The launch of the first NSW Aboriginal Health Governance, Shared Decision-Making and Accountability Framework marks a significant moment in NSW Health in addressing health inequity for Aboriginal people through enabling Aboriginal self-determination and strengthening accountability for Aboriginal health in NSW Health.
The vision of the NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024-2024 is ‘sharing power in system reform’. The framework is a critical enabler to achieving this vision, through ensuring that all decisions and governance structures in NSW Health that impact Aboriginal people include Aboriginal voices and leadership. All Aboriginal voices in the NSW Health system, including our partnerships with the Aboriginal Community Controlled Sector, the role of Aboriginal NSW Health staff and the voices of Aboriginal Community members across NSW, are vital to achieve this vision and address health inequity.
A key strength of this framework is that it is grounded in the voices of Aboriginal people from across NSW. The framework has been developed to not only capture the diversity of services and programs in NSW Health but strengthen Aboriginal governance and shared decision making across all health services that impact Aboriginal people.
Accountability for Aboriginal health across the NSW Health system is fundamental to the success of this framework. It is critical that all of us in NSW Health are committed to and held accountable for improving Aboriginal health outcomes and providing culturally safe health services and programs that are free of racism.
There is a responsibility for all staff in NSW Health to implement the principles of this framework. I encourage everyone to review what decisions, governance structures and accountability mechanisms exists in your work settings and how the principles can be embedded. The descriptions of what success looks like for each principle at each level of decision making and governance should guide your work as we all work towards ensuring a better health system for Aboriginal people.
I am confident that our strong commitment to Aboriginal people in NSW Health to strengthen Aboriginal governance, shared decision-making and accountability, as outlined in this framework, will make a positive difference to the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people in NSW.
Susan Pearce AM Secretary, NSW Health