The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) is set to partner with local health organisations to create a new forum aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal Victorians.
Minister for Health, Jenny Mikakos and Chair of VACCHO, Karen Heap co-chaired a recent Aboriginal health roundtable which agreed to establish the Aboriginal Health Partnership Forum.
Ms Mikakos said a statewide body was identified by the Aboriginal community as a vital step towards ensuring all parts of the Victorian health system were working together to improve health outcomes for Victoria’s Aboriginal people.
“The Forum will bring together Aboriginal community controlled and mainstream health organisations to address Aboriginal health matters,” Ms Mikakos said.
“The Forum will be co-established with VACCHO and will include representatives from across the Aboriginal health sector and the public health system,” she said.
“They will work towards supporting health services to ensure care is culturally safe and meets the needs of Aboriginal Victorians.”
Ms Mikakos said the Forum was due to meet for the first time next year.
She said the Forum complemented other Victorian Government Aboriginal governance and advisory bodies, such as the Aboriginal Children’s Forum and the Indigenous Family Violence Prevention Forum.
“While we’re making gains in improving the health of Aboriginal Victorians, there’s still a long way to go and Aboriginal Victorians know their health needs best.”
“Lasting change for Aboriginal health means listening and working together,” Ms Mikakos said.
