Vision 2020 Australia provided feedback to Health Policy Analysis (HPA) for the Evaluation of the Outreach Eyecare Programs conducted for the Australian Government Department of Health.
Our members recognize the key role that outreach programs play in supporting access to health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples nationwide, and for achieving our shared goal of ending avoidable blindness by 2025
A review of eye health outreach program guidelines was a key recommendation of the Strong Eyes, Strong Communities: a five year plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health and vision to address the practical barriers and increase the effectiveness of those programs.
As a background to this document, Vision 2020 Australia also provided feedback to the Australian Government Department of Health on the Revised Outreach Service Delivery Standards and Reporting Template in August 2020.
The submission, endorsed by the Strong Eyes, Strong Communities Implementation Working Group, references:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and self-determination
- Indigenous Data Sovereignty
- Transparency in Needs Assessment, Decision Making and Governance Processes; and
- Leveraging the current Outreach Programs Evaluation to undertake a broader strategic planning process for the future of outreach programs.