Adelaide PHN's Access and Equity Framework

Adelaide PHN has developed its Access and Equity Framework as a roadmap to improve health outcomes for all members of our community, focusing on the most vulnerable and underserved communities.

The framework outlines how Adelaide PHN is targeting efforts to drive health equity and access and articulates how we will embed equity into our decision-making and commissioning processes.

It was developed through collaboration and consultations with a diverse range of stakeholders, including our Board, Clinical Council, Community Councils, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Council, and key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural community bodies.

Our approach was also enriched by collaborations with subject matter experts, including the Centre for Inclusive Design, Strategic Momentum Group, and Northwest Melbourne PHN, who have developed and are implementing an Access and Equity Framework 2021-2024.

Health Equity and Health Equality

It is important to recognise that health equity is not the same as health equality.

Equality refers to each individual or group of people being given the same resources or opportunities. Equity recognises that not all individuals or groups have the same needs and therefore require access to different resources and opportunities to fully realise their best health and wellbeing.

Health equity is about ensuring everyone has the opportunity to reach their full health potential, regardless of their social, economic or other circumstances. 

Adelaide PHN’s Access and Equity Framework presents guiding principles of achieving access and equity:

• Embedding place-based thinking
• Co-creating solutions
• Nurturing authentic partnerships
• Addressing broader social determinants of health
• Removing barriers to health equity
• Driving quality improvement

Five key action areas have been identified to transform our vision of health equity into reality:

• Leadership commitment
• Authentic community engagement across the commissioning cycle and partnerships
• Embedding an equity lens into our work
• Building capacity and skills
• Utilising quality data and evidence 

Adelaide PHN Access and Equity Framework