MAARI MA wins two state awards

Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation has won two awards at the 2012 Aboriginal Health Awards.

The award winners were announced at a special awards ceremony in Sydney last night – on the evening of National ‘Close the Gap’ day.

Maari Ma took out the Director-General’s Award for its workforce strategy - Planning for our future: developing and implementing an Indigenous workforce development plan in far west NSW.

Maari Ma also won the Closing the Gap in Aboriginal Health through Excellence in the Chronic Care Award category for The Outback Vascular Health Service - specialist chronic disease care is now part of the local team.

Maari Ma Chief Executive Officer, Bob Davis, said to receive recognition at a state level is testimony to the Boards strategic vision and dedication of the organisation’s staff over a long period of time.

“Providing services to Aboriginal people to improve their health outcomes is all about meeting health needs in a way that is appropriate and accessible for Aboriginal people.

“We have been setting the foundations and implementing the strategies for increasing our skilled Aboriginal workforce for a long time and we are now seeing the positive impact our Aboriginal workforce development plan is having on the way community accesses our services.

“Similarly, Maari Ma’s Chronic Disease Strategy has been in place since 2005.

“It’s a whole of life course approach to chronic disease which begins with our Healthy Start Program and goes through to our Keeping Well Program.

“The Outback Vascular Health Service (OVHS) is a key feature of the Keeping Well program.

“We understand the difference that effective health care can make towards Closing the Gap.

“Investment in our workforce and investment in sound health programs will help maximise our ability to produce more sustainable health outcomes for our communities to bring about a reduction in early mortality.

“We are encouraged and very pleased to have recognition of this investment at a state level” Mr Davis said.