Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

NT Health is committed to working with health care consumers, carers and communities to ensure a health care system that involves Aboriginal Territorians as active partners in healthcare including improving access to timely, quality, and patient focused health care across the Territory.

This encompasses the Transition of Remote Primary Health Care Services to Aboriginal Community Control policy, facilitating pathways for communities to have more control over their own affairs, including service delivery based on a community's aspirations and needs.

Community control refers to the principle that Aboriginal communities have the right to participate in decision making that affects their lives, such as health and wellbeing. It also refers to the organisational model of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services that has existed for nearly 50 years. It is acknowledged that community controlled governance of health services is the optimal expression of the right of Aboriginal people to participate in decision making.

Remote primary health care transitions are guided by the NT Aboriginal Health Forum (NTAHF) Pathways to Community Control which supports and further promotes Aboriginal community control in the planning, development and provision of primary health care services.   NT Health, is a partner member of NTAHF and assesses Expressions of Interest in alignment with the Pathways to Community Control Transition Criteria, Principles for the transition of remote primary health care services and Primary Health Care Transitions to Aboriginal Community Control - Approval Framework.

Contact the Aboriginal Health Policy unit by email at AboriginalPolicy.DoH@nt.gov.au or phone 08 8999 2873.