An exploratory qualitative study of inter-agency health and social service partnerships focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
Abstract Background The siloed nature of the health and social service system threatens access for clients engaging numerous organisations. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face adverse circumstances which contribute to multiple health and social needs. Effective relationships betwe...
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2024-12-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11656-y |
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| author | Anna P. Dawson Eugene Warrior Odette Pearson Mark Boyd Judith Dwyer Kim Morey Tina Brodie Kurt Towers Sonia Waters Cynthia Avila Courtney Hammond Katherine Lake Uncle Frank Lampard Uncle Frank Wanganeen Olive Bennell Darrien Bromley Toni Shearing Nathan Rigney Schania Czygan Nikki Clinch Andrea Pitson Alex Brown Natasha J. Howard |
| author_facet | Anna P. Dawson Eugene Warrior Odette Pearson Mark Boyd Judith Dwyer Kim Morey Tina Brodie Kurt Towers Sonia Waters Cynthia Avila Courtney Hammond Katherine Lake Uncle Frank Lampard Uncle Frank Wanganeen Olive Bennell Darrien Bromley Toni Shearing Nathan Rigney Schania Czygan Nikki Clinch Andrea Pitson Alex Brown Natasha J. Howard |
| author_sort | Anna P. Dawson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The siloed nature of the health and social service system threatens access for clients engaging numerous organisations. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face adverse circumstances which contribute to multiple health and social needs. Effective relationships between health and social services are integral to coordinated service provision to meet the diverse needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Place-specific insights into inter-agency relationships are needed to inform targeted strategies that bolster service coordination to benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Methods This study sought to understand experiences of inter-agency partnerships among health and social service providers on Kaurna Country in northern Adelaide using semi-structured interviews and yarning circles to explore partnership actions, outcomes, enablers, challenges, and identify strategies to strengthen partnerships. Fifty-nine service providers (78% female, 62% Aboriginal) participated including six from non-government organisations, 17 from Aboriginal community-controlled services and 36 from government organisations. Results A content analysis identified partnership actions such as client advocacy, referrals, sharing information, case management meetings and collaborative tender submissions which were seen to improve client access, navigation and outcomes and strengthen worker connectedness and job satisfaction. Motivated workers, listening to Aboriginal people, shared goals and values, and partnership agreements (e.g., memorandum of understanding, service contracts) were identified enablers of partnerships. Racism and ignorance, lack of networking events, communication breakdown, red tape and administrative barriers, competition between services, short-term funding, high turnover of staff and a focus on key performance indicators rather than community needs were among the challenges. Effective partnerships to benefit Aboriginal communities in northern Adelaide was reported to require aligned intersectoral strategic intentions, reforms to service commissioning processes, sustainable funding, regular network events for management and frontline workforce, Aboriginal practitioner-led service coordination approaches and a network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers across organisations. Conclusions This study identified key leverage points for action on inter-agency partnerships to benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities on Kaurna Country. System drivers such as funded inter-agency networks and reforms to commissioning of services must support organisational- and practitioner-level enablers to strengthen partnerships between health and social services across northern Adelaide. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2684c8afde324eac960db94c8c5d2145 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-2684c8afde324eac960db94c8c5d21452025-08-20T02:32:26ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632024-12-0124111710.1186/s12913-024-11656-yAn exploratory qualitative study of inter-agency health and social service partnerships focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clientsAnna P. Dawson0Eugene Warrior1Odette Pearson2Mark Boyd3Judith Dwyer4Kim Morey5Tina Brodie6Kurt Towers7Sonia Waters8Cynthia Avila9Courtney Hammond10Katherine Lake11Uncle Frank Lampard12Uncle Frank Wanganeen13Olive Bennell14Darrien Bromley15Toni Shearing16Nathan Rigney17Schania Czygan18Nikki Clinch19Andrea Pitson20Alex Brown21Natasha J. Howard22Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Kaurna CountryWardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Kaurna CountryWardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Kaurna CountryAdelaide Medical School, The University of AdelaideCollege of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders UniversityWardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Kaurna CountryWardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Kaurna CountryWatto Purrunna Aboriginal Health Services, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Kaurna CountryAboriginal Services, AnglicareSA, Kaurna CountrySonder, Kaurna CountryWardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Kaurna CountryWardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Kaurna CountryWatto Purrunna Aboriginal Health Services, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Kaurna CountryKaurna Elder and Aboriginal Community Representative, Kaurna CountryNunga Mi:Minar Inc, Kaurna CountryInCompro Inc, Kaurna CountryWatto Purrunna Aboriginal Health Services, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Kaurna CountryAboriginal Health Promotion, Wellbeing SA, Kaurna CountrySonder, Kaurna CountrySouth Australian Department for Corrections, Kaurna CountrySouth Australian Department for Education, Kaurna CountryTelethon Kids Institute, Kaurna CountryWardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Research Institute, Kaurna CountryAbstract Background The siloed nature of the health and social service system threatens access for clients engaging numerous organisations. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face adverse circumstances which contribute to multiple health and social needs. Effective relationships between health and social services are integral to coordinated service provision to meet the diverse needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Place-specific insights into inter-agency relationships are needed to inform targeted strategies that bolster service coordination to benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Methods This study sought to understand experiences of inter-agency partnerships among health and social service providers on Kaurna Country in northern Adelaide using semi-structured interviews and yarning circles to explore partnership actions, outcomes, enablers, challenges, and identify strategies to strengthen partnerships. Fifty-nine service providers (78% female, 62% Aboriginal) participated including six from non-government organisations, 17 from Aboriginal community-controlled services and 36 from government organisations. Results A content analysis identified partnership actions such as client advocacy, referrals, sharing information, case management meetings and collaborative tender submissions which were seen to improve client access, navigation and outcomes and strengthen worker connectedness and job satisfaction. Motivated workers, listening to Aboriginal people, shared goals and values, and partnership agreements (e.g., memorandum of understanding, service contracts) were identified enablers of partnerships. Racism and ignorance, lack of networking events, communication breakdown, red tape and administrative barriers, competition between services, short-term funding, high turnover of staff and a focus on key performance indicators rather than community needs were among the challenges. Effective partnerships to benefit Aboriginal communities in northern Adelaide was reported to require aligned intersectoral strategic intentions, reforms to service commissioning processes, sustainable funding, regular network events for management and frontline workforce, Aboriginal practitioner-led service coordination approaches and a network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers across organisations. Conclusions This study identified key leverage points for action on inter-agency partnerships to benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities on Kaurna Country. System drivers such as funded inter-agency networks and reforms to commissioning of services must support organisational- and practitioner-level enablers to strengthen partnerships between health and social services across northern Adelaide.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11656-yAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoplesInter-agency partnershipsHealth servicesSocial servicesQualitative research |
| spellingShingle | Anna P. Dawson Eugene Warrior Odette Pearson Mark Boyd Judith Dwyer Kim Morey Tina Brodie Kurt Towers Sonia Waters Cynthia Avila Courtney Hammond Katherine Lake Uncle Frank Lampard Uncle Frank Wanganeen Olive Bennell Darrien Bromley Toni Shearing Nathan Rigney Schania Czygan Nikki Clinch Andrea Pitson Alex Brown Natasha J. Howard An exploratory qualitative study of inter-agency health and social service partnerships focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients BMC Health Services Research Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Inter-agency partnerships Health services Social services Qualitative research |
| title | An exploratory qualitative study of inter-agency health and social service partnerships focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients |
| title_full | An exploratory qualitative study of inter-agency health and social service partnerships focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients |
| title_fullStr | An exploratory qualitative study of inter-agency health and social service partnerships focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients |
| title_full_unstemmed | An exploratory qualitative study of inter-agency health and social service partnerships focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients |
| title_short | An exploratory qualitative study of inter-agency health and social service partnerships focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients |
| title_sort | exploratory qualitative study of inter agency health and social service partnerships focused on aboriginal and torres strait islander clients |
| topic | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Inter-agency partnerships Health services Social services Qualitative research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11656-y |
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