Aboriginal Health Workers and Aboriginal Health Practitioners play a vital role in helping Mob live healthier, stronger lives. Their cultural knowledge, story and lived experience help Aboriginal people feel safe, understood and supported while navigating the health system.
Through culturally grounded care, education, advocacy and clinical services, they help strengthen connections between community, culture and health.
Additionally, Aboriginal Health Practitioners receive appropriate training and development to deliver cultural and clinical care.
Aboriginal Health Practitioners provide a vital role in connecting Aboriginal people to culturally safe clinical care. To celebrate the National Day of Recognition for Aboriginal Health Workers and Aboriginal Health Practitioners, we shared the following video about the crucial role they perform.
The Decision Making Framework for Aboriginal Health Practitioners supports the understanding of clinical scope of practice and safe practice considerations through supervision.
The Aboriginal Health Worker Guidelines are currently being reviewed. Until such time that this is complete, or for further advice, please contact the Aboriginal Workforce team at MOH-AboriginalWorkforce@health.nsw.gov.au.
Aboriginal Workforce in NSW Health: The overarching term that refers to all Aboriginal staff, irrespective of their role, working within NSW Health.
Aboriginal Health Worker Workforce: The umbrella term for Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs) and Aboriginal Health Practitioners (AHPs).
NSW Health is leading an Aboriginal Health Practitioner immuniser project to support more authorised Aboriginal Health Practitioners to provide influenza vaccinations in NSW Health settings. This is part of an initiative to enhance integration of the role within multidisciplinary teams and grow the profession as a priority.
In January 2026 the NSW Health Chief Health Officer authorised Aboriginal Health Practitioner’s to supply vaccines. View the NSW Aboriginal Health Practitioners Vaccination Standards to learn more.
The AHP Immuniser program provide supports for AHPs to be able to immunise patients in NSW Health Settings. If you are an AHP who would like to include vaccinations in your scope of practice fill out the EOI form and send to MOH-AboriginalHealthWorkersandPractitionersWorkforce@health.nsw.gov.au.
Aboriginal Health Worker activities can include cultural navigation, social and emotional wellbeing support, patient advocacy, health promotion, and case coordination.
Aboriginal Health Practitioners can provide the cultural lens in conjunction with clinical activities. Clinical activities may include supporting discharge planning, clinical procedures, assessments and observations , pre-admission assessments and implementation care according to patient plans and protocols.
The above diagram represents the implementation of the Aboriginal Health Practitioner workforce into the multi-disciplinary team as its own defined clinical profession. Integration of Aboriginal Health Practitioners into the clinical multi-disciplinary team will strengthen the delivery of culturally safe clinical care to Aboriginal clients.
Healthy Deadly Feet is an exemplar project on how Aboriginal Health Practitioners and/or Aboriginal Health Workers and/or Allied Health Assistants can be incorporated into a multi-disciplinary team. For more information, visit Healthy Deadly Feet.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia (ATSIHPBA) have developed the following Fact Sheet: Guidance for nurses and midwives working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Practitioners
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