[CARPA] Some thoughts on the future of CARPA

Sun Feb 3 12:32:48 EST 2008

Hi Chris, Fran and others
I am a former RAN and used the (bible) CARPA manuals extensively in my 
practice.
As I did not contribute to CARPA as an organisation in any practical 
sense, I don't feel that I can comment too much on their role into the 
future.
However, the fact that it is an organisation made up of the range of 
health care professionals involved in primary health care in Central 
Australia is unique and important. I feel that it is vital that it 
should continue because of this reason - it may be one of the keys to 
improved health care provision in remote areas.

Donna

On 31/01/2008, at 6:32 AM, Chris Wilson wrote:

> On 23/01/2008, at 3:30 PM, Fran Vaughan wrote:
> G'day Fran and all other carpaites,
>
> Some thoughts on CARPA
>
> How do members see CARPA progressing into the future?
>
> I think new remote area workers especially (and presumably there will 
> be many more of them to address the increasing need) will need the 
> excellent support that CARPA was able to give us when we worked 
> remote. This support came in the form of the manual initally but of as 
> much importance were the conferences which gave substance, experience, 
> allowed dissemination and development of ideas and allowed the all 
> important networking to progress. The manual also developed from the 
> new knowledge gained from this process.
>
> I think the main challenge for CARPA (apart from surviving), is to 
> ensure an effective Aboriginal participation in order to promote a 
> true Primary Health approach. This means engaging further with 
> Indigenous organisations, institutions, communities, consumers and 
> workers in order to fully reflect the needs and wishes of those 
> people.
>
> I strongly advocate a continuation of CARPA but with the obviously 
> necessary salaried person responsible for editing, organising 
> conferences, preparing the journal and maintaining the website. As 
> this most likely would be a public funded organisation this would have 
> to be governed by a board presumably, and it would be crucial that the 
> funding include governance training on a regular basis for those 
> individuals. This will not be cheap but the output would be worth it, 
> it already has earned its keep.
>
> Is there a need for CARPA the organisation to exist apart from 
> producing manuals? 
>
> Definitely. The NZ experience which I was a peripheral part of was 
> disastrous in comparison. They developed a manual, but because it had 
> no input from practitioners, no body of knowledge or experience on 
> which to base itself, it was an irrelevant product. Certainly it was 
> produced in record time but was universally regarded as useless, in 
> complete contrast to CARPA. CARPA used to be a living organism, 
> largely because of the efforts of a very small core of people, usually 
> only one person, who found that commitment unsustainable over a period 
> of time.
>
> Although I have not been closely invovled over the past three years, 
> having been working in NZ, I gather this is still the problem. I 
> firmly believe there needs to be a core group but the efforts of the 
> person doing the bulk of the work needs to be rewarded financially as 
> it has become a considerable commitment, in fact it is a full time 
> position. The various parent groups, CADPHC GPHCCNT CRANA need to 
> lobby for funding for a full time project officer to drive membership, 
> conferences, the journal and website in order to breathe new life into 
> the organisation.
>
>  How best to involve membership if it is to continue?
>
> A formalised organisation with a board and all the usual 
> responsibilities to share the load and a salaried manager to do the 
> hack work. I would argue that such an important organisation should 
> have the funding to renumerate the board especially those positions 
> with responsibilities, and to fund governance education programs for 
> the board members. CARPA always has been its members, they have been 
> its life blood
>
> Do the conferences provide a valuable forum for remote practitioners?
>
> Very much for me in the years I spent as a remote practitioner. They 
> were invaluable in assisting my development as a remote health 
> practitioner. The journal followed up on the conferences and both led 
> into the developing manual. The conferences were often organised 
> around other activities, physicians meetings, nurses study days etc 
> and with good marketing were well attended. There is a need to get 
> more Aboriginal input and involvement and this will be a hallmark of 
> the organisation's success or otherwise.
>
> Can other organisations take over this role?
>
> Perhaps, but the unique quality of CARPA is its multidisciplinary and 
> informal approach. I am not sure if this can be captured in a formal 
> organisation and this debate has been had before. There are others 
> more familiar with these topics and more able to speak to them. I feel 
> strongly though that should CARPA be taken over by any other of the 
> organisations present in Central Australia that it will lose these 
> qualities and tend to become a manual more for that particular 
> discipline.
>
> So yes I very much favour the continuation of CARPA, I think it has 
> done invaluable work and has the potential to continue to do so. The 
> work done by a very few people, Sabina in particular, Fran more 
> lately, was voluntary and this commitment is increasingly difficult to 
> realistically uphold give the fact that these people all held full 
> time jobs. The work needs to be renumerated as does the work of other 
> key people in the organisation, as well as the crucial governance 
> training for those with the considerable responsibility of being board 
> members. Given the increasing importance of remote health to Australia 
> the investment will be well justified.
>
> A Primary Health Care philosophy also demands more consumer 
> involvement and CARPA needs to take this on and engage more with 
> Indigenous clients, communities  and workers, mining companies, 
> tourist ventures and there is a huge scope for international 
> consultations and operations as well as seafaring/marine consultancy.
>
> Just thinking with the big picture in mind.
>
> Cheers and best wishes,
>
> Chris Wilson, Midwife, ex RAN currently on work experience for an 
> active retirement
>
> 375 Abels Bay Road
> Abels Bay Tasmania 7112
> Ph: +61 3 62978338, mobile 0488978338
> ccccoco at bigpond.com
> skype: christoson
>
>
>
>  
> On 23/01/2008, at 3:30 PM, Fran Vaughan wrote:
> Please see attached for notice of a planning meeting to discuss the 
> future direction of CARPA. I hope as many people as possible can come 
> but if you can't, perhaps this forum is a good place to discuss some 
> of the issues and the discussion can be tabled at the meeting. 
>
> Fran  
>
> <Planning day flyer 
> Feb08.doc>_______________________________________________
> CARPA mailing list
> CARPA at ozdocit.org
> http://ozdocit.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/carpa
>
>> Please see attached for notice of a planning meeting to discuss the 
>> future direction of CARPA. I hope as many people as possible can come 
>> but if you can't, perhaps this forum is a good place to discuss some 
>> of the issues and the discussion can be tabled at the meeting. 
>>
>> Fran  
>>
>> <Planning day flyer 
>> Feb08.doc>_______________________________________________
>> CARPA mailing list
>> CARPA at ozdocit.org
>> http://ozdocit.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/carpa
> _______________________________________________
> CARPA mailing list
> CARPA at ozdocit.org
> http://ozdocit.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/carpa
>
Donna Simmonds
16 Victoria Terrace
Annerley Q 4103
07 3391 0971
0401 943 924
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