Trusted relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations within the broader healthcare system are critical to improving cancer outcomes and experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This requires greater opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, and other health and related services to participate and collaborate in the improvement of, access to, and quality of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer care. Collaborative partnerships are an important basis for all culturally safe, trauma-aware, healing-informed approaches to cancer prevention, cancer screening, treatment, care, and support, as well as research.

This action is focused on partnerships across the cancer care continuum, specifically between the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professional bodies, other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led organisations, communities, government, and other organisations.

This 2-year action may include:

• identifying and establishing critical collaborative partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to ensure community perspectives inform implementation and monitoring progress of the Plan
• extending assertive community outreach to promote awareness of cancer prevention, screening, and treatment through culturally safe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led engagements with individuals and communities (e.g., yarning circles)
• ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation across all levels of service design and/or decision making related to cancer prevention, care delivery, and standards for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer including their carers and families
• ensuring health promotion, cancer prevention, and health workforce training is delivered in a culturally safe, trauma-aware, healing-informed way and is led through community partnerships
• promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-led research to better understand community perspectives on cancer, identify strengths and challenges, and determine how best to tailor cancer care services to address this
• further integrating cancer care with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services.

Developing new collaborative partnerships, and strengthening existing partnerships, between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and health services across the cancer care continuum is critical to building trusted relationships and will greatly improve cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Increasing consumer engagement with services may improve access to support services for consumers, families and carers and develop a more proactive approach to patient care.

Improving collaborative partnerships will also aid follow-up services and provision of holistic care that is culturally safe, promote more timely communication exchange between health professionals and consumers, and build continuity of care for consumers.

Implementation of this action should also align to the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2021–2031[107] and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan 2021–2031.[133]