Strategic Planning

PAMS Board of Directors, under the Chairmanship of Mr Billy Cadigan, in their meeting of September 15th 2010 approved a recommendation of the CEO, Mr Chris Renshaw, that PAMS, adopt Continuity of Care as the focus for PAMS’ activities.  The emphasis being on the Patient Journey within PAMS, including health promotion programs and COAG Close the Gap programs, and between all other primary, secondary and tertiary health care providers.

A number of priorities are defined for inclusion in the Strategic Plan, including:

a) improving communications with the communities to receive guidance and direction and to improve peoples’ awareness of available services beyond those of the Registered Nurses, General Practitioners and Health Workers

b) stabilising and expanding the permanent workforce including staff development and community programs to assist Martu people in their readiness for sustained employment with PAMS and other employers

c) positioning PAMS to actively participate in, and where appropriate lead, regional collaboration initiatives including the COAG – Close the Gap programs, Pilbara Aboriginal Health Planning Forum, other regional and statewide Aboriginal Health related representative bodies (AHCWA Task Forces), and tri-State (WA, NT and SA) collaborations, within the context of localising national initiatives

d) improving recurrent core comprehensive primary health care funding levels over time (currently $1,350 per capita towards the level advised for remote communities in the Northern Territory of $6,508 per capita as defined in 2007 or even to the level recommended to OATSIH in 2004 by Econotech of $5,378 and QAIHC – model 2.2 in 2008)

e) achieving RACGP Accreditation through AGPAL in 2011 including application for Accreditation Support Funding through OATSIH

f) providing facilities including staff accommodation for a comprehensive primary health care and health promotion program delivery centre in Newman to allow reasonable access to services including dentistry

g) re-building the sub-standard Jigalong, Parnngurr and Punmu clinics and improving the quality and increasing the availability of staff housing at all sites to support improved access, service delivery and staff recruitment and retention

h) re-designing the Information and Communications Technology infrastructure to significantly improve technology support for clients, permanent staff and locums and to introduce Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records (PCEHR) to facilitate communications with other providers in the primary, secondary and tertiary health sectors. For details, click here.

These and other topics were detailed at the General Meeting preceding the Annual General Meeting in Jigalong on 16th November 2010 receiving the support of the full Board and encouragement of the members.