Red Lily Interim Health Board Newsletter

Transcription

1 Red Lily Interim Health Board Newsletter Red Lily Interim Health Board Chairperson addresses the Red Lily Interim Health South Alligator The Red Lily Interim Health Board ran a very successful Regionalisation Meeting at South Alligator resort from the 2 nd 4 th February This meeting was very significant as it marked the beginning of the second year of operation for the group. Community representatives from Warruwi, Minjilang, Coburg Peninsular, Gunbalanya and Kakadu met with the partners (Commonwealth, NT Government and AMSANT) to continue the planning process towards establishing a Regional Aboriginal Community controlled Health Service. Members spoke passionately about the need to have a single regional service that is controlled by, and accountable to, the people of West Arnhem. Under this model important health benefits will flow to all regional communities in the future. The meeting endorsed the story of the Red Lily Interim Health Board which has been developed by board members over the last six months. Board chairperson Reuben Cooper reminded the meeting that the story represented the long-held desire of the Aboriginal residents of West Arnhem to take control of health service delivery and the recent establishment of the Red Lily Interim Health Board was the latest development in a long series of events. The story is included later in the newsletter. A number of practical community service issues were discussed including the provision of support to families for funeral arrangements. Visitors from the West Arnhem Shire and Northern Land Council presented to the board members and a process is underway to develop a more unified approach to support for family members. Members commented that they had a stronger voice as a health board and advocacy for the region would be a key part of the new health board s business. The imminent establishment of the Regional Development Team will enable the Red Lily Interim Health Board to continue implementation of its Strategic Action Plan and progress towards community control.

2 Photos of meetings and Community visits

3 What is Expanded Health Service Delivery Initiative (EHSDI) all about? Expanded Health Service Delivery Initiative (EHSDI) is being planned and implemented through a partnership arrangement between: o Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing (DoHA) o NT Government Department of Health and Families o AMSANT Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory Expanded Health Service Delivery Initiative (EHSDI) aims to expand health services and supports improvement in the way health services are delivered. Expanded Health Service Delivery Initiative (EHSDI) will provide funding of $99.7 million over the next 2 years (2008/ /10) What is Regionalisation? Regionalisation is an important part of EHSDI (Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative). It promotes the opportunity for the formation of a regional Aboriginal community controlled health service across the Northern Territory. Promotes for a move toward one health service provider (Aboriginal community controlled). Increase opportunity for Aboriginal people to have a say about health planning and setting health targets in their region. Increasing opportunities for Aboriginal employment and engagement.

4 RED LILY HEALTH STORY The Red Lily story is about threat, survival, re-emergence and growth. When Buffalo were introduced to Arnhem Land these animals did lots of damage to the flood plains, spoiling the harmony of the environment. They destroyed the natural habitats, foods, plants and other vegetation that were abundant in the region. One of these plants was the Red Lily which was widespread in the Kakadu and Gubalanya region. In the mid to late 1980 s the Government introduced a program to eradicate feral animals in Arnhem Land. The eradication program was run in Gunbalanya, Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land (west of the Liverpool River) and as far as up to the Arnhem Land Plateau the top of Mann and Liverpool Rivers. As a result the buffalo was largely removed from the West Arnhem region. With the culling of the buffalo from the flood plains, balance was restored and we have seen the re-emergence of the Red Lily. There is a strong parallel between the story of the Red Lily and health service reform in the region. Twelve years ago there was strong community support for the development of a regional health board for the West Arnhem Region and a major opportunity existed to build a strong community-controlled organization that would nurture the health of the Bininj people into the future. Unfortunately things did not happen as people in the region expected and a community controlled health board was not established. Rather than being trampled as the flower was, the health board was strangled by bureaucratic constraints. Additionally strong vested interests meant that change was not welcomed by some stakeholders. In late 2008 the West Arnhem Region began the development cycle again. Work started to rejuvenate the devastated floodplains of Aboriginal health. A group of committed people have emerged with new processes but remain consistent with the concepts contained in the original ILAP Report of 12 years ago. They have re-started the dialog and established the Red Lily Interim Health Board in partnership with the Territory and Commonwealth Governments, local health service providers and the Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance of the Northern Territory. Board members are working tirelessly towards a Community Controlled Health Service for the people of the West Arnhem Region. The re-emergence of community controlled health services is just like the restoration of the Red Lily. The health environment is being restored to the hands of the traditional custodians so the Red Lily (Health Board) can flourish like its namesake.

5 Proposed Red Lily Health Service Delivery Area

6 Contact Details: Regional Development Team Ronald Lami Lami Phone: AMSANT Frank Spry Regional Coordinator Phone: Department of Health & Ageing (DoHA) Lauren Townsend Phone: Department of Health & Families (DHF) Claudia Hudson Phone: Red Lily meetings held: 2-4 February 2010 South Alligator th December 2009 Darwin th October South Alligator th September South Alligator 5-6 th August 2009 South Alligator 7-9 th July 2009 South Alligator June 2009 Cooinda 10 th June 2009 Health Service Planning Workshop, Cooinda th April 2009 South Alligator th March 2009 Cooinda 3-4 th February Cooinda Next Meeting: 9-11 th March 2010 Katherine NT With visits to: Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation & Katherine West Health Board