Services and support

Continuous quality improvement

Supporting services to use data, teamwork and reflection to keep doing better for the community.

AMSANT’s continuous quality improvement (CQI) program supports primary health care services across the Northern Territory to continually strengthen the way care is delivered for Aboriginal people.

What we do

The CQI team helps primary health care services turn data and local knowledge into action.

We work with services to:

plan and run CQI activities that align with the Northern Territory CQI strategy and local priorities
strengthen clinical systems, care pathways and recall processes
support teams to reflect on how care is delivered and identify where improvements can be made.

Our approach is grounded in the principles of community control, cultural safety and practical, on-the-ground support.

Why this program matters

Continuous quality improvement makes sure that ‘good intentions’ translate into better care and better outcomes.

CQI helps services to:

regularly ask, ‘How are we going?’ and act on the answers
use data and community feedback to guide decisions
build strong, reliable systems so people receive consistent, culturally safe care.

This work supports ACCHSs and other services to close health gaps, strengthen community control and make the best use of limited resources.

Our focus areas

CQI planning and facilitation—supporting services to design and implement CQI plans that reflect local goals and the Northern Territory CQI strategy.
Systems assessment tool (SAT) workshops—facilitating team workshops to assess systems, celebrate strengths and identify areas for improvement.
Data and KPI support—helping services extract, interpret and use NT AHKPIs, national KPIs and local data for CQI and reporting.
CQI training and workshops—building skills in CQI tools, problem-solving and using data in day-to-day practice.
Regional CQI networks—bringing services together through forums and communities of practice to share learning and troubleshoot common challenges.
NT CQI collaborative—coordinating an annual Northern Territory-wide gathering where services present CQI projects, share tools and celebrate achievements.

How we support member services

We work alongside member services and other health services to:

facilitate on-site SAT and CQI planning workshops with multi-disciplinary teams
provide one-on-one coaching for CQI leads, managers and clinical champions
assist with data extraction, analysis and simple visualisation of key indicators
co-design CQI projects focused on local priorities such as chronic disease, child health or preventive care
deliver CQI training sessions in person and online for clinical and non-clinical staff
connect services with CQI tools, templates and eLearning resources.

Who we work with

The CQI program works with:

AMSANT member services and other ACCHSs across the NT
NT Government primary health care services participating in the Northern Territory CQI strategy
Aboriginal health practitioners, nurses, doctors, allied health staff and clinic managers
CQI facilitators based in services and regions across the Northern Territory
community leaders, elders and directors where local input is needed to shape CQI priorities
partner organisations and training providers involved in CQI and workforce development.

Our impact

Through the CQI program, services are better supported to:

plan, implement and review local improvement projects
improve performance against key indicators over time
embed CQI as a normal part of everyday work, rather than a one-off project.

Over time, this leads to stronger systems of care, improved client experiences and better health outcomes for Aboriginal people across the Northern Territory.

Current projects & initiatives

Northern Territory CQI strategy implementation

ongoing support for ACCHSs and NT Government services to embed CQI frameworks and priorities in everyday practice.

NT CQI collaborative

an annual gathering of CQI champions from across the Northern Territory to share projects, tools and successes.

CQI eLearning module

an online introduction to CQI principles, data use and Northern Territory CQI supports.

Regional CQI forums

regular regional meetings and communities of practice focused on local CQI priorities and shared challenges.