Aboriginal Health Workers formally acknowledged
Mr Justin Mohamed the Chair of NACCHO* says Aboriginal Health Workers have been formally acknowledged as a profession today with the launch of their new national association by the Minister for Indigenous Health Warren Snowdon in Ceduna at the Koonibba Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service. Mr Mohamed said “Aboriginal Health Workers are an essential part of clinical services in the over 150 Aboriginal community controlled medical services as well as in mainstream health services”. “They are one of the critical professions in advancing Aboriginal health” Mr Mohamed said. “Aboriginal Health Workers perform a range of frontline clinical procedures, according to their qualification level, from internal and external examinations, suturing and specimen collection and they have a direct link with the Aboriginal communities they are part of allowing them access to the most difficult to reach and marginalised of patients”. “NACCHO continues to directly support the formation of the Association to ensure the interests of Aboriginal Health Workers will be properly represented and the profession has the chance to be part of the National Regulation and Accreditation of health professionals’ scheme**. “The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Association (NATSIHWA) will work for the interests of its Aboriginal Health Worker members by supporting their careers, professional development, networking, accreditation of the profession and representing their interests at peak regional, state and national forums. “There are estimated to be over 1,500 Aboriginal Health Workers nationally and I encourage them to join the Association. “They can find out more by visiting the NATSIHWA website (http://www.natsihwa.org.au/) or by talking to their workforce policy officer in NACCHO’s state and territory affiliates. “I congratulate the interim Chair of NATSIHWA, Robert Dann of the Port Lincoln Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service and the members of the Association’s interim board for all the work they have put in for their fellow Aboriginal Health Workers” Mr Mohamed said. *National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
