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05 Sep 2017
The National Scheme is pleased to announce the appointment of co-Chairs for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Strategy group.
Associate Professor Gregory Phillips, CEO of ABSTARR Consulting and Dr Joanna Flynn AM, Chair of the Medical Board of Australia have been appointed as co-Chairs of the group.
The strategy group has been brought together to develop the National Scheme’s1 first ever Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health strategy.
AHPRA, the 14 National Boards responsible for regulating the health professions, accreditation authorities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector leaders and organisations have committed to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health strategy with the vision of: Patient safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia’s health system is the norm, as defined by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In February 2017, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector leaders and organisations and representatives from accreditation authorities, National Boards, AHPRA and the Chair of AHPRA’s Agency Management Committee met to discuss how best to start this important work.
In June 2017, the group reconvened to continue the development of the strategy. An outcome of the June meeting was the decision that this group should be co-chaired by both an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health sector leader and a National Scheme representative.
Associate Professor Gregory Phillips was nominated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector leaders to be co-Chair. Gregory Phillips is from the Waanyi and Jaru peoples, and comes from Cloncurry and Mount Isa in North-West Queensland. Dr Joanna Flynn was nominated by leaders of the National Scheme to be co-Chair.
Associate Professor Gregory Phillips and Dr Flynn agree that partnerships are fundamental in this work.
‘With more than 700,000 Australians registered by the National Boards and a commitment from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leaders and the National Scheme to work collaboratively there is a unique opportunity for real change to the health outcomes of all Australians,’ said Associate Professor Phillips.
‘We are grateful for the strong relationships we have with our partners in this work, particularly the expert guidance we have received from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector leaders. This work cannot be done with National Boards acting in isolation and I am looking forward to making this new strategy a reality through my role as co-Chair,’ said Dr Flynn.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health strategy group publish communiqués of its work. These are available on the Advisory group page of the AHPRA website.
The next meeting of the strategy group will be held in November 2017.
1Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, as in force in each state and territory (the National Law).