Annual Report - Outcome 8: Indigenous Health > Part 2 Performance Information

Performance Information for Administered Items

Administered Funding – Indigenous Health Program:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.

Indicator	Measured by	Reference Point or Target
Increased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people access to primary health care and substance use services.	Organisations providing/ purchasing primary health care and/or substance use services.	At least 200 organisations.
Indicator met.	The Department funded 238 organisations in 2006–07 to provide and/or purchase primary health care and/or substance use services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.
Increased episodes of primary health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.	Number of episodes of primary health care provided.	At least 1.6 million episodes of primary health care provided.
Indicator met.	In 2005–06, Government-funded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care services provided 1.7 million episodes of care. 1.5 million of these were for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients compared to 1.4 million in 2004–05. The 2006–07 data is expected to be available in April 2008 and will be published at www.health.gov.au.
Demonstrated access to culturally appropriate social and emotional well being and mental health services.	Number of episodes of care provided.	At least 90,000 episodes of care provided.
Indicator met.	In 2005–06, there were 110,000 client contacts with social and emotional wellbeing staff or psychiatrists within Government- funded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care services. The 110,000 client contacts do not include contacts with other staff, such as doctors or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers that are not designated as social and emotional wellbeing staff. It is therefore an under-estimate of access to culturally appropriate social and emotional wellbeing and mental health services within these services. The 2006–07 data is expected to be available in April 2008 and will be published at www.health.gov.au.
Redeveloped or improved clinics in remote areas.	Clinics are redeveloped or improved through the capital works program.	At least 18 new clinic redevelopments or improvements.
Indicator met.	18 new clinic redevelopments/improvements in remote areas were completed.
Support for health staff in remote areas through the provision of housing.	Health staff housing established through the capital works program.	At least 10 new health staff houses/duplexes.
Indicator met.	14 houses/duplexes for health professional staff in remote areas were completed.
Increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people studying in health-related disciplines.	Scholarships awarded to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students through the Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme.	At least 60 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students receive scholarships.
Indicator met.	At the commencement of the 2007 academic year (February 2007) there were a total of 157 active Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship holders, including the 70 full-time equivalent scholarship recipients who commenced studies in 2007 in the areas of medicine, nursing, allied health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Work and health management. Of the 70 scholarships awarded, 32 were funded under the Healthy for Life Program and 5 under the COAG Indigenous mental health initiative.
Uptake of the Healthy for Life initiative.	Number of Healthy for Life sites established.	At least 42 Healthy for Life sites established by the end of 2006–07.
Indicator met.	80 primary health care services are now participating in the Healthy for Life Program through 53 sites.
Increased number of communities being supplied with Opal fuel.	The number of new communities supplied.	At least 65 communities using Opal fuel by the end of 2006–07.
Indicator met.	Opal fuel provided to a total number of 104 sites, including 72 remote Aboriginal communities, 29 service stations and roadhouses, and 3 pastoral properties in 2006–07.

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Performance Information for Departmental Outputs

Output Group 1. Policy Advice, including:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health; and
2006–07 Budget measures.

Indicator	Measured by	Reference Point or Target
Quality, relevant and timely advice for Government decision-making.	Ministerial satisfaction.	Maintain or increase from previous year.
Indicator met.	Ministers were satisfied with the quality, relevance and timeliness of advice provided for Government decision-making.
Relevant and timely evidence-based policy research.	Production of relevant and timely evidence-based policy research.	Relevant evidence-based policy research produced in a timely manner.
Indicator met.	Research in 2006–07 focused on a range of key issues including chronic conditions, social and emotional wellbeing, healthy skin, and child and maternal health. A range of strategic capacity building research initiatives were progressed by supporting the research agendas developed through the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, the Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. The focus on effective primary health care delivery across the range of research conducted improved the evidence-base about effective interventions in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, and increased participation in health research activities by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Top of pageOutput Group 2. Program Management , including:

financial management and reporting;
development and management of grants and contracts; and
administration and revision of legislation as required.

Indicator	Measured by	Reference Point or Target
Administered budget predictions are met and actual expenses vary less than 0.5% from budgeted expenses.	Percentage that actual expenses vary from budgeted expenses.	0.5% variance from budgeted expenses.
Indicator not met.	Actual expenses varied from budgeted expenses by 0.7%. 99.3% of the administered budget was expensed or committed for this outcome in 2006–07. The 0.7% of funds not expensed is due to the lower than expected sales of Opal fuel. Sales of Opal are demand driven and usage volume is extremely difficult to estimate. Sales are affected by weather conditions, tourism, and community acceptance e.g. lower than expected sales were experienced in Alice Springs following negative media reports. This latter issue has now been resolved and sales volumes are reaching expected levels.
Stakeholders to participate in program development.	Opportunities for stakeholder participation through a range of avenues, such as surveys, conferences and meetings.	Stakeholders participated in program development through consultative bodies and processes including the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Council and all jurisdictional Health Forums.
Indicator met.	The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Council and the jurisdictional Health Forums have meeting schedules set out on a calendar year. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Council had 3 meetings during the reporting period. During the reporting period the jurisdictional Health Forums met at least 3 times.

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Performance Improvement Initiatives

Initiative:	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework
Aim:	The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework goal is to: measure the impact of the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and inform policy analysis, planning and program implementation; provide the basis for streamlined reporting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and health care delivery; and provide a focus for data development activities.
Outcome:	The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2006 Report was endorsed by the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council in November 2006. The council's subcommittees are currently considering how best to incorporate the findings of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2006 Report into their work programs.

Initiative:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework

Aim:

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework goal is to:

measure the impact of the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and inform policy analysis, planning and program implementation;
provide the basis for streamlined reporting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and health care delivery; and
provide a focus for data development activities.

Outcome:

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2006 Report was endorsed by the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council in November 2006. The council's subcommittees are currently considering how best to incorporate the findings of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2006 Report into their work programs.

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Performance Assessment: Evaluations

Evaluation:	Social and Emotional Well Being
Timeframe:	Commencement date: March 2006 End date: 9 May 2007
Key Strategic Direction:	Complementary Action through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Specific Health and Substance Use Services
Web Address for Published Results:	www.health.gov.au

Evaluation:

Social and Emotional Well Being

Timeframe:

Commencement date: March 2006

End date: 9 May 2007

Key Strategic Direction:

Complementary Action through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Specific Health and Substance Use Services

Web Address for Published Results: