About the initiative
The PHMSS provides financial assistance to approximately 100 First Nations undergraduate students annually. The PHMSS applies to students who study an entry-level course in a health-related discipline at a:
- University
- Higher Education Provider
- TAFE
- Registered Training Organisation.
The PHMSS aims to:
- improve the capacity and quality of the First Nations’ health workforce
- encourage health professionals to deliver outreach activities in regional, rural, and remote locations
- improve the health outcomes of First Nations people living in regional, rural, and remote locations.
First Nations Delivery of PHMSS
The PHMSS was previously managed by the Australian College of Nursing, ceasing 30 June 2024. The Australian Government recognised a need for the PHMSS to be delivered, developed, and administered by First Nations people, who bring a deep understanding of students’ cultural needs and aspirations.
This approach facilitates and supports:
- stronger participation by First Nations people in the health workforce
- provision of Financial Assistance to students in health-related disciplines
- improved capacity and quality within the First Nations’ health workforce
- improved outcomes for First Nations people in regional, rural, and remote locations.
The PHMSS is now managed and delivered by Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA). IAHA leads a group of agencies, including National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP), and the Rural Doctors Network (RDN), to manage the PHMSS.
The PHMSS is also guided by the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan (2021–2031). This plan commits to:
- ongoing collaboration with First Nations stakeholders
- implementing co-designed initiatives to increase and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation in the health workforce.
Meeting our goals
In the 2023-24 Federal Budget, the Australian Government committed $1 million to support effective transition of the PHMSS to a First Nations-led organisation. From 1 July 2024, additional funding committed over the next 3 years will support ongoing delivery of the PHMSS.
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Indigenous Allied Health Australia scholarships
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