Table 1.
Key policy and resourcing developments for CQI initiatives including ABCD 2005–2015
| National initiatives that supported CQI across multiple jurisdictions | |
| 2002–2006 | Continuous Improvement Projects |
| 2005–ongoing | Australian Primary Care Collaborative |
| 2005–ongoing | Healthy for Life programme—while not specifically a CQI programme, it did have a CQI component |
| 2010–2016 | One21seventy—National Centre for Quality Improvement in Indigenous Primary Healthcare |
| State and Territory programmes | |
| Northern Territory | |
| 2002–2005 | Government and ACCHO sectors supported CQI research through the original ABCD project |
| 2005–2009 | … and the ABCD Extension Project |
| 2009 | NT CQI Strategy endorsed by the Aboriginal Health Forum |
| 2012 | Wide-scale employment of CQI coordinators and facilitators to support PHC services across the NT |
| 2013 | External evaluation of the NT CQI investment |
| Queensland | |
| 2005–2006 | Review commissioned to identify best options for improving Indigenous health identifies CQI as a priority |
| 2007 | Development and implementation of CQI programme endorsed at senior government level |
| 2008 | Employment of CQI coordinators and facilitators to support PHC services across QLD |
| 2008 | North QLD Steering Committee established with key stakeholders, including Royal Flying Doctor Service, Apunipima Cape York Health Council and QLD Health |
| 2010 | … further major investment in CQI support—including contract with One21seventy to provide CQI support to services |
| 2010 | Peak community-controlled organisation implemented ‘collaborative-style’ CQI processes using electronic data extraction |
| 2011 | State-wide CQI Steering Committee established |
| New South Wales | |
| 2006 | NSW Health provided funding to the peak community-controlled organisation AH&MRC to support CQI among NSW ACHHS through building infrastructure, skills and data collection systems and to share models of good practice |
| 2010 | Several NSW Indigenous PHCs commenced use of ABCD CQI tools through contracts with One21seventy on their own initiative |
| 2015 | AH&MRC published CQI Success Stories from 10 ACCHSs |
| Western Australia | |
| 2005–2009 | WA Health provided funds for a CQI project officer to support ABCD programme in WA |
| 2006–2007 | Peak community-controlled organisation, AHCWA, conducted a pilot of the Australian Primary Care Collaborative in several ACCHSs |
| 2012–2015 | AHCWA Research Partnership on CQI |
| 2014 | Holman review recommended implementation of a state-wide CQI programme, with reference to One21seventy |
| 2014–2015 | AHCWA reported actively promoting CQI to all member services |
| South Australia | |
| 2008–2009 | Review of the evidence to support CQI conducted by South Australian health department |
| 2010–2014 | SA Health and Lowitja Institute provided funds for a CQI project officer to support ABCD programme in SA. Quality improvement officer based at peak community-controlled organisation supporting analysis and feedback to community-controlled health services in SA |
| Engagement with ABCD research in each state and territory | |
| Northern Territory | |
| 2002 | ABCD programme originated in 12 health services in the NT, building on prior work on chronic disease, best practice guidelines, clinical information systems in Indigenous PHC |
| 2005 | ABCD extension phase supported development of a CQI hub in Central Australia and Top End |
| 2011–2014 | All NT government health services and many ACCHS participated in the ABCD National Research Partnership, with the NT ABCD project officer supported by funding from NT Health |
| Queensland | |
| 2007–2008 | ABCD extension phase supported development of a CQI hub in QLD |
| 2011–2014 | All QLD Health services and several ACCHS participated in the ABCD National Research Partnership, with QLD ABCD project officer supported by funding from the Lowitja Institute |
| New South Wales | |
| 2005 | Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation in far west NSW commenced with ABCD programme |
| 2011–2014 | Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation participates in the ABCD National Research Partnership |
| Western Australia | |
| 2005 | ABCD extension phase supported development of a CQI hub in WA |
| 2011–2014 | Several ACCHS and WA health services participated in the ABCD National Research Partnership, with WA ABCD project officer supported by funding from the Lowitja Institute |
ABCD, Audit and Best Practice for Chronic Disease; ACCHO, Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Organisation; ACCHS, Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Service; ACHSA, Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia; AH&MRC, Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council; AHCWA, Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia; CQI, continuous quality improvement; NSW, New South Wales; NT, Northern Territory; PHC, primary healthcare; QAIHC, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council; QLD, Queensland; SA, South Australia; WA, Western Australia.