Systems and Systemic Reform

Over the past 25 years, VACCHO has worked with its Members, mainstream partners and all levels of government, providing crucial platforms for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, knowledge and experiences to improve health and social services, systems, and functions.

Our collective voice has advanced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people self-determination and systemic reform to achieve better outcomes for Communities long into the future. 

VACCHO’s ambition is for a health and wellbeing systems for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that are culturally safe, free from racism and Aboriginal-led and controlled.

Self-determination is key to achieving health and wellbeing outcomes for Community. Embedding self-determination requires changing systems and structures which takes time.

Key work:

  • Cultural safety in the mainstream health system – One of VACCHO’s priorities is addressing the cultural safety of the mainstream health system, where many of our Communities still experience racist and unsafe care. A key success has been securing funding to develop a Cultural Safety Accreditation that is led by the Aboriginal Community-Controlled health sector.
  • Establishing the first Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnership Forum, which gives the Aboriginal Health Sector CEOs and leaders direct access to the Minister for Health.
  • Develop and implementation of the Victorian Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Workforce Strategy 2022-2026 which aims to build on existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce policies to increase employment of Indigenous people across the ACCO sector and the broader health system in Victoria and create a more Culturally safe healthcare environment.