includes partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services and organisations

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander expertise on our Clinical and Community Advisory Councils informs our business

• Mental health funding is allocated to culturally appropriate organisations to deliver the PIR program and to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities engage with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) transition

• We are represented on various groups and steering committees including Metro South Hospital and Health Service Closing the Gap Steering Committee and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Domestic and Family Violence working group

• Communications team regularly promotes positive images and stories about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and health through newsletters and social media

• A hot desk for the Integrated Team Care team allows our staff to more effectively partner with them.

We will ensure our community has accessible, appropriate, patient-centred health care at the right time

• The PHN funds two culturally appropriate organisations to provide Social and Emotional Wellbeing Services. The two services are beginning to work together to complement each other services

• Our procurement processes for mainstream services (mainly mental health) have moved to include an explicit aim of increasing access and engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as a priority. This will be embedded in our commissioning templates across all services and require providers to address how they would do this prior to us engaging them

• We fund youth specific mental health services in Inala and Meadowbrook to deliver culturally appropriate suicide prevention workshops to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, and also ensure our suicide prevention programs are meeting the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

• We fund the Integrated Team Care team to increase access to health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, both in Aboriginal Medical Services and mainstream services. Linking the ITC team with our Area Account Managers and pharmacy work so that we are providing consistent messages and supporting the clients and General Practitioners from each organisation

• Area Account Managers are doing good work promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health to staff in general practice

• Our Workforce Team is investigating opportunities to promote some of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander training programs, and considering ways to include more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and services in training.

We will be renowned for our excellence in organisational capacity and culture

• We established an Indigenous Program Manager position to support and advise on our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs and initiatives to improve health outcomes

• We have developed a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) with significant staff involvement throughout the process

• We have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff working across the organisation and we will increase this number over time.

Better Knowledge

Better Coordination

Better Health

Better Organisational Performance

1617

Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)

Brisbane South PHN recognises the important role we have in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to close the gap and meet their aspirations for strong and healthy lives.

We can demonstrate this recognition through implementing an effective Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Brisbane South PHN previously had a registered Innovate RAP, which can be viewed here: www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation-action-plans/who-has-a-rap/#who-has-rap-results

Our RAP journey from Innovate to Stretch has been one of growth and development. Our original RAP was prepared when Brisbane South PHN had an internal Closing the Gap team. This team played a significant role in representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within the organisation. When this team was outsourced to the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health, we needed to rebuild and strengthen our role in improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Our Innovate RAP was primarily focused internally, to ensure we had a solid foundation on which to build.

Through our RAP journey, we have learned the importance of involving all our staff in RAP actions. The RAP does not stand alone in one part of our organisation, but everyone has a role and an accountability to improve the health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our community.

We have learned that it is not only important to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples but also to implement specific activities that make a tangible difference to their lives. We have also learned that it is important to clearly articulate policies, strategies and procedures to ensure all staff have a shared understanding of the expectations of how we undertake our business. This includes regularly monitoring and evaluating our activities to hold ourselves to account.

As a result of the Innovate RAP, we have a number of activities that regularly reinforce the objectives of our RAP. At every formal internal and external meeting, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners/Custodians and pay our respects to all our Elders. At each of our Board, Board Committee, Clinical and Community Advisory Council meetings, we also include at least one activity the organisation has undertaken during the month to improve the health outcomes of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

During the past six months, we have employed an Indigenous Program Manager, who is working across the organisation to embed the needs and aspirations of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities into all our commissioned and education programs.

We have been actively engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our needs assessment, outreaching to our Elder groups who have been providing unique insights into how we need to approach improving health outcomes. We have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander expertise on our Clinical and Community Advisory Councils to inform our business.

The PHN funds culturally appropriate service providers to deliver the Partners In Recovery (severe and persistent mental health) program and more recently has been involved in working with key stakeholders in engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities with the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The PHN is also funding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service providers to deliver social and emotional wellbeing services. The two services are beginning work together to complement each other service including the Integrated Team Care staff who are promoting these services in the region and with mainstream general practices. In the last year alone, we procured almost $6.5 million worth of services from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, which is approximately 15 percent of our annual budget expenditure.

1819

Externally, Brisbane South PHN is represented on various groups and steering committees including, Metro South Hospital and Health Service’s Closing the Gap Steering Committee. The Child, Youth and Family team have been involved in a number of Domestic and Family Violence working groups and steering committees including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Domestic and Family Violence working group. We actively promote positive images and stories about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and health through newsletters and social media. Our Area Account Managers actively promote positive and respectful support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health to general practices for community members who choose to access care outside of Aboriginal Medical Services.

We aspire to be known for our excellence in organisational capacity and culture and have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation at Board of Directors level to guide our work in this space. In 2016 we employed a young trainee through the internship program. Through mentoring and support, she has now become a successful executive assistant to one of the General Managers. As we developed our organisational values, this trainee identified Courage as a value that meant a lot to her, as she found that working in our organisation has helped her to have the courage to extend herself.

We take our RAP commitments very seriously and have been using this program to improve our overall engagement and business practices. In particular, our staff are very involved in meeting our RAP outcomes and understand the important role our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples play in our local region.

In this next iteration of our plan, we are seeking to move to a Stretch RAP, and outline some specific health opportunities and goals for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

To develop the RAP, all staff had direct input into our plan through workshops. Externally, our Councils, Elders, service providers and other Indigenous organisations were actively engaged to discuss their priorities and challenge and inform our thinking about appropriate ways forward.

The locally based Indigenous creative agency, Gilimbaa, developed an art motif and designed the final RAP.

In keeping with Reconciliation Australia’s RAP requirements, Brisbane South PHN developed a dedicated RAP working group to oversee the development, endorsement and launch of the RAP, as well as an ongoing role to monitor and evaluate our actions. The RAP is championed by the Chief Executive Officer, Sue Scheinpflug, who personally has a strong commitment to reconciliation and meeting our Closing the Gap objectives. Sue is also an active member of the Brisbane South PHN RAP Working Group.

In 2017, the RAP Working Group met monthly and comprised:

• Sue Scheinpflug, Chief Executive Officer

• Louise Litchfield, General Manager Stakeholder Engagement and Communications

• Deanne Minniecon, Indigenous Program Manager*

• Sylvia Penhaligon, Community and Stakeholder Engagement Manager

• Ian Purcell, Commissioned Programs Manager

• Brett Stevens, Partners In Recovery

• Kayla Orcher, Project Officer*

• Aurora Bermudez Ortega, Health Integration Manager.

*Deanne and Kayla are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives.

In lieu of a dedicated external RAP reference group, we developed strong relationships with the Elders in our region, who have been consistently guiding our planning and giving feedback on our aims and objectives within this RAP. We also worked together with other key stakeholders, such as our commissioned service providers and Council members to ensure the RAP truly represented the desires of our local community.

21

The story of our artwork

Through our All Staff workshop, a number of themes and key messages were developed which formed the genesis of the final artwork. These included the following themes:

• connection and disconnection of the health system to community

• unity, collaboration - everybody working together having a voice and listening

• bringing people together, working together, sharing knowledge and applying that knowledge to shape a system

• closing the gap by connecting the dots

• we can’t expect to do the same thing and get a different result

• bringing data, knowledge and services and connecting this with community.

Key messages:

• Unity, everyone has a role and a voice in shaping the health system

• The strength of the connection is the strength of the relationship; the strength of a relationship is the measure of trust

• Breaking cycles in the community and in the health system

• Interconnectedness of people, services, interactions and stories

• Big Picture. We don’t have the answers, we make mistakes but we want to listen, learn and go on the journey together

• How? Conversations, collaborations, trust, accountability

• Brisbane South PHN is listening and deepening our understanding through data and conversations

• Act on what we are hearing

• Agile process

• People are in the system. You are in the system.

Other thinking:

• trust, respect and opportunities should be represented

• community and culture

• breaking cycles in the community

• health is everywhere on different scales

• transient community

• time is a challenge

• represent both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culture.

Our final artwork takes these themes, and translates them as health being the heart of community. Health is the heart of the community. Community is the heart of health.

The Community Heart Concept creatively explores the idea of community health as a living subject that connects and delivers life and strength to all.

The element inspires the thinking that, like the health care system, its vitality and capacity relies on diverse elements working as one. A constant, pulsing exchange of knowledge and actions, evolving and improving with every beat.

Through the use of differing and conflicting patterns, The Community Heart evokes a sense of beauty and richness because of its ability to interweave and unite different perspectives into one functioning system. Like the visually unique symbol, the Community Heart celebrates the idea that true collaboration creates new solutions, strong communities and a robust health care system.

The core of our health is our heart. It plays a vital role in keeping our bodies healthy and strong and functioning to the best of our ability. Despite the diversity of people, languages and appearances, our hearts - the very core of us all as human beings, is a common and powerful feature. At full strength it fuels the function of our human system working simultaneously to both receive and disperse blood to our bodies.

These similarities are at the core of Brisbane South PHN and the vital role they are playing in reshaping the health system by listening and learning from the people in the region. Our hearts are a common ground where we are fuelling our united passion to improve the health outcomes for all Australians.

2223

Relationships

Our region has one of the largest urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations in Australia, with almost 13% of Queensland’s Indigenous population residing here. Brisbane South PHN is working closely in partnership with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to meet the communities’ health and wellbeing aspirations. The gap in health outcomes is significant and will only be closed through strong relationships.

Focus area: within our vision of Better System, Better Health, developing and maintaining strong relationships aligns with our strategic goal of Better Coordination (collaborative partnerships and networks). Focusing on relationships also is consistent with our organisational values of respect and synergy.

Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility

1. RAP Working Group (RWG) actively monitors RAP development and implementation

Oversee the development, endorsement and launch of the RAP

Complete by May 2018

General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Ensure there are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and leadership on the RWG

Implemented by May 2018 and reviewed in May 2019 and 2020

Meet at least monthly to monitor and report on RAP implementation

Implemented by May 2018 and reviewed in May 2019 and 2020

Appoint an internal RAP Champion(s) from senior management

Implemented by May 2018

Chief Executive Officer

Establish a Terms of Reference for the RWGImplemented by May 2018

Indigenous Program Manager

Champion implementation of the RAPCommenced May 2018 Completed May 2021

Chair, Brisbane South PHN Board

Appoint Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as representatives on our Community and Clinical Advisory Councils

Implemented by May 2018 Reviewed November 2018, 2019 and 2020

Community and Stakeholder Engagement Manager

Establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group to provide health and social determinant cultural advice and guidance, including Council members and service providers. This group is to include representatives from peoples across the whole region.

Implemented by June, 2018


2. Celebrate National Reconciliation Week (NRW) to strengthen and maintain relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and other staff

Register all NRW events via Reconciliation Australia’s NRW website

Register May 2018, 2019 and 2010


Organise at least one all staff internal NRW event each year

May 2018, 2019 and 2020

Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager

Encourage staff and senior leaders to participate in external events to recognise and celebrate NRW

May 2018, 2019 and 2020

General Manager, Corporate Services

Participate, as a RAP Working Group, in three external NRW events each year.

May 2018, 2019 and 2020


2425


3. Maintain and leverage mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations to support positive outcomes

Develop and implement an engagement plan to work with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders

Developed by May 2018


Meet with all Elders groups, Community Controlled Health Organisations, Aboriginal Medical Services, services providers and other local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to develop guiding principles for future engagement

Commenced May 2018

Commit to establishing formal two-way partnerships to build capacity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and/or communities relevant to our sphere of influence (Beaudesert, Logan, Inala, Wynnum, Cleveland and Bay Islands)

Implemented by June 2018

Provide an internal working space for the Integrated Team Care personnel to promote partnerships in delivering health outcomes



Develop a formal partnership with Metro South Health’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Coordination Team to maximise engagement with the regional communities

Implemented by June 2018 and reviewed June 2019 and 2020


Invite an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community member/s to connect and share experiences at the all staff meetings twice a year

May and September 2018, 2019 and 2020


Create a PHN network across Queensland and the Northern Territory to share reconciliation opportunities

Implemented by June 2018, reviewed June 2019, 2020

Use our strong relationships with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders to lead engagement with the health and community sectors across our region.

Commenced May 2018



4. Raise internal and external awareness of our RAP to promote reconciliation across our business and sector

Implement, review and maintain a strategy to communicate our RAP to all internal and external stakeholders

Commenced May 2018General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement and CommunicationPromote reconciliation through ongoing active

engagement with all stakeholdersCommenced May 2018

Engage our senior leaders in the delivery of RAP outcomes

Commenced May 2018Indigenous Program Manager

Incorporate elements of the art motif in all Brisbane South PHN branding including presentations, banners, business cards, identification cards

Commenced May 2018


Display the art motif and explanation in the foyer of the Brisbane South PHN office

Implemented May 2018General Manager, Corporate Services

Promote the RAP prominently on our Brisbane South PHN website bsphn.org.au

Implemented May 2018


Raise awareness within Brisbane South PHN about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health and reconciliation through a regular segment in all staff meetings



Integrate RAP artwork throughout all corporate branding and materials such as business cards, lanyards, banners, templates to promote Brisbane South PHN commitment to RAP

Commenced May 2018


Present to and train all staff in RAP expectations, activities and desired outcomes

Commenced May 2018 Chief Executive Officer

Include RAP and Reconciliation Australia materials in new staff inductions

Commenced May 2018General Manager, Corporate Services

5. Include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ input into health promotion and marketing campaigns.

Co-design, with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, advertising and other health promotion activities to specifically target topics that will significantly improve health outcomes in our region

Commenced May 2018 and reviewed

May 2019 and 2020


Adapt external campaigns (My Health for Life, My Health Record) so they meet the specific requirements of our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Commenced May 2018 and reviewed

May 2019 and 2020

Marketing and Communication Manager

2627

Respect

The rich diversity of Indigenous communities in our region provides many different perspectives and presents unique requirements that need to be addressed. Single solutions are not appropriate and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders in the community have directly expressed that they would like choice in the services they are able to access.

Focus area: within our vision of Better System, Better Health, fostering respect fits with our strategic goal of Better Health (accessible, appropriate, patient-centred health care) and Better Organisational Performance (excellence in organisational capability and culture). Focusing on respect also is consistent with our organisational values of respect and integrity.


1. Increase knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and achievements

Implement, review and maintain an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness training strategy for all staff or our staff which defines continuous cultural learning needs of employees in all areas of our business and considers various ways cultural learning can be provided (online, face to face workshops or cultural immersion)

May 2018, 2019 and 2020


30% staff to undertake online cultural learning activities

Completed by December 2020

100% staff to undertake face to face cultural workshop learning activities, including Board and Senior Leadership Team and RAP Working Group members

Commenced May 2018 and completed December 2020

30% staff to undertake cultural immersion learning activities

Completed December 2020

Identify cultural learning requirements specific to individual staff’s training needs

Commenced May 2018 and reviewed May 2019

Develop an in-house library of publications to increase knowledge and understanding of Torres Strait Islander culture

Commenced May 2018

General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement and Communications

All new staff to complete Reconciliation Australia’s Share Our Pride online cultural awareness training.

Commenced May 2018 and completed December 2020


2. Demonstrate respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities by embedding cultural protocols as part of the way our organisation functions

Communicate, review and maintain a cultural protocol document for Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country

Implemented May 2018General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement and CommunicationInvite a local Traditional Owner to provide a Welcome

to Country, at two significant events each year, including Annual General Meeting

June and November 2018, 2019 and 2020

Staff and Senior Leadership to provide an Acknowledgement of Country at all other events

Commenced May 2018General Manager, Corporate Services

Maintain and review a list of key contacts for organising a Welcome to Country

Commenced May 2018Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager

Include an Acknowledgement of Country at the commencement of formal internal meetings, such as All Staff meetings

Commenced May 2018 Chief Executive Officer

Develop an Acknowledgement of Country specific to Brisbane South PHN, which also acknowledges spiritual well-being, health aspirations and sorry business

Implemented May 2018 General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement and CommunicationCreate and display an Acknowledgment of Country

plaque in our officeJune 2018

Embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols within a protocol document relevant to Brisbane South PHN local communities.

Completed June 2018Indigenous Program Manager

29


3. Celebrate NAIDOC Week and provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to engage with culture and community during NAIDOC Week

Invite regional Aunties to a lunch with the leadership team to thank them for their ongoing participation in engagement (Because of her, we can 2018)

May and October 2018, 2019 and 2020


Review HR policies and procedures to ensure there are no barriers to staff participating in NAIDOC Week events

Completed July 2018 Reviewed July 2019 and 2020


Provide opportunities for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to participate in community NAIDOC Week events

July, 2018 July, 2019 July, 2020


Support all staff to participate in NAIDOC Week events in the local community

July, 2018 July, 2019 July, 2020


Hold an internal or public NAIDOC Week event, in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

July, 2018 July, 2019 July, 2020


Support an external NAIDOC Week community eventJuly, 2018 July, 2019 July, 2020

Support local and/or National NAIDOC Week Committee

July, 2018 July, 2019 July, 2020

Acknowledge NAIDOC Week and its importance through presentations at staff meetings, messages on the intranet, posters throughout the office and promotion of available collateral such as shirts.

July, 2018 July, 2019 July, 2020



4. Embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business is everyone’s business, ensuring the organisation is committed to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across all our programs

Develop and implement a cultural mentoring program for existing staff and managers

Commenced May 2018


Enage with local Elders to ensure they are included in cultural awareness training for Brisbane South PHN staff

Commenced May 2018

Develop more opportunities for all Brisbane South PHN staff to directly meet with and listen to the stories and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members to gain a greater understanding and break down any unconscious biases, including staff visits to the Yugambeh museum

Commenced May 2018General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Implement guidelines around appropriate language and images in publications

Implemented May 2018

Promote the importance of respect across Primary Health as an important beginning to improve health outcomes, one of the key findings of the 2017 Needs Assessment. This will include working closely with the ITC team to deliver practice training, promoting closing the gap initiatives in communication material and including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ case studies in training materials

Commenced May 2018General Manager, Primary Health

Promote positive stories of great health outcomes within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Brisbane South through communication materials such as the monthly bulletin, the website and social media.

Commenced May 2018


3031

Opportunities

The more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people we have working on our Brisbane South PHN organisation, the more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business becomes everyone’s business. In addition, our engagement with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, in particular the Elders, has highlighted the need for Indigenous peoples to see themselves as health professionals and caregivers in the health system. We would like to see a significant increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s participation in the health workforce to meet the growing need for doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, psychologists and counsellors and aged care support people.


1. Increase Brisbane South PHN’s recruitment and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Staff

Increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment to 5%

Delivered 2019


Increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment to 10%

Delivered 2020

Develop, implement, review and update Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and retention strategy, which includes professional development

Implemented June 2018 and reviewed June 2019 and 2020

Engage with existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to consult on employment strategies, including professional development

Commenced May 2018

Advertise all job vacancies in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media

Commenced May 2018Human Resources Manager

Forward plan recruitment to enable attraction of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to new positions

Commenced May 2018Chief Executive Officer

Use networks to attract Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to new positions

Commenced May 2018

Human Resources ManagerIdentify on job vacancies that Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander peoples are encouraged to apply.

Commenced May 2018

2. Increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity

Develop and implement, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander procurement strategy

Developed June 2018 Reviewed June 2019 and 2020


Set targets for procuring goods and services from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses

Developed June 2018 Reviewed June 2019 and 2020

Develop at least five commercial relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander businesses


Increase number of Indigenous organisations commissioned to deliver services


General Manager, Commissioned Programs

Increase number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers attending Brisbane South PHN training


General Manager, Primary Health

Work with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creative agencies, graphic designers and advertising agencies to produce both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and mainstream focused materials

Commenced May 2018


3. Significantly improve health outcomes and Close the Gap in local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across our region

Co-design Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services with the community

Commenced July 2018General Manager, Commissioned Programs

Develop further understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as a priority population and use collected data to identify and advocate services and needs

Commenced July 2018General Manager, Knowledge Planning and Performance

Explore Indigenous models of well-being and engage the community to identify culturally appropriate services

Commenced July 2018Indigenous Program Manager

Partner with Metro South Health for rheumatic fever and heart disease education

Completed July 2019General Manager, Primary Health

Support GPs and allied health professionals who are either Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, or who have an appropriate knowledge and awareness of Indigenous culture, by promoting the update of ITC Cultural Awareness Training

Commenced July 2018General Manager, Primary Health

3233


Increase number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers attending Brisbane South PHN training to 2 percent of all training attendees (commensurate with population percentage)


Senior Workforce Development Manager

Support and sponsor two Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to attend the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association annual conference

June 2018, 2019 and 2020


Support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership by offering training and development opportunities to internal Brisbane South PHN staff

May 2018, 2019 and 2020


Ensure all commissioned programs are inclusive and accessible for Indigenous peoples through contractual requirements


General Manager, Commissioned Programs

Embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health across all Brisbane South PHN core business, including in all commissioned programs, training, primary health support and marketing and communication materials



Investigate opportunities to increase Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander representation on our Board.

September 2018, 2019 and 2020


3435

Governance, tracking progress and reporting


1. Report RAP achievements, challenges and learnings to Reconciliation Australia for inclusion in the RAP Impact Measurement Report

Complete and submit the RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire to Reconciliation Australia


General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement and CommunicationParticipate in the RAP Barometer

September, 2018 and 2020

Develop and implement systems and capability needs to track, measure and report on RAP activities

Commenced May 2018General Manager, Primary Health

Report changes in health indicators identified in the Needs Assessment


2. Report RAP achievements, challenges and learnings internally and externally

Publically report our RAP achievements, challenges and learnings, via Annual Report

November, 2018, 2019 and 2020

General Manager Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Communicate regular updates on RAP progress to all staff

June, September December, 2018, 2019 and 2020

Six monthly report to the Brisbane South PHN Board on the progress of RAP actions

May and November 2018, 2019 and 2020

Regularly communicate with Elders and other key stakeholders and community groups on the success of actions taken as a result of this RAP and the associated Needs Assessment.

November 2018, 2019 And 2020

3. Review, refresh and update RAP

Liaise with Reconciliation Australia to develop a new RAP based on learnings, challenges and achievements

May 2020

General Manager Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Send draft RAP to Reconciliation Australia for feedback

June 2020

Submit draft RAP to Reconciliation Australia for formal endorsement.

September 2020

Contact details

Name: Louise Litchfield

Position: General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Phone: (07) 3864 7534

Email: [email protected]

3637

3839

First floor, Building 20, Garden City Office Park, 2404 Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains QLD 4113

PO Box 6435, Upper Mt Gravatt QLD 4122

T: 3864 7555 F: 3864 7599 or 1300 467 265

Date post:	25-Feb-2022
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	2 times
Download:	0 times

Brisbane South PHN

Documents