Queensland Health supporting Samoan community

Published Thursday, 30 April, 2015 at 09:00 AM

Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services
The Honourable Cameron Dick

 

Queensland Health is collaborating with the Samoan Ministry of Health to assist with reforming and improving the governance of the nation’s health program.

 

This is a part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) eight year Samoa Health Investment Plan, which is a key element in Australia’s official development assistance to Samoa.

 

Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick said the partnership, which is fully funded by DFAT, would forge stronger ties between the two health systems and will help the Samoan Government to strengthen the administration and governance of its health service.

 

“This partnership will take the form of an Institutional Linkages Program that will lead to better health outcomes for Queenslanders and Samoans,” Mr Dick said.

 

“Queensland has a strong track record of management and governance in health and our experience will be shared with our Samoan partners.

 

“This program will strengthen people to people linkages between Samoa and Queensland which is home to an increasing number of Samoans.

 

“Two of our best, Queensland Health Deputy Director-General Phillip Davies, Health Commissioning Queensland, and Manager Governance and Improvement

Ms Karen Kerr, are visiting Samoa on April 29/30 to finalise a one year work plan and agree to key priority areas for a three year work plan.

 

“At this meeting, we expect to settle on a work program that might include sharing of expertise, building an internal corporate governance capacity by mentoring for senior Samoan officials, progressing a purchaser provider model of service delivery and exchange of non-clinical staff.”

 

An initial meeting between senior staff from Queensland Health, DFAT and the Samoan ministry took place in Brisbane in September last year.

 

Ends...

April 30

Media Contact Suellen Hinde (07) 3035 6117