In the 2007-08 Australian Government budget, funding was provided over four years to help eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) meet best practice and quality care standards through the A Better Future for Indigenous Australians - Establishing Quality Health Standards (EQHS) Budget measure.
The EQHS measure provides a number of support mechanisms to assist organisations to achieve accreditation by June 2011 including:
- One-on-one expert assistance provided by a specialist accreditation facilitator accessed from a panel of OATSIH Quality Improvement and Accreditation Facilitators;
- Accreditation Support Grants to help organisations to address barriers to accreditation;
- Local Support at the national and jurisdictional level provided by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled peak bodies;
- Access to various training options through the Training and Development Scheme, either short-term courses to support accreditation or longer-term non-clinical training; and
- Access to various activities provided through the OATSIH National Quality Network.
Yaran Business Services in partnership with Australian Healthcare Associates was appointed by the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Health, Department of Health and Ageing to evaluate the EQHS Budget measure.
The purpose of the evaluation was to:
- Determine the effectiveness, appropriateness and efficiency of the EQHS program and processes in facilitating the accreditation and progress towards accreditation of eligible ACCHOs;
- Identify additional forms of assistance which may be provided to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health service organisations to achieve and maintain accreditation after June 2011;
- Explore ways to promote quality standards in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health care sector after June 2011; and
- Explore ways to encourage longer term sustainability of accreditation in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector.