The AHPACC Partnership is a Victorian Government initiative developed through a consultative process between the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Victorian Advisory Council on Koori Health (VACKH).  The AHPACC Partnership will support Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) and Community Health Services (CHSs) to work collaboratively to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians, with or at risk of, chronic disease. Key focus areas include health systems development, health promotion, planning & implementation, access to primary health care services and chronic disease management programs. The Interim AHPACC Partnership Program Guidelines are available on the DHS Website. 

Vision

Aboriginal Victorians can access primary health care that is culturally respectful and addresses aspects of health including prevention, promotion and treatment, underpinned by principles of self determination and collaboration, and endeavours to achieve a quality of life for Aboriginal people, equal with all other Victorians.

Funding

The Victorian State Government has committed $7.06 million (recurrent) over four years to prevent and better manage chronic disease and improve health outcomes for Victorian Aboriginal communities. This recognises the much higher prevalence and earlier onset of chronic conditions including diabetes, cardio-vascular and respiratory diseases, and oral ill health among Aboriginal people in Victoria as compared to the non–Aboriginal population. 

Research

Increasingly,  evidence suggests that Aboriginal Australians do not do not receive the same level of healthcare as other Australians for a range of reasons including:

• Lack of provision or access to health services
• Poor linkages between different parts of the health system
• Lack of population health focus
• Limited number of health professionals with appropriate skills to address indigenous health issues
• The effects of poverty on Aboriginal populations ,making it more difficult to access health promoting health services
• Social and cultural misunderstandings, poor communication and experiences of discrimination
  (Cunningham, J, Cass, A., Arnold, P., 2005, Bridging the unequal treatment gap for Indigenous Australians, Medical Journal of Australia, Vol 182,No.10).

Further, other evidence suggests that a comprehensive primary health care approach can contribute to the health and well being needs of Aboriginal people (Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, 2001, Better Health Care. Studies in the successful delivery of primary health care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Canberra, Commonwealth of Australia)

A comprehensive primary care approach comprises preventative, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative services delivered in a manner promoting cultural security and identity (Durie, M. 2004, An Indigenous model of health promotion, Health Promotion Journal of Australia, Vol 15,3,pp.181-185).

Policy

The AHPACC initiative embraces four key policy areas including:

• VACKH’s call that equitable accessing and enhancing of existing health services must be underpinned by equal partnership and resourcing;
• the Creating a Healthier Victoria policy  (DHS, 2004) that identifies the need to use CHSs as a platform for equitable access to a range of services and is supported by the Aboriginal Services Plan (DHS, 2004);
• VACCHO’s Strategic Plan  (VACCHO 2004), that emphasise community control, partnership, and capacity building;
• and a Fairer Victoria  (Department of Premier and Cabinet, 2005) where Aboriginal peak body representation identifies this initiative a key strategy in building new partnerships with Aboriginal Victorians.

Implementation and aims

This AHPACC approach to service delivery is implemented through Partners hip arrangements between local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHOs) who have a lead role, and Community Health Services (CHSs) located in nine sites across Victoria. These local partnerships aim to:

• Achieve strengthened relationships between ACCHOs and CHSs
• Increase access to health promotion and chronic disease management services
• Increase capacity of the Aboriginal workforce
• Improved health outcomes and prevent hospital admissions

Key Features

The AHPACC model incorporates multiple and strategic innovations to both state and local health systems and organisational development. These include:

• Joint leadership and planning approaches between DHS and the  Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO);
• Development of Interim Program Guidelines;
• Development of state and local evaluation processes and framework;
• A State-wide Advisory structure with bi-monthly reporting to VACKH including specialised Working Groups (Evaluation and Implementation & Training and Workforce Development);
• DHS State and Regional Supports;
• VACCHO Central Support position;
• Introduction of equal funding allocations to ACCHOs & CHSs;
• Joint collaboration of both ACCHOs & CHSs through evolving implementation plans that acknowledge the reality of diverse organisational approaches and health service models state-wide;
• Sixteen new EFT positions created (Health Promotion & Chronic Care) with training and workforce development support;
• Regional capacity building (cultural awareness;) and
• Linkages and integrated planning opportunities with other programs.

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