While developing its Health Needs Assessment 2025-28 (HNA), North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) commissioned the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) to conduct community consultations with Aboriginal people in the region. This was the first time NWMPHN had engaged an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to collect qualitative data for a HNA.
VAHS spoke with 62 people through a series of seven group and 12 individual yarning sessions held across the NWMPHN region. Each person had unique experiences and stories to share, while aiming to answer these questions:
- What is the current health status of the community?
- What does good look like?
The resulting qualitative data was analysed and cross-referenced with publicly available health data and VAHS internal data.
This outcomes report provides valuable lived experience insights on barriers and enablers to care across many domains including cultural safety and racism, 715 Health Checks, transport, workforce, mental health, transport, housing, justice, Rainbow Mob and more.
The report also includes a number of recommendations for NWMPHN and its partners. NWMPHN continues to work to address many of these recommendations and will provide updates as they occur.
The recommendations are also relevant to service providers in the region in informing their own work on cultural safety and improving outcomes.
The report is shared for the benefit of First Nations people and the health services serving them across the NWMPHN region.
Contact for queries
Please contact HNA.admin@nwmphn.org.au for any queries regarding this report.
