The National Agreement on Closing the Gap commits all governments to a fundamentally new way of developing and implementing policies and programs that impact on the lives of Aboriginal peoples, characterised by working in genuine partnership with Aboriginal communities and transforming the way government agencies operate172.
The NSW Implementation Plan for Closing the Gap outlines the holistic approach being taken to achieve the commitments of the National Agreement in this state173. The plans sets out the NSW Government’s approach to working in partnership with Aboriginal organisations and communities, and strategies for delivering progress against the National Agreement’s Priority Reforms and Socio-Economic Outcomes.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2021–2031174 aligns closely with the National Agreement. The National Health Plan priorities strive towards a vision of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people enjoying long, healthy lives that are centred in culture, with access to services that are prevention-focused, culturally safe and responsive, equitable and free of racism.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan 2021–2031175 has a target for First Nations people to be fully represented in the health workforce by 2031. It includes actions to attract, recruit and retain workers across all roles, levels and locations within the health sector.
Future Health: Guiding the next decade of care in NSW 2022–2032 is a roadmap to work towards achieving a sustainable health system in NSW that delivers outcomes that matter most to patients176.
The NSW Regional Health Strategic Plan 2022–2032 guides NSW Health’s strategic focus in regional, rural and remote communities177. Its vision is for a sustainable, equitable and integrated health system that delivers outcomes for patients and communities in regional, rural and remote NSW.
The NSW Health Workforce Plan 2022-2032 provides a framework to guide the implementation of Future Health’s workforce-related strategies across NSW Health178. The plan outlines priorities, outcomes and activities that will help ensure the NSW health system can continue to deliver high quality care to those in need.
The Aboriginal Workforce Composition Policy Directive, published in December 2023, provides direction to local health districts, specialty health networks and other NSW Health organisations on growing and developing their Aboriginal workforces179. It replaces the previous Aboriginal health workforce policy initiative, NSW Health Good Health–Great Jobs: Aboriginal Workforce Strategic Framework 2016-2020180.
The NSW Aboriginal Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2020–2025 directs NSW Health organisations on planning and delivering culturally safe, accessible, responsive and flexible mental health and wellbeing care for Aboriginal people and communities181. The strategy’s vision is for all Aboriginal people in NSW to have access to holistic and culturally safe services that provide the best opportunity for improved mental health and social and emotional wellbeing. It is also designed to support and assist NSW Health services in working respectfully in partnership with Aboriginal services, people and communities.
The NSW LGBTIQ+ Health Strategy 2022–2027 marked a significant commitment in the history of the NSW Health system. It sets a clear path for NSW Health, LGBTIQ+ people and organisations to work together to address the health needs of LGBTIQ+ people, with a vision that LGBTIQ+ people in NSW receive high quality, safe, inclusive and responsive healthcare that delivers the outcomes that matter to them182. The Strategy acknowledges that Aboriginal LGBTIQ+ individuals experience compounded stigma and discrimination and require healthcare that recognises and responds to their specific needs.
NSW Health Strategy for Preventing and Responding to Domestic and Family Violence 2021–2026 – this aims to strengthen the public health system’s role in preventing and responding to domestic and family violence183.
NSW Healthy Eating and Active Living Strategy 2022–2032 – this guides overweight and obesity prevention efforts in NSW through public health and clinical care initiatives that support better nutrition and increased physical activity and reduce the incidence and impact of chronic conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes and cardiovascular disease184.
The NSW Virtual Care Strategy 2021-2026 aims to achieve key outcomes focused on patient centeredness, equity of access to care, and building the confidence of consumers and virtual care providers185. The strategy outlines the steps NSW Health will take to further integrate virtual care as a safe, effective, accessible option for health care delivery in NSW. The strategy’s Implementation Plan recommends supporting Aboriginal populations to use virtual care through identification of current gaps in services and engaging with Aboriginal people to better understand how virtual care can be considered culturally safe.
NSW Health Child Safe Action Plan (2023-2027) – The Child Safe Action Plan (CSAP) outlines the actions NSW Health will undertake to promote and support the safety of children in NSW Health services186. One of the key outcomes across the strategic objectives within the plan is to ensure cultural safety for Aboriginal children and young people accessing NSW Health services.
NSW Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Strategy aims to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives working in NSW; improve career development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees working in the public health system; provide better health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the delivery of culturally safe and competent nursing and midwifery services187.
NSW Health First 2000 Days Framework and Implementation Strategy is a strategic policy document which outlines the importance of the first 2000 days of a child’s life (from conception to age 5) and what action people within the NSW health system need to take to ensure that all children have the best possible start in life188. The framework incorporates a range of policies, programs, services and models of care to make sure that the right health services are available for everyone.
NSW Health Connecting, listening and responding: A Blueprint for Action – Maternity Care in NSW aims to strengthen maternity care services to ensure they are collaborative, equitable and woman-centred, while acknowledging and striving to address the contemporary organisational challenges for maternity care in NSW189.
NSW Health Strategic Framework for Integrating Care sets an overarching vision for how NSW Health approaches care integration. It guides activities to support better outcomes for individuals, families, health professionals, community health workers, and the broader health system190. The framework describes a system-wide approach to integration that encompasses population health, acute, non-acute and community services. It will support and guide health services in moving towards closer systems integration.
NSW Health Net Zero Roadmap 2024-2030 will provide a blueprint for NSW Health to achieve the NSW Government’s net zero targets of 50% emissions reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050191.
The development of A Roadmap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adolescent Health192 has recently been funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council. This will identify the most important health issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (aged 10–24 years), ascertain what is needed to support young people and improve their health and wellbeing, and set out strategies and timeframes for doing so. When completed, this roadmap will be another important initiative to inform NSW Health’s work and investment in the health of young Aboriginal people.