Northern Rivers Region
An Agreement Between:
- Indigenous Allied Health Australia
- Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation
- Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service
- Rekindling the Spirit
- Northern New South Wales Local Health District
The Northern Rivers Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector, Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) & Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSW LHD) regional network partnership brings together the (5) organisations in supporting and growing the Northern Rivers regional Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander health workforce.
Under this Partnership Agreement, the partners will work together in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration.
Flinders University
IAHA and Flinders University (Northern Territory) signed a Collaboration Agreement in 2019.
Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) and Flinders Northern Territory (FNT) are committed, and responsive to the health workforce (notably allied health) needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Territory. This includes increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating in the medical and allied health workforce, fostering a community centred and priority-driven allied health research agenda for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and strengthening the cultural responsiveness of medical and allied health graduates.
FNT and IAHA will collaborate to work towards achieving the following goal:
- increasing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health workforce and the cultural capability of the broader allied health workforce in remote and regional Northern Territory and Northern Australia to improve the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
FNT and IAHA will collaborate and share knowledge, information, experience and resources to:
- Influence student placement opportunities in remote and regional NT; to ensure that all students on placement in the NT experience a culturally responsive placement to the unique health needs of people who live and reside in Northern Australia.
- Increase the opportunities for Allied Health students, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health students, to have a student placement experience that is culturally safe in remote and regional NT and Northern Australia;
- Support and deliver culturally safe and responsive orientation and placement immersion experiences to students on placement in the NT;
- Lead, influence and inform Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health education, research and workforce development initiatives.
Australian Council of Pro-Vice-Chancellors and Deans of Health Sciences
The second Collaboration Agreement between Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) and the Australian Council of Pro-Vice-Chancellors and Deans of Health Sciences (ACPDHS) was signed at the IAHA National Conference on 30 November 2015 extended the previous agreement.
Both organisations highlighted that they remain committed and responsive to the allied health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This includes increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating in the allied health workforce, fostering a community centred and priority-driven allied health research agenda for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and strengthening the cultural competence of allied health graduates.
Murtupuni Centre for Rural and Remote Health, James Cook University
IAHA and the Murtupuni Centre for Rural and Remote Health, James Cook University are committed to a formal collaboration agreement to be more responsive to the allied health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This includes increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating in the allied health workforce, fostering a community centred and priority-driven allied health research agenda for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and strengthening the cultural competence of allied health graduates.
Indigenous Dentists Association Australia
On the 21st of May 2018, Indigenous Allied Health Australia and Indigenous Dentists’ Association of Australia (IDAA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Mercure Hotel, Sydney. IDAA is committed to promoting improved standards of Indigenous oral health, including supporting Indigenous dentists and dental students.
IAHA’s membership includes dentists and given our shared values and purpose to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. IAHA and IDAA look forward to exploring opportunities to collaborate.
Watch the video below to learn more about this MOU.
You can find IDAA on Facebook and Instagram.
SARRAH
Indigenous Allied Health Australia and Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the 2018 SARRAH National Conference in Darwin, NT. SARRAH exists so that rural and remote Australian communities have allied health services that support equitable and sustainable health and wellbeing.
During the term of the MOU, IAHA and SARRAH agreed to collaborate on four key projects, including:
- expansion of the allied health rural generalist pathway into a national training pathway
- development and trial of a new model of community-led service delivery to address areas of currently unmet health needs in remote communities
- develop and support a culturally safe and responsive allied health workforce that meets the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities
- review and revise the SARRAH Transition Toolkit
Read the full MOU here.
Allied Health Professions Australia
In recognition of Close the Gap Day 2017, Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) and (AHPA), the peak body representing and advocating for the role of allied health professions and its member and friend organisations, re-committed to a Statement of Intent to work together to achieve equality in health status and life expectancy between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians by the year 2030. The Signing of the Statement of Intent took place in Melbourne, Victoria.
IAHA Chairperson Nicole Turner recognised allied health’s valuable role in Closing the Gap. “As Allied health professionals, we are diverse and intersect across many sectors, including education, community services, justice, aged care, disability, and health. Therefore, we are key players in achieving positive health and well-being outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Understanding the contribution, we can make to close the gap brings with it a sense of shared responsibility to do our part. We firmly believe that we are stronger together, and a whole-of-sector approach is needed if we are to achieve sustainable, intergenerational change,” said Ms Turner.
NSW Rural Doctors Network
IAHA and the NSW Rural Doctors Network (NSWRDN) signed a formal partnership in September 2019 in Sydney. The partnership is committed to working in collaboration on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health workforce development in NSW and sharing information and expertise in supporting the current allied health workforce, including professional development opportunities and promoting and building cultural safety.
Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet supports those working in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector by making research and other knowledge readily accessible. In this way, they contribute to closing the gap in health between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians. In addition, IAHA partners with the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet in sharing expertise on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health workforce development and promotes stories and experiences of IAHA members on the critical components of workforce development, including:
- Pathways into allied health
- Student support and engagement
- Transition to early careers for our graduates
- Allied health career development and support
- Enable future workforce development
International Collaboration and Partnership
IAHA has developed strong connections and relationships with international First nation groups that share our vision and priorities in building, supporting and leading allied health workforce development.
IAHA has presented at numerous international conferences to build the profile of IAHA and share the activities and approaches IAHA is taking in supporting our members, growing the allied health workforce, and interprofessional education and learning. IAHA invites an International First Nations speaker to national events in attending these conferences. We continue to meet and change the conversation from a deficit discourse to a strengths-based narrative and successes with culture and cultural safety at the centre of what we aim to achieve.
IAHA held the first International Indigenous Allied Health Forum in Sydney 2018, with delegates attending from Hawaii, Canada, New Zealand and Borneo, including graduates and students. In addition, the international First nation students participated in their first Indigenous Health Fusion Team Challenge with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student members. Their participation was supported by their graduates and support team throughout, with everyone gaining lifetime friends, networks, a wealth of knowledge backed by professional and cultural exchange.
IAHA has collaborated with our international partners and continues working on new activities and projects.
IAHA and Nga Pou Mana have engaged in a formal partnership commencing in 2020 to work collaboratively on building our allied health workforce through shared successes, building our networks and support base and effecting change in the national and international space.
Southern Cross University
June 8th 2021, marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by us, Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA), with Southern Cross University (SCU) in support of the Indigenous Allied Health Australia National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Academy (IAHA National Academy), which will be established within the Northern Rivers region in 2022.
The IAHA National Academy students will have the opportunity to remain on Country while undertaking Years 11 and 12 and a school-based traineeship to provide a blended learning experience.
Signatories included:
- Donna Murray Murray, CEO, IAHA
- Dr Stuart Barlo Executive Dean, GNIBI College of Indigenous Australian People’s
- Professor Julie Jomeen, Executive Dean, Faculty of Health
- Associate Professor Jacqui Yoxall, Chair of Allied Health and Midwifery, Faculty of Health.
Charles Darwin Universtiy
IAHA NT Workforce Development and Charles Darwin University have a collaboration agreement (2022 to 2024) that has a primary objective to support growth in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce through the following initiatives.
- Providing culturally safe and responsive learning environments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Darwin, NT, and the surrounding regions.
- Developing accessible and supportive pathways into health careers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the Darwin, NT, and the surrounding regions.
- Supporting leadership development, career planning and goal setting through role modelling, work/clinical placement, and the delivery of education in a university environment and
- Leading, influencing, and informing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health education, research, and workforce development initiatives
