Nukal Murra

Nukal Murra Alliance (NMA) members work collaboratively with other funded agencies to support the re-direction of funds to First Nations Health programs through the Nukal Murra Health Support Services to improve the health, social and emotional wellbeing of our communities across the Western Queensland region.

Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) Program

Two regional SEWB training and development workshops were held in Brisbane and Charleville, focusing on WQPHN’s strategic objectives of the program aligning to both Closing the Gap and Mental Health, Wellbeing & Resilience strategies.

The workshops' focus was to assist all SEWB teams to provide and deliver quality health services currently impacting the social and emotional wellbeing of families across the Western Queensland region. The RHealth team from Toowoomba delivered training, providing an insight into the importance of data input and data cleansing to all SEWB workers and team leaders.  

Integrated Team Care (ITC) Program

Conversations have continued over the past 12 months with Queensland Health’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Directorate and the Innovation and Enhancement Unit, for the re-direction of allocated Patient Transfer Subsidy Scheme (PTSS) funds for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients to the Nukal Murra Alliance.

The focus is to ensure the aims of the program will continue to:

• Contribute to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic health conditions through access to care coordination, multidisciplinary care and support for self-management; and
• Improve access to culturally appropriate mainstream primary care services (including but not limited to general practice, allied health and specialists) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Workforce Development

Development of the Western Queensland First Nation Workforce Implementation Plan are in the final stages of draft completion.

The Workforce Implementation Plan will provide a framework of evidence-based workforce strategies to further support partnership between the Nukal Murra Alliance and other key primary health care organisations in Western Queensland, to better respond to critical workforce priorities and increase health system capacity and cultural safety.

Nukal Murra Report Cards continue to be supplied regularly to NMA members to measure the uptake of ITC services.

South West Queensland Primary Health Care Alliance (SWQPHC Alliance)

The SWQPHC Alliance was formed in 2022 with combined objectives to:

• Reverse the decline in permanent general practice workforce;
• Enable digital interoperability allowing data sharing to support the workforce;
• Identify access and gaps and duplication in the delivery of primary care services and
• Develop contemporary models for rural primary care in South West Queensland.

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The Alliance is a key commitment between:

• South West Hospital and Health Service (SWHHS)
• Western Queensland PHN
• Goondir Health Services
• Health Workforce Queensland (HWQ)
• RFDS Queensland Section
• CheckUP
• Charleville and Western Areas Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Community Health (CWAATSICH)
• Cunnamulla Aboriginal Corporation for Health (CACH)
• South West Queensland private and HHS general practice

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Development of the 4 domains of the Alliance:

1. Shared Workforce Data and Health Intelligence
2. Partnerships Enabling Capability and Transformation
3. Strengthen Cultural Safety
4. Build Regional Training and Professional Development Capacity 

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Initial progress to date include:

• Development of a Workforce Implementation Plan Strategy
• Development of a Governance Framework
• Discussion on data sharing agreements
• Establishment of working groups for priority areas in Thargomindah, Quilpie, Cunnamulla, and Charleville, with common themes identified for action.
  

The Alliance core vision is to create one integrated, high quality, and efficient system meeting the health care needs of South West Queensland communities.

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Western Queensland First Nations Health Workforce Plan

The Nukal Murra Alliance and partner organisations Health Workforce Queensland, RFDS, CheckUP and Western Queensland PHN met in Brisbane on 20^th June to finalise the implementation plan of the Western Queensland First Nations Health Workforce Plan (WQ First Nations Workforce Plan).

Expanding access to AICCHO services is a proven approach to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequity in First Nations people, and aligns with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP).

Under the guidance of the Nukal Murra Alliance members, Petraichor Partners presented the WQ First Nations Workforce Plan for consultation and final endorsement to provide a regional context that aligns with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan 2021-2031.

WQ First Nations Workforce Plan is a 5-year plan that will guide implementation based on agreed priorities, investment and appetite for reform and change. All partners are committed to support existing and new partnerships, attract investment, stage pilot projects, and systematically build capacity, infrastructure and collateral for long term sustained change. This approach allows organisations to support a strong AICCHS network across Western Queensland, supports the national framework, aligns organisational Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) and Health Equity Plans, and reduces duplication through building meaningful partnerships and cultural respect that strengthens the wider primary and hospital sector.

The WQ First Nations Workforce plan aims to support regional collaboration and build a stronger future together.