About how we work

Leadership and governance

In December 2019, we established a Patient Reported Measures Aboriginal Health Working Group. The Working Group consists of two co-chairs with broad member representation across the NSW Health system, including strong representation from Aboriginal health workers and leaders and PRM implementation leads in regional, rural, and metropolitan locations.

The Working Group ensures that the PRMs Program aligns with several priority reform areas within the NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024–2034, specifically including items about data governance and sovereignty, health literacy and person-centred care.

The purpose of the Working Group is to:

• support local services – both those represented within the Working Group and across the system – by working hand in hand to successfully implement PRMs across Aboriginal health services.
• determine priority activities and core bodies of work to support PRMs implementation across Aboriginal health services, such as the development of capability building and consumer facing resources.
• oversee scoping activities to identify, select and implement an appropriate and culturally validated quality of life PROM tool.

Email ACI-PRM@health.nsw.gov.au if you are interested in joining the PRMs Aboriginal Health Working Group.

Using the Aboriginal Health Impact Statement to improve outcomes

NSW Health uses the Aboriginal Health Impact Statement (AHIS) as a vital tool to ensure it considers the health needs and interests of Aboriginal people, their families and communities when developing health policies, programs, and strategies.

The PRMs Program AHIS forms a foundation to guide and support meaningful and productive collaboration, including developing and nourishing partnerships with Aboriginal people and the Aboriginal Health sector.

The PRMs Program is committed to strengthening how we partner and work with consumers, carers and communities. The AHIS supports the program’s role in facilitating communication between clinicians and system decision makers, and enables shared decision making with Aboriginal people at all levels.

We continue to work with the PRMs Aboriginal Health Working Group to evolve the PRMs AHIS, and review and oversee all aspects of program co-design, implementation and evaluation in a culturally safe way.

Focus areas of the PRMs AHIS include:

• enabling early and careful consideration of the health needs of Aboriginal people across all areas of the PRMs Program
• guiding systematic change through innovative health system enablers and linkages related to Aboriginal Health
• ensuring the PRMs Program strives to achieve equity and respect for Aboriginal people
• supporting NSW Health staff to develop effective partnership and meaningfully engage with Aboriginal stakeholders in the context of implementing PRMs.

We strive to embed the AHIS across all aspects of our work and engagement.

Aboriginal Data Sovereignty and Governance Framework

The Aboriginal Data Sovereignty and Governance Framework ensures Aboriginal people have the right to govern the collection, ownership and use of their data in PRMs.

The framework was developed in partnership with the PRMs Aboriginal Health Working Group, Aboriginal Health leaders, local PRM leads, clinicians and consumers across NSW, in collaboration with the Kowa Collaboration.

Consultation is currently underway to inform an implementation strategy for the Framework.