• PM urged to address mob’s low vax rates
• Yarning about sexual health webinar
• Pharmacist training course input sought
• Camps for Yolngu youth
• Preventive Health Conference scholarships
• Working with us, not for us
• Health + Wellbeing Equality Index
• New process for job advertising

The image in the feature tile is from The Australian Medical Journal.

PM urged to address mob’s low vax rates

Indigenous leaders and health professionals have written to PM Scott Morrison seeking an urgent meeting about low COVID-19 vaccination rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. More than 20 leaders, including Professor Peter Yu from The Australian National University (ANU), have signed the letter, which outlines the “gravest concerns” at continuing low levels of COVID-19 vaccination in Indigenous Australian communities.

The letter comes as a number of states, including NSW and Victoria, have eased COVID-19 related restrictions. Currently more than 75% of the overall Australian population aged 16 and older is fully vaccinated. In contrast, 46% of Indigenous Australians have had two COVID-19 vaccine shots.

To view the ANU media release in full click here.

Yarning about sexual health webinar

The Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) is inviting you to join the ‘Yarning about sexual health through the 715’ webinar rom 10:00 AM-11:00 AM, Tuesday 2 November 2021. This webinar will offer culturally appropriate presentations by two clinicians who are well versed within the field of sexual health and who are dedicated to assisting our mob close the Gap in the high prevalence rates in STIs and BBVs.

The webinar is recommend for Aboriginal Health Workers and Aboriginal Health Practitioners within the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service sector, as it is aimed at assisting and providing education for them. Other clinicians are also welcome to join.

The webinar will consist of brief statistics, bringing up conversation around sexual health testing through the annual health check-up, or as some may know it, the 715. It will also be addressing how to assist clients and support them if they have a complicated STI and/or BBV and referral pathways for them. The AH&MRC hope to see you there as it will be very informative and an opportunity to ask questions!

For more information about the webinar and to register click here.

Pharmacist training course input sought

NACCHO and The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) are co-designing a training course for pharmacists to build their knowledge and skills for working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service settings.

We are seeking input from AHS staff, pharmacists and clinicians on what should be included in the course through this online survey (it should take under 10 minutes to complete).

Alternatively you can contact NACCHO project officer Fran Vaughan on 0417 826 617 or by email here or Hannah Loller, PSA on 0438 783 432 or by email here.

Camps for Yolngu youth

The East Arnhem Regional Council will run a series of camps over two years for young Yolngu people to deepen their connection with their culture, backed by $150,000 from the Aboriginals Benefit Account (ABA). These camps will see Yolngu youth immerse themselves in their culture, engage with their Elders, develop their leadership skills and participate in positive social activities. Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP, said that being connected with land and culture is vital for young Indigenous Australians.

“Culture is core to a person’s identity and how they relate to the world,” Minister Wyatt said. “We know that when young Indigenous Australians have strong bonds with their culture, they are more likely to thrive and less likely to suffer from social, emotional and mental health issues – that’s why we’re helping support more ways they can participate in cultural practices.”

To view Minister Wyatt’s media release in full click here.

Preventive Health Conference scholarships

The PHAA Oral Health Special Interest Group (PHAA Oral Health SIG) is offering student scholarships (the Award) to members who have contributed to the advancement of dental public health at national, state or community levels, have submitted an abstract to the Preventive Health Conference 2022, which has been accepted for presentation subject to peer-review.

The Award can be used to cover the registration costs (in-part or in-full) for student towards the virtual or in-person attendance at the Preventive Health Conference 2022 in Brisbane, QLD. Limited number of scholarships are on offer. Recipients of the Award must acknowledge the PHAA Oral Health SIG in any publications and presentations relevant to the abstract acceptance.

For more information click here.

Working with us, not for us

Bond University academics, Kelly Menzel, Assistant Professor, First Nations Health and Richard Matthews, Associate Professor of Medical Ethics have written an article about the need to work with, rather than for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

As a First Nations Australian academic, Kelly is often approached to give guest lectures. She aims to accept these invitations as she believes acts of reciprocity and relationality are essential building blocks for reconciliation.

Unfortunately, on many occasions, her knowledge is appropriated, reproduced without permission, frequently misconstrued, or misrepresented and colonised in some way. This all happens under the guise of a non-Indigenous person having “good intentions”. In addition, Kelly is frequently micromanaged regarding her Indigenous knowledges. Good intentions are not enough. What settlers need to understand are the principles of proper allyship.

This requires not acting on behalf of someone, but ceding space and decisional authority to others, and privileging the voices and experiences of First Nations Peoples and communities. First Nations communities must get to decide on all matters related to themselves and their knowledges. Allies need to understand this is not negotiable.

To the article in full click here.

Health + Wellbeing Equality Index

Pride in Health + Wellbeing run a free national annual index (Health + Wellbeing Equality Index) that is open to every organisation, including non-members, to measure their LGBTQ inclusive service delivery.

This benchmarking index has been designed based on international best practice standards for LGBTQ inclusive care and can assist service providers to baseline their current LGBTQ inclusion work, benchmark across the sector and identify gaps and areas for improvement as well as year-on-year growth. Individualised reports are sent to participating services and participation can be anonymous.

The HWEI also has optional staff and service user surveys. These allow services to not only measure what they are doing organisationally but see how well staff are responding to the o and their understanding and comfort levels in providing LGBTQ inclusion. It also then matches your inclusion work to service user experience, to see if the inclusion initiatives are improving the quality of care being received.

More information can be found on the pride in health + wellbeing website here.

New process for job advertising

NACCHO have introduced a new system for the advertising of job adverts via the NACCHO website and you can find the sector job listings here.

Click here to go to the NACCHO website where you can complete a form with job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.