NIHEC Terms of Reference

NIHEC will support the Australian Government by:

1. advising on commitments made under the March 2008 Statement of Intent on achieving Indigenous health equality;
2. advising on the development and monitoring of health related goals and targets to support the Government’s commitments on life expectancy and child mortality;
3. developing advice to Minister Roxon and Minister Snowdon on:

strategic priorities for Aborginial and Torres Strait Islander health;
meeting targets agreed by the Australian Government and the Council of Australian Governments (COAG);
monitoring of progress towards ‘closing the gap’ of Indigenous disadvantage including through the annual report to Parliament, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Reports and Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage Reports; and
any specific matters referred to it by the Government and the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC).

4. considering workforce development issues and make recommendations to Minister Roxon and Minister Snowdon in respect of workforce development and sustainability, including providing advice on pathways to increase Indigenous workforce representation.

In developing this advice, NIHEC will consider a range of matters, including but not limited to:

how current activities to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people align with the Government’s commitment to close the gap and improve health outcomes for all Australians;
existing health policy and programs and their effectiveness at a regional, rural, remote, metro and National level;
work being progressed through other fora including but not limited to the COAG Health and Ageing Working Group and the COAG Working Group on Indigenous Reform;
current barriers to Indigenous people accessing adequate health services and how these might be best overcome;
the interaction between mainstream health services and Indigenous specific health services;
the need for a whole-of-government approach to improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and well-being;
the need for coordination and integration of various national, regional, remote and rural programs and initiatives;
existing gaps in data and how these might be addressed in the future;
the social and environment determinants of health that impact on Indigenous health to ensure goals and targets to support the Government’s commitment to improving Indigenous life expectancy and reducing child mortality are properly evidence-based;
national and international strategies for improving Indigenous health and building capabilities; and
how to maximise effective internal and external stakeholder relationships and increase community involvement in the Government's Indigenous health agenda.
Page currency, Latest update: 09 February, 2010
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