Central West Hospital and Health Service formally launched its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce and Community Health Plan 2025-2028 in Barcaldine on Wednesday 28 October.
The plan was initially previewed during NAIDOC Week but has now been officially launched to community and stakeholder representatives.
Central West Health Executive Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Tess Symes said the plan had been co-designed with local communities through extensive consultation and engagement.
This included hosting a series of community painting days earlier in the year, with some of the paintings used to illustrate the Workforce and Community Health Plan, she said.
Some of the priorities highlighted in the plan include:
- strengthening the Central West Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce
- eliminating racism and building culturally safe and responsive healthcare services
- increasing access to safe, quality, integrated and sustainable healthcare services.
Ms Symes said the health service’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Team intended to undertake a road show across the region to showcase the plan and the community developed artworks.
Central West Health Chief Executive Anthony West said more than 12 months of extensive and reflective community consultation had gone into developing the plan.
“It is our communities’ voices, their experiences, and their feedback that has shaped this document that is so essential to how we provide culturally safe and equitable health services," he said.
“From a health service perspective, it’s been a team effort, and I’d particularly like to acknowledge our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Team for leading us on this journey.
“The dedication and efforts of this small but powerful group have been wholly supported by our executive leadership team behind the scenes and in person for many community yarning sessions.
“Together with our communities, our Queensland Health support network and our health partners, such as Royal Flying Doctor Service, Western Queensland Primary Health Network, and the Central West Aboriginal Corporation, we will achieve the targets set out in this plan.
“This plan is our promise to listen deeply, act boldly, and build a health system where every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person can thrive today, tomorrow, and long beyond this strategy."
Ms Symes said Central West Health had been working with Queensland Health’s First Nations Health Office since December 2025 to develop the Workforce and Community Health Plan.
The workforce plan is part of the health service’s ongoing Health Equity Strategy, launched in November 2022.
Ms Symes said the health service was strongly committed to improving services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents and to delivering them in culturally appropriate ways.
“Our Workforce and Community Health Plan will build on the work already done over the past couple of years to improve representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within our workforce,’’ she said.
“About 8 per cent of our residents in the Central West, identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders.
“Currently, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation throughout our workforce is about 5.69 per cent and we are aiming to achieve 7 per cent.
“Our new workforce plan will provide a blueprint to help us work towards our target."
You can read the plan on the Central West Health website here.