EARBUS PROGRAM
1285. Hon ALISON XAMON to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to question without notice
1128 of 20 October about the Earbus program.
(1) Is an independent evaluation
being undertaken?
(2) If yes —
(a) who is undertaking the evaluation;
(b) how did the government determine
who will undertake the evaluation;
(c) when did the evaluation commence,
or is it anticipated that the evaluation will commence;
(d) when is it anticipated the
evaluation will be completed;
(e) who will be consulted; and
(f) what are the terms of reference
or aims of the evaluation?
Hon
ALANNA CLOHESY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) (a) It is Nous Group.
(b) Nous Group
was identified as an appropriate consultancy group as it had facilitated an
Earbus workshop in the Kimberley in February 2019 and was therefore very
familiar with the program and stakeholders.
(c) The evaluation process commenced
October 2020.
(d) The
evaluation is anticipated to be completed by the end of January 2021.
(e) The
consultation list includes: Earbus Foundation of WA; Ord Valley Aboriginal
Health Service; Yura Yungi Medical Service; Kimberley Aboriginal Medical
Services; WA Country Health Service; Rural Health West; Halls Creek District
High School; Warlawurru Catholic School, Red Hill, Halls Creek; Kununurra
District High School; St Joseph's School, Wyndham and Kununurra;
Department of Education, WA School of the Deaf; Nindilingarri Cultural Health
Service; and Boab Health.
(f) The
evaluation aims to determine whether the Earbus program objectives and
achievements delivered the desired outcomes and to identify any challenges
experienced.