Strategic Directions 2023–2025

NACCHO Strategic Directions 2023-2025_Cover image

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PDF version of NACCHO’s Strategic Directions 2023-2025.

STRATEGY 1 - Further strengthen NACCHO’s national influence to increase investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander comprehensive primary health care.

This involves the development of a strong brand and NACCHO growing further as a trusted and well connected national institution. NACCHO will continue to create a national agenda, be agile in responding to opportunities, and secure necessary funding and stability for the sector well into the future.

Actions

  • Champion and support the expansion of Aboriginal community-controlled health services to meet the health needs of Aboriginal people
  • Continue to secure funding for the sector and to work with governments to begin closing the health funding gap ($4.4b). This will involve fairer access to our share of existing funding and appropriations, but will also need to include:
    • Increased Commonwealth funding for IAHP and funds accessed from the mainstream
    • Increased state/territory funding
    • Better access to private health insurance
    • Increased philanthropic contributions and partnerships opportunities for the sector
  • Develop and maintain effective partnerships with all stakeholders (including MOUs)
  • Renew the NACCHO brand by developing and implementing a strategic communication and marketing plan
  • In collaboration with state and territory peaks, advocate on behalf of communities who are seeking to access community-controlled health programs and help with the transition of more government-run Aboriginal medical services into ACCHOs
  • Build NACCHO into critical national health architecture (e.g., PBAC)

KPIs

  • Measures of the reduction of the funding gap, include:
    • Increased level of funding and financial security for the sector over the forward estimates
    • Increased access to existing funding appropriations in mainstream services
    • Increased funding for infrastructure renewal and capital works across the sector
    • The extent of the take up of proposals outlined in public and pre-budget submissions
  • Extent of NACCHO representation on key national advisory groups and committees
  • Increased media coverage and social media profile

STRATEGY 3 - Promote strong governance practices.

This involves the implementation of robust governance processes for the NACCHO Board, executive and staff and the development of a strongly aligned sector with clear shared priorities and accountability.

Actions

  • Ensure the principles of community control are imbued in all levels of governance in the organisation
  • Facilitate leadership opportunities and succession planning in NACCHO and across the sector
  • Governance reform to meet future requirements in a changing landscape to facilitate effective leadership and protect the reputation of the sector
  • Provide advice and training to members on governance issues and mechanisms
  • Build a focused and capable trusted organisation which has national credibility and the gravitas of a national leader and expert
  • Grow the capacity of the Secretariat’s capacity to drive the strategy, including in marketing, policy, evidence, and network collaboration
  • Strengthen the relationships with state and territory peaks (including data sharing and the ability to promulgate best practice)

KPIs

  • Board members offered governance training, are involved in the Board committees, and participate in an annual Board performance review
  • Successful annual national youth conferences and national members conferences held annually
  • Engagement of state peaks via the NACCHO CEOs Forum, Medical Advisory Group, and policy officer’s network
  • Provision of leadership development opportunities, governance resources, training and workshops for ACCHO boards and CEOs across Australia

STRATEGY 2 - Together, with members, deliver excellent services.

This involves leadership, recruiting, training and retaining the workforce, providing cultural intelligence, better access to Medicare, the implementation of a core services framework and the strengthening of key preventative measures.

Actions

  • Continue to develop and implement a National Health Framework
  • Strengthen measures focussed on prevention to avoid long term health issues and maximise existing health investments
  • Continue to support ACCHOs so that the sector remains well-positioned to respond to pandemics and emerging crises (e.g., fires, floods, and the impact of climate change)
  • Continue to support emerging and new ACCHOS
  • Continue to support ACCHOs in making better use of Medicare
  • Address workforce supply and retention issues, so that a highly trained workforce is supported across the sector and in key new related areas (e.g., aged care and NDIS)
  • Continue to support the Coalition of Peaks and its work in progressing the new National Agreement on Closing the Gap

KPIs

  • Successful co-design and roll-out of 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health traineeships
  • Improved RTO funding arrangements in the sector
  • Implementation of the Core Services Framework
  • Increased access to Medicare

STRATEGY 4 - Further strengthen NACCHO’s knowledge-base and capability of the sector.

This involves increased access to medical technologies, business technology, the development of a strong evidence base, good data governance practices, and the capacity to extend the ACCHO model into related sectors (e.g., aged care and NDIS).

Actions

  • Lead the development of a national strategy on the social determinants of health that identifies key evidence-based policies and programs
  • Build stronger data capacity and ensure improved data governance arrangements are in place
  • Support digital health initiatives and technologically enabled care (medical and business)
  • Continue to develop and implement the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) framework
  • Improve NACCHO’s capacity to undertake national service mapping of the community-controlled sector to identify areas with high need, primarily through levels of preventable admissions and deaths and inadequate servicing
  • Ensure a central role for ACCHOs in national initiatives that enable improved service integration and access to quality care at local levels

KPIs

  • Improved engagement of NACCHO in national initiatives, such as My Health Record, Primary Health Networks, integrated care models, telecommunications initiatives, and leading nationally funded health research
  • Ensuring data sovereignty is secured in all research and that the integrity of data in the sector is maintained and is under Aboriginal control
  • Improved performance reporting
  • Conduct satisfaction surveys of all members and the development of an effective database to improve NACCHO’s knowledge of the membership base