Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs)

NACCHO asserts that all Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services should be funded and supported to provide integrated comprehensive primary health care and that at this time the services listed below should constitute integrated comprehensive primary health care. NACCHO will review this list and update the services that it defines as essential at regular intervals as experience and capacity increases.

Aboriginal communities operate over 130 ACCHSs/AMSs across Australia. They range from large multi-functional services employing several medical practitioners and providing a wide range of services, to small services without medical practitioners, which rely on Aboriginal health workers and/or nurses to provide the bulk of primary care services, often with a preventive, health education focus. The services form a network, but each is autonomous and independent both of one another and of government. The integrated primary health care model adopted by ACCHs/AMSs is in keeping with the philosophy of Aboriginal community control and the holistic view of health that this entails.

A. CLINICAL SERVICES
Primary clinical care such as:

• treatment of illness using standard treatment protocols;
• 24 hour emergency care;
• provision of essential drugs;
• management of chronic illness;

Population health/preventive care such as:

• immunisation;
• antenatal care;
• appropriate screening and early intervention (including adult and child health checks and secondary prevention of complications of chronic disease);
• communicable disease control;

Clinical support systems such as:

• pharmaceutical supply system;
• a comprehensive health information system (population registers, patient information recall systems, and systems for quality assurance)

B. SUPPORT SERVICES
Internal to the health service

• Staff training and support such as Aboriginal health worker training, cross cultural orientation, continuing education;
• Management systems that are adequately resourced, financially accountable and include effective recruitment and termination practices
• Adequate infrastructure at the community level such as staff housing and clinical facilities, and functional transport facilities.

External to the health service

• Systems for supporting visiting specialists and allied health professionals (including dental, mental health etc), medical evacuation or ambulance services; access to hospital facilities;
• Training role for tertiary and other students.

C. SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Based on locally relevant priorities and the availability of funds for programs directed at rheumatic fever, substance misuse, nutrition, environmental health, particular target groups such as youth, aged and disabled people, young mothers, school children etc..

D. ADVOCACY AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT
Support for the community on local, state and federal issues.