Good Medicine Better Health Governance

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Meeting 2 at AMSANT office – Darwin 7 November 2019

The Good Medicine Better Health (GMBH) Advisory Group met for the second time on 7 November 2019, a day after the NACCHO Members’ Conference ‘Because of Them, We Must’ in Darwin.

The meeting was hosted by AMSANT in their Darwin office. At the second meeting, the GMBH Advisory Group:

  • formally accepted the Terms of Reference (TOR)
  • drafted a framework outlining online module development for the program
  • provided input into proposed logo concepts for the redesigned program
  • refined their wording for the overall program mission and vision, core program principles and outcomes, and program measures.

Meeting 5 via Zoom – 31 July 2020

The Good Medicine Better Health (GMBH) Advisory Group met for the fifth time via Zoom. The fifth meeting of the Advisory Group included discussions on:

  • An overall workplan for the GMBH program, including the specific components of the program, the resources that will underpin the education developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and how the program will be evaluated.
  • Proposed approaches towards the development of consumer resources for the GMBH program and how this will align with the education and training provided for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners.
  • The quality use of medicines within Remote Area Aboriginal Health Services.

Out of session activities (March 2021)

The meeting of the Good Medicine Better Health (GMBH) Advisory Group scheduled for 26 February 2021 was cancelled due to lack of a quorum. Out of session, members:

  • Provided feedback on the composition and future membership of the GMBH advisory groups and suggested individuals or organisations we could approach
  • Provided input and advice on the content, learning objectives and format of the antibiotic(s) education modules being developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners as part of the program
  • Provided feedback on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners evaluation survey

Meeting 12 via Zoom – 6 December 2021

The twelfth meeting of the Good Medicine Better Health (GMBH) Advisory Group was held via Zoom and chaired by James Harris: Manager – Teacher, Professional Development – National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker and Practitioners. This was a shortened meeting as a quorum of members could only attend one hour due to late apologies. At this meeting, members:

  • Welcomed one new member of the GMBH Advisory group
    • Paul Stewart: Deputy CEO, Lowitja Institute
  • Provided feedback on the GMBH marketing and promotions plan
  • Provided feedback and advice on the user testing for the consumer resources and offered help to recruit ACCHOs
  • Confirmed topic selection for the modules topics for the current financial year (3 x chronic pain, 1 x smoking cessation and 1 x blood bourne virus modules)
  • Confirmed the need for a planning meeting to be held in late January / early February 2022

Final Meeting 16 via Zoom – 5 September 2022

The sixteenth meeting of the Good Medicine Better Health (GMBH) Advisory Group was held via Zoom and chaired by Judith Parnham, Senior Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker. At this meeting, members:

  • Discussed possible transition arrangements of the GMBH program to either NACCHO or NAATSIHWP and the ramifications of this decision
  • Provided feedback on the learning objectives and outline for the quit smoking: pregnancy module
  • Confirmed the GMBH chronic pain consumer resources and provided feedback on the draft content
  • Proposed further suggestions and ideas on how to promote the GMBH program to the sector in addition to current promotional activities
  • Were updated about the final evaluation activities to be completed by December 2022.

As this will be the last GMBH advisory group meeting, the Deputy CEO thanked the members on behalf of NPS MedicineWise for their fearless feedback and advice regarding the GMBH program and hoped that with their support a national organisation can be found for the transition of this program.

Meeting 3 via Zoom – 2 April 2020

The Good Medicine Better Health (GMBH) Advisory Group met for the third time (but for the first time via Zoom).

At the third meeting, the GMBH Advisory Group:

  • discussed the new funding arrangements and deliverables for the GMBH program.
  • were provided an outline of a new opportunity to address QUM issues faced by Remote Aboriginal Health Services work as a subproject of the GMBH program.
  • provided advice and input into the various components of the GMBH program, including scoping for the diabetes and hypertension material
  • discussed COVID-19 and the impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

At the meeting, it was also noted that NATSIHWA provided advice on scope of practice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers via an article in Croakey about supplying and administering medicines as health professionals are not allowed to visit remote communities during COVID-19

Meeting 7 via Zoom – 30 October 2020

The seventh meeting of the Good Medicine Better Health (GMBH) Advisory Group was held via Zoom and Chaired by James Harris from Djinda Creative Resources. At this meeting, members:

  • Provided input and advice into the heart failure and mental health education being developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners as part of the program.
  • Provided advice on how to best to recruit community members to inform the development of consumer resources for this program.
  • Highlighted who would be appropriate members of our Champion Network who can help promote the program.

Meeting 10 via Zoom – 18 June 2021

The tenth meeting of the Good Medicine Better Health (GMBH) Advisory Group was held via Zoom and chaired by Karrina DeMasi: Senior Policy Officer – Aboriginal Medical Services Norther Territory (AMSANT). At this meeting, members:

  • Provided further input, advice and suggestions on additional membership of the GMBH Advisory group and the process of appointment
  • Confirmed upcoming meeting dates for the next financial year, including a face-to-face meeting in Canberra
  • Provided initial feedback on the topic selection of modules for the next financial year, including developing 1–2 pain modules with an external consortium
  • Provided advice on the user testing of consumer resources.

Meeting 14 via Zoom – 7 March 2022

The fourteenth meeting of the Good Medicine Better Health (GMBH) Advisory Group was held via Zoom and chaired by Karrina Demasi from Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory. At this meeting, members

  • Provided feedback on the focus, content outline and draft learning objectives for the smoking cessation modules
  • Confirmed the topic of the blood borne virus module to be Hepatitis C and provided suggestions on the topic focus
  • Proposed suggestions and ideas on how to engage with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community with the MedicineInsight program
  • Provided feedback on the prototype of the QUM internet in the Remote Area Aboriginal services (RAAHs) internet Hub