• Mob more likely to die in car accidents
• Growing diabetes epidemic in remote NT
• Dramatic increase in RHD funding needed
• Sign up to join the LIPPE family
• NT new liquor laws process “shameful”
• Initiative allows vision-impaired kids play footy
• Chance for 2 years of PIHW membership
• New process for job advertising
• Save the Date – National Road Safety Week, HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conferences scholarship deadline extended

Mob more likely to die in car accidents

In a 2021 submission to the Joint Select Committee on Road Safety, the National Aboriginal Community Contorlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are 2.7 times more likely to die, and 1.4 times more likely to suffer serious injury because of a vehicle crash compared to other Australians.

Pat Turner, CEO of NACCHO says, ‘this year’s National Road Safety Week is an important reminder that significant and sustained action must be taken to improve road safety outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The level of fatalities is unacceptable for our people. It is also unacceptable across the board for all Australians.’

In a 2021 policy submission, NACCHO outlines key recommendations for improving road safety outcomes for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community including, the need to fund Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) and other community-controlled organisations to develop and deliver targeted road safety campaigns to their local communities, and to provide post-accident and trauma care, including training, medicines, and equipment.

Other recommendations include, subsidising public transport options for regional and remote communities to reduce the need for people to drive when it is unsafe to do so; developing and implementing road safety programs, including those that target prevention and early intervention; and, ensuring that any road enforcement policies do not disproportionately impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

‘These recommendations must be addressed in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations and local communities and made widely accessible,’ Pat Turner stated.

Donnella Mills, Chair of NACCHO further commented, ‘government must take immediate action to improve road safety outcomes and reduce fatalities and injuries for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in alignment with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and the four Priority Reforms. These responses must be holistic and consider the social determinants of health.’

The policy submission can be accessed on the NACCHO website here and this media release here.

Growing diabetes epidemic in remote NT

A new paper published this week shows rates of diabetes among Aboriginal people in remote NT communities are some of the highest in the world and getting worse—with the condition affecting more people, year after year. The research shows the prevalence of diabetes is currently 17% (of which 99% is classified as type 2 diabetes)—up from 14.4% recorded in 2012. When focusing on the adult population, the findings show a massive 29% of Aboriginal people in remote NT communities have diabetes, with the burden highest in the Central Australia region, where a staggering 40% of adults now have the condition. Diabetes is a leading contributor to kidney disease, heart disease, strokes, impaired vision and amputations due to infections.

The study analyses seven-years’ worth of health data relating to over 21,000 Aboriginal people from 51 remote communities across the NT. It was published in the online open access journal BMJ Open. Lead author Endocrinologist Dr. Matthew Hare said the burden of type 2 diabetes among Aboriginal people in remote communities of the NT is among the highest reported of any population globally, and there is an urgent need to introduce preventative strategies to address the crisis. “Type 2 diabetes is not due to ‘lifestyle choices.’ This epidemic is strongly related to the impacts of colonisation and the ongoing social and economic disadvantage experienced by many Aboriginal people in the remote NT.” “Holistic prevention strategies need to be developed and implemented in partnership with Aboriginal community members, alongside better resourcing of clinical care for chronic conditionsin remote communities,” Dr. Hare said.

To view the Medical Xpress article Growing diabetes epidemic in remote NT communities by Menzies School of Health Research click here.

Dramatic increase in RHD funding needed

A dramatic increase in funding will be needed to eradicate a disease which stems from poverty in Australia’s Indigenous community, according to a leading paedeatrician. The federal government has committed to ending rheumatic heart disease (RHD) by 2030, but advocates are adamant the goal will not be met unless there’s a major increase in investment and a radical shift in the way overcrowding is tackled in remote communities.

The disease starts with repeated strep A infections which damage the heart over time, leading to serious illness and death. While the disease is no longer an issue in mainstream Australia, it disproportionately impacts Indigenous people, particularly women, in places like the Kimberley, NT and outback Queensland and SA, where overcrowding and poverty are entrenched. Experts warn the current trajectory of new diagnoses means more than 8,000 Indigenous people are expected to develop the disease in the next decade, leading to the deaths of about 600 people.

Commonwealth funding is largely targeted towards treatment, a task made difficult by cultural barriers and logistical challenges. Remote health workers and specialists who research the disease nationally say overcrowding and poverty among Indigenous Australians must be tackled meaningfully if the 2030 goal has any chance of being achieved.

To view the ABC News article Rheumatic heart disease funding needed to help Indigenous communities in full click here.

Sign up to join the LIPPE family

The Leaders in Indigenous Pharmacy Profession Education (LIPPE) Network” is a partnership of the Australian Pharmacy Council, and the Council of Pharmacy Schools Australia and New Zealand. Under the leadership of Indigenous pharmacists, and in collaboration with other individuals and organisations, LIPPE will foster transformational change in the pharmacy workforce beginning with the recruitment and retention of students to the provision of care in practice settings.”

And “Sign up to join the LIPPE family – You will be part of a dynamic and growing community who are committed to making a difference through the work that pharmacists do. You will receive news on our progress, be invited to take part in events, including sharing your knowledge and expertise.”  You can watch a short video below of Wiradjiri woman Associate Professor Faye McMillan AM welcoming you to LIPPE, and find further information on the LIPPE Network website here.

New NT liquor laws process “shameful”

A coalition of peak Aboriginal and community bodies have ramped up their attack on the NT Government over its decision to allow booze to be sold in remote communities again for the first time in 15 years. The NT Government on Tuesday passed amendments to the Liquor Act allowing the sale of takeaway booze into hundreds of alcohol protected areas from mid-July. More than 200 remote communities and homelands will be able to decide for themselves whether they remain dry. About 100 will revert to old restrictions.

Aboriginal health, housing and justice organisations have panned the government’s lack of consultation before implementing the changes, arguing the move risked opening the floodgates to booze in remote communities. And now the Territory’s police union and council of social services have added their voices to the chorus of criticism, urging immediate consultation to avoid a looming booze-fuelled disaster. NT Police Association president Paul McCue said frontline police held “significant” concern about the reforms. “The passing of this legislation goes completely against what the Government claims to be achieving in relation to reducing alcohol-related harm,” he said. “Our already stretched resources will now undoubtedly suffer further strain, not to mention the risk to them, other frontline workers and the wider community as a result of alcohol related harm, “Residents in communities and town camps will now likely be subject to an increase of violence and isolation.”

NT Council of Social Services chief executive Deborah Di Natale said the legislation was rushed and done against the advice of ACCOs. The coalition is calling for a moratorium on takeaway alcohol sales until transparent negotiations have taken place, and for more funding for alcohol harm programs to manage increased needs. Concerns have also been raised about the impact of the policy on already-stretched Aboriginal medical services. AMSANT CEO John Paterson said the legislation’s process was shameful.

To view the National Indigenous Times article A relic of NT Intervention is being lifted, but peak Aboriginal groups are furious in full click here.

Initiative allows vision-impaired kids play football

Blind and vision impaired Aboriginal children from some of Australia’s most disadvantaged and remote communities will be able to participate in the transformational program through the use of audible balls. A new partnership between two of Australia’s most prolific sporting initiatives will provide football opportunities for children with eye and vision problems, currently the most common long-term health conditions experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Chance for 2 years of PIHW membership

Want to be more LGBTQ inclusive in your care?

Through the Coles Grant Scheme, two 2-year Pride in Health + Wellbeing Memberships are available to help smaller organisations provide more LGBTQ inclusive care. These memberships will allow these organisations to not only review and upskill on their care for gender and sexuality diverse patients/service users but also to measure this change through the free annual Health + Wellbeing Equality Index (HWEI) benchmark and surveys.

For further details about the grants and to access an EOI form click here. EOIs close Wednesday 1 June 2022 – so get in QUICK!

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.

National Road Safety Week

Every year, approximately 1,200 people are killed and another 44,000 are seriously injured on Australian roads. Traffic injury is the biggest killer of Australian children under 15 and the second-biggest killer of all Australians aged between 15 and 24. These numbers are growing every year but are preventable if we choose to Drive So Others Survive!.

National Road Safety Week is an annual initiative from the Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) Group, partnering road safety organisations and Government. The week highlights the impact of road trauma and ways to reduce it.

You can access the National Road Safety Week 2022 website here, as well as view a short video below:

HIV&AIDS Sexual Health conference scholarships deadline extended

The deadline for Scholarship applications for HIV Clinicians to attend the Joint Australasian HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conferences 2022, has been EXTENDED to this Sunday 22 May 2022.

HIV Clinician scholarships include:

• Return economy flights to the conference
• Accommodation
• HIV&AIDS Conference registration

View the Scholarships webpage here for more information on eligibility and priority.