NACCHO is proud to have contributed to the National Lung Cancer Screening Program, which has been recognised with the IPAA ACT Spirit of Service Award 2026 (Breakthrough category).
This recognition reflects the strength, leadership and commitment of the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation sector, which has played a critical role in ensuring the program is culturally safe, community-led and accessible for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
From program design through to implementation, ACCHOs across the country have played a central role in co-designing program resources, mobile screening routes, community engagement approaches and program guidelines, helping to ensure lung screening is culturally safe, community-led and accessible for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
As NACCHO CEO Dr Dawn Casey PSM said:
“Strong uptake of lung cancer screening by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the program’s first year is not a happy accident; it is what happens when screening is built to be culturally safe, delivered through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, and backed by a growing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer workforce.
The lesson for every national health program is simple: co-design with the community-controlled sector is not a courtesy. It is the reason this program is working for our people.”
This award recognises the collective efforts of ACCHOs, communities and partners who have worked together to establish a screening program that is delivering for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
We thank our partners at the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and Cancer Australia, and acknowledge the many organisations and individuals who have contributed to the successful design and implementation of the program.
