Category Eye health

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Contact Colin Cowell
NACCHO Communications and Media
nacchonews@naccho.org.au
Tel 0401331251

Aug 23 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: New Deadly Choices promotional assets launched

feature tile image of Deadly Choices Tobacco Education Program information stand; text 'New suite of Deadly Choices preventative health promotional assets launched today'

The image in the feature tile is of a Deadly Choice Tobacco Education Program information stand from the Deadly Choices section of the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) website.

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

New Deadly Choices promotional assets launched

Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health sector came together in Brisbane today to assist in launching a suite of Deadly Choices preventative health promotional assets, including a series of television advertisements, aimed at limiting the number of community members from across the state taking up vaping and smoking.

Seeking to orchestrate healthier, happier communities right across Queensland, Deadly Choices will shine a light on the endemic global health concerns of vaping among youth, while also targeting the incidence of tobacco smoking among pregnant mothers, plus families living in remote communities, all key directives of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH)’s integrated statewide approach via the Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS)-Deadly Choices partnership.

The major directives of the 2023 Deadly Choices advertising campaigns will be to stress to individuals the importance of making deadly, healthy choices, not only for themselves, but for their families and for their communities as a cultural commitment. “TIS funding allows Deadly Choices to propagate its preventative health messaging around the dangers of tobacco smoking, from Far North Queensland through the Central and South-Western regions of the State, and from the North Coast all the way down to the border areas of the Gold and Tweed Coasts, Stanthorpe and Goondiwindi,” confirmed IUIH Director of Commercial Operations, Dallas Leon.

“Notably, we’ll establish strategic new partnerships with community-controlled health service organisations from Palm Island, Yarrabah, Nhulundu Health in and around the Gladstone region, North Coast, plus Goolburri Health which has an established footprint across the Darling Downs and South-West. “We’ll also strengthen our preventative health practice and messaging in areas of Queensland where Deadly Choices currently delivers health education programs in schools, on behalf of Health and Wellbeing Queensland.

Deadly Choices has previously been acknowledged by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for its efforts in promoting the dangers of smoking among Indigenous communities and has at its disposal an arsenal of health sector service provision experience to enhance protocols against smoking.

You can view IUIH’s media alert ‘Deadly Choices’ Formulates Tobacco Takedown for Qld Communities in full here and find more information about IUIH’s Deadly Choices program here.

Griffith’s award winning eye care model

An ophthalmology project set up at Griffith Base Hospital in NSW to improve access to eyecare services for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people living in the Western Murrumbidgee Local Health District has hit the ground running and with further support can strengthen its delivery of eyecare to the region. When an ophthalmologist and a hospital director floated the idea of establishing a visiting eye health service at Griffith Base Hospital – a six hour drive west of Sydney – little did they know that 24 months later their initiative would be nominated by the hospital staff for a NSW Government Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) Excellence Award.

At a ceremony in Wagga Wagga in June, ‘Saving Sight is our Vision’ was named winner of MLHD’s Keeping People Healthy Award, one of 15 award categories. At the time, MLHD CEO Ms Jill Ludford said it was rewarding to see the number of activities happening across the district with sincere efforts to support First Nations communities, “Improving access to eyecare services through the delivery of high quality, sustainable, affordable, regular and culturally sensitive eye services has been Griffith Ophthalmology’s focus.”

Led by Associate Professor Geoffrey Painter, one of the founders of Gordon Eye Surgery and a director of Foresight Australia, and colleague Dr Dominic McCall, a group of mostly Sydney-based ophthalmologists visit Griffith Base Hospital every four weeks to see and operate on patients from the Western MLHD. In addition, Foresight has sponsored two training courses to upskill employees from the Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service. 

To read the Insight article Griffith Base Hospital’s award-winning eyecare model in full click here.

eye testing training at Griffith AMS - 4 health workers

Foresight Australia has sponsored two training courses to upskill employees from the Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service. Image source: Insight.

NAATSIHWP Professional Development Symposium

The National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP) is holding a professional development symposium at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Kaurna Country over Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 October 2023.

The symposium will consist of two full days of  of workshop-based sessions for full and student NAATSIHWP members to learn about leading-edge clinical and primary health care practices as well as social and emotional wellbeing and culturally based activities.

You can find out more about the symposium, including scholarship opportunities here.

tile: NAATSIHWP professional development symposium 24-25 Oct 2023

2023 Oceanic Palliative Care Conference

The 2023 Oceanic Palliative Care Conference (OPCC) is taking place in Sydney between Wednesday 13 September and Friday 15 September. Close to 80 scholarships have been awarded to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers, palliative care workers, consumers, and carers in Australia and the Oceanic region to attend the conference. The scholarships cover registration costs and travel from as far away as Broome, Katherine, northeast Arnhem Land, PNG and Samoa.

Palliative Care Australia CEO Camilla Rowland said the cost of participating is often a barrier “and our hope is that these scholarships enable important voices to be heard and experiences to be shared. OPCC represents a critical learning and development opportunity, and we want that to influence and grow the care people receive – wherever they are.”

The theme for OPCC 2023 is ‘With the end in mind; shaping stronger health systems, delivering quality palliative care.’

Find more information about the 2023 Oceanic Palliative Care Conference click here.

tile: 2 images: Oceanic Palliative Care Conference 13-15 Sep 2023 logo & image clip board with title 'palliative care' & stethoscope

Sector Jobs

Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.

Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.

Key Date – Brain Injury Awareness Week – 21–27 August 2023

During Brain Injury Awareness Week 2023 NACCHO is sharing information about brain injury, in particular how brain injury impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Brain injury impacts many Indigenous, rural, and remote communities across Australian.

Australia’s Brain Injury Organisation, Synapse, has produced a number of Indigenous factsheets that talk about issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that may result in a brain injury, or be occurring because of one. The factsheets. available here, include all the most relevant and current information about brain injury and outline what supports are available. The topics covered by the factsheets include:

  • Domestic and Family Violence
  • Drug and Alcohol Abuse
  • Mental Health and Suicide
  • Physical Assault
Yarning Circle for ATSI people with traumatic brain injury

A Yarning Circle developed to bridge the gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with traumatic brain injury. Photo: Edith Cowan University. Image source: NITV Radio website.

Aug 15 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Elder Care Support: Community-led pathways to care

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

Elder Care Support: Community-led pathways to care

NACCHO’s Elder Care Support Program will work with the sector to ensure older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as their families, receive the necessary assistance in understanding, navigating, and accessing the aged care services they are entitled to. The program has been made possible by a three-year Commonwealth funded initiative and aims to increase workforce capability and capacity in community-controlled aged care support and empower the sector to coordinate place-based aged care needs.

The Elder Care Support program aims to:

  • Support older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to understand and engage with the aged care system, to receive greater local support.
  • Reduce barriers across the aged care journey to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing aged care services, achieving, or exceeding parity with non-Indigenous people at a while of system program level.
  • Increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people receiving care on Country.
  • Increase clinical and non-clinical employment and career opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in aged care.
  • Increase real time intelligence on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s needs and experience in aged care.

If you want to support Elders in community through connecting them with the care they need, talk to your local ACCHO to join the Elder Care Support team.

Find out more here.

Implementation of the National Lung Cancer Screening Program

Mark your calendars for the National Lung Cancer Screening Program webinar taking place on Thursday 31 August. Joint hosted by NACCHO Deputy CEO, Dr Dawn Casey, the Department of Health and Aged Care, and Cancer Australia, the purpose of the webinar is to provide an update on the planning of the National Lung Cancer Screening Program and discuss opportunities for stakeholder engagement.

In May, Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler announced Government investment of $263.8 million from 2023-24 to implement the program, for commencement by July 2025. The program aims to maximise prevention and early detection of lung cancer.

Webinar details:

Date: Thursday, 31 August 2023

Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm (AEST)

Access link: Click here.

Password: pAPfPEhg384.

*Please allow 5 minutes to join the webinar. Questions can be submitted during the session.

Find more information on the National Lung Cancer Screening Program here.

Image source: Unsplash.

What happens in a sobering up centre?

When someone has a problem with alcohol, the first step is to reduce immediate harm because it can sometimes be a slow process to change longstanding drinking behaviours. Earlier this month the VIC government announced it’s establishing a permanent sobering up centre, following in the footsteps of WA, NT, SA, and QLD. It follows the state’s decriminalisation of public drunkenness, where instead of making an arrest or processing a fine, police will take people to a sobering up centre, if there is one in the area.

Public drunkenness laws disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and homeless people. Sobering up centres are a more effective and less harmful response to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people found intoxicated in public places than a police cell, as it understands alcohol and other drug problems as a health issue.

Sobering up centers are safe places where people who are too intoxicated to look after themselves can go to recover, with health professionals including Aboriginal health workers on site who can provide care if someone is sick or injured. They also provide food, showers, clean clothes, beds, access to help and support, including referrals to withdrawal and rehabilitation services and on-site counselling.

Read the full The Conversation article here.

Image source: Unsplash.

Voice to Parliament resources

The referendum to constitutionally enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament is critically important for health and wellbeing.

Croakey Health Media has compiled a valuable list of articles and resources surrounding the Voice to Parliament:

The Uluru Statement from the Heart

The Uluru Statement from the Heart is an invitation to the Australian people from First Nations Australians. It asks Australians to walk together to build a better future by establishing a First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution, and the establishment of a Makarrata Commission for the purpose of treaty making and truth-telling.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart

Australian Electoral Commission’s Yes/No pamphlet – fact checked by RMIT/ABC

The Yes and No cases for the Voice to Parliament, drafted by parliamentarians from each side of the debate, have been published on the Australian Electoral Commission website and are being mailed out to Australian households. The ABC News article contains fact check’s analysis of claims made in the No campaign and the Yes campaign.

Australian Electoral Commission Factsheet on Disinformation

During the referendum you may come across information that isn’t supported by evidence, is missing context or is even deliberately misleading. To be well informed, be a critical thinker when consuming information and think about whether the information is accurate and truthful.

Australian Electoral Commission Factsheet on Disinformation.

 

Pat Turner on “the most important vote of our collective lifetimes”

The referendum for a constitutionally enshrined Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament is the most important vote of our collective lifetimes, according to NACCHO CEO, Pat Turner.

“I am dismayed at how the debate on the Voice has been hijacked by all sorts of nonsense and misinformation.

“We have a simple truth here. Believe it or not, Aboriginal people know what’s best for Aboriginal people. All we want is a say in our own affairs, not a veto, not an advantage over others. We want a fair go. And a Voice will help us get it,” Ms Turner said.

You can read Ms Turner’s speech The significance of the Voice in Closing the Gap speech in full on NACCHO’s website here.

Read the full list of articles and resources on the Voice to Parliament on the Croakey Health Media website here.

Community-controlled organisations team up for Homelessness Week

Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service came together with other Aboriginal organisations to provide vital services and information for Homelessness Week (Monday 7 August to Sunday 13 August). Staff from the ACCHO provided holistic health checks and vaccinations, attendees were also able to access shower facilities, free haircuts and shaves, and were provided with resources from Kimberley Community Legal Services.

Housing support worker, Paula Clayton said the day allowed those attending to have fun and hopes people can be more understanding of the homeless community.

“It can happen to any of us, it doesn’t matter where you come from, especially in this social and economic situation with housing.

“[It’s] about celebrating our clients and letting them have a fun day to do some activities and see all the services provided,” she said.

Read the full The West Australian article Centacare Kimberley and Aboriginal Family Legal Services host Homelessness Week even in Broome here.

Tegan Kissane and Debbie Ryder. Image by: Katya Minns. Image Source: The West Australian.

AI in Eye Care

The AI in Eye Care (with Indigenous Perspectives) Conference will take place on Yawuru Country (Broome, WA) on Tuesday 24 October and Wednesday 25 October. The aim of the conference is to bring together experts in the field to discuss the advances in AI and its impact on eye care and diagnosis. Intended for ophthalmologists, optometrists, and orthoptists, the event will also include a session open to non-eye care professionals including Aboriginal health workers.

A key focus of the conference will be a workshop, where visiting experts will discuss and examine the principles and ethical implications of AI diagnostic tools in eye care. Topics that will be covered include privacy and patient data, equality of access and results, transparency in the development and application of algorithms.

Read more here.

Image source: Flinders University.

Sector Jobs

Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.

Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.

Jul 19 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Structural reform needed to CTG

feature tile of Aboriginal mother holding baby & young girl interacting with the baby; text 'Structural and systemic change will have a positive effect on trajectory of CTG targets'

The image in the feature tile is from am article More to be done on closing gap for Indigenous wellbeing published in The Canberra Times on 8 March 2023.

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

Structural reform needed to CTG

The Productivity Commission’s third Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation Report shows only four of the 19 targets are on track, while four have deteriorated. “Four targets are getting worse – this is not acceptable. More of the same isn’t good enough, we have to do better. A Voice to Parliament will help to close the Gap, because we know that listening to communities leads to better outcomes that improve people’s lives,” said Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney. Similarly, Coalition of Peaks lead convenor [and NACCHO CEO] Patricia Turner said that “When structural and systemic change is made, there will naturally be a positive effect on the trajectory of the Closing the Gap targets.”

Encouragingly the latest report shows the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25–64 who are employed is improving and on track. There has been a 30% reduction in the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (10–17 years) in detention, while preschool enrolments have improved. Land subject to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s legal rights or interests also remains on track.

However the data shows a slide in the number of children developmentally on track, increased numbers of children in out-of-home care, increased adult incarceration rates and an alarming rise from baseline in suicide. Peak body for Indigenous Children SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle said the gap was becoming a chasm for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. “More and more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are being removed from families and put into out-of-home care. Fewer children are developmentally on track when starting school. Where we are seeing progress it’s encouraging but it’s not happening at the scale required for genuine reform. Australia needs to do things differently if Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are going to have a brighter future.”

To view the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal (ANMJ) article Voice to Parliament the structural reform needed to Closing the Gap in full click here.cover of Australian Government Productivity Commission Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation Report July 2023

WAMS launches Freedom Rides Memorial and website

The Freedom Riders arrived in Walgett on 15 February 1965. They protested outside the Walgett RSL Club because they had been told the club was refusing to admit Indigenous ex-servicemen. After their protest their bus was run off the road by a car driven by an unidentified person. This event led to Walgett, the Freedom Riders and the plight of Indigenous Australians in rural NSW getting national and international media attention. Little of the history of the Freedom Rides however was publicly recorded or known from the perspective of local Aboriginal people from Walgett, who both themselves and their ancestors took part in this significant event in history.

On Monday this week (17 July 2023) the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service (WAMS) launched the Freedom Ride Memorial Park and Freedom Rides to Walgett website. The Remembering the Freedom Ride to Walgett project was initiated by WAMS Chairperson Mary Purse, the daughter of the late Harry Hall who was a primary leader, along with the late Charles Perkins (AO). The project includes history and archival research to tell the story of the Freedom Rides and its surrounding events from the perspective of the local Gamilaraay and Yuwaalaraay people. It is being led by Mary Purse, assisted by Christine Corby OAM, the CEO of WAMS. WAMS has been collaborating on this project with a historian from Nura Gili, University of NSW to research the history through participation of local community members and their families who took part in these events.

The project began with WAMS securing state government funding to develop an artwork to commemorate the Freedom Ride to Walgett to be displayed in a park in Walgett.  The display’s focus is on Walgett’s association with the Freedom Ride, identifying significant local Aboriginal people who had a key role in the demonstrations and events specific to the town.

To access the Freedom Rides to Walgett website click here.

WAMS staff in front of Freedom Rides to Walgett 1965 Memorial Park sign, 17.7.23

WAMS staff at the launch of Freedom Rides Memorial Park. Image source: WAMS.

Financial barriers to sight-saving treatment

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are ending up with avoidable blindness because of the high out-of-pocket costs of sight-saving treatments, according to Dr Guy Gillor, Lose (Rose) Fonua and Associate Professor Mitchell Anjou. As well, the most common treatment for diabetic retinopathy, an intravitreal injection, is challenging to access, as it involves multiple and regular treatments, predominantly in private ophthalmology clinics. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the three conditions that contribute most to avoidable blindness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Gillor, Fonua and Anjou from the Indigenous Eye Health Unit (IEHI) at the University of Melbourne, say “Without a public or no-cost option, these fees mean the difference between retaining one’s vision, and losing it.” In the absence of such a solution, the IEHU has developed a new information sheet – Diabetic Retiopathy Treatment and Cost in Private Practice, available here, to support patients and healthcare teams in negotiating access for intravitreal injection treatment with private ophthalmology clinics.

To view the Croakey Health Media article Financial barriers to sight-saving treatment are leading to avoidable blindness in full click here.

ATSI man having an eye test

Image source: AHCSA website.

ACCHO to deliver healthcare in youth justice centre

Barwon Health has been commissioned to deliver healthcare services to young people at the new Cherry Creek Youth Justice Centre, just outside of Little River, a town approximately 44kms SW of Melbourne. To open next month, the $419m facility is funded and managed by the Department of Justice and Community Safety and will accommodate young men aged 15–17 who are sentenced or on remand.

Barwon Health public health and primary care co-director Deborah Kay said the regional health service’s vision for Cherry Creek was to offer a range of comprehensive culturally safe services tailored to the needs of the young people in the facility. “We will work with the young people to build knowledge, health literacy, resilience and trusted relationships while preserving dignity and enhancing health outcomes. We know that young people need to be engaged and empowered to understand their own health needs and treatment options.”

Barwon Health will partner with Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative to ensure safe and high-quality care is provided. Ms Kay said it was important to establish a safe, appropriate and sustainable service that was culturally safe for young people from a range of backgrounds.

To view the Geelong Times article Barwon Health to provide services at Cherry Creek in full click here.

exterior of Cherry Creek Youth Justice Precinct

The Cherry Creek Youth Justice Precinct will accommodate young men aged 15 to 17 who are sentenced or on remand. Image source: Geelong Times.

New research to look at dietary practices

Victoria University (VU) researchers have received a VicHealth $230,000 grant to investigate Aboriginal Australian dietary practices and place-making in public health equity. The two-year project, led by Dr Kristina Vingrys together with VU’s Indigenous Academic Unit Moondani Balluk, hopes to uncover ancestral Aboriginal knowledge about the ‘deadly tucker’ and Aboriginal food practices that can be used by the Aboriginal community today. “The project aims to support Aboriginal people and Country, to strengthen social and emotional wellbeing, inter-cultural understanding, skills and knowledge to support sustainable, healthy food systems, and reduce health inequities currently experienced by Aboriginal Australians in Victoria,” Dr Vingrys said.

The multidisciplinary project will involve Aboriginal community and researchers, with research expertise also from dietitians, community psychology, sociology and ecology teams. “We hope to also gather information through lived experiences – we want to uncover the lost knowledge about traditional foods that were grown in the Kulin Nation and the practices around growing, harvesting and preparing them” Dr Vingrys explained. “We are also really interested in identifying the potential nutritional benefits that might have been prescribed to those consuming these foods.”

Moondani Balluk Executive Director Karen Jackson said: “Once the knowledge has been gathered, it will be protected and used by and for the local Aboriginal community for cultural healing and place-making to support their social and emotional wellbeing.”

To view the University of Victoria article VicHealth funding for new research looking at Aboreiginal Australian dietary practies and place-making in full click here.

Pelargonium - a tuberous root plant that was used by Aboriginal people

Pelargonium – a tuberous root plant that was used by Aboriginal people. Image source: Victoria University News webpage.

Mob contribute to health and climate strategy

The Australian Government is engaging with First Nations leaders as it develops Australia’s first National Health and Climate Strategy. Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney MP is holding a roundtable today with First Nations peak bodies and representatives from across Australia. The Strategy will provide a plan of action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the health system and better prepare the sector for the challenges presented by climate change, including threats specific to the health and wellbeing of First Nations people.

Climate change threatens to disrupt connections to Country, further limit access to safe drinking water and increase the difficulty in accessing appropriate housing, infrastructure and health services. Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and expertise in the strategy will strengthen climate adaptation and mitigation planning. Co-designing the strategy in partnership with First Nations peoples across the country is essential to its successful development and implementation.

Minister Kearney said “The World Health Organisation has described climate change as the greatest threat to public health in the 21st century. First Nations people already face inequality in health outcomes, and these will only be exacerbated by climate change – it is critical we hear from First Nations people as we develop this strategy.”

To view the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Ged Kearney MP’s media release First Nations voices input to National Health and Climate Strategy in full click here. In the below video residents of Poruma (Coconut) Island, a low-lying coral cay in the Central Islands group of the Torres Strait, calling for urgent action to help protect their island from the coastal flooding and erosion linked to climate change.

Sector Jobs

Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.

Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.

Jul 13 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Closing the Gap report highlights ‘snail’s pace’ progress

SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle.

The image in the feature tile is of SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle. Image source: NTCOSS.

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

Grim reading: Closing the Gap report highlights ‘snail’s pace’ progress

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia are being failed by the current system, according to SNAICC, Australia’s peak body representing the rights and welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The criticism comes in response to the Productivity Commission’s annual report on Closing the Gap, which revealed worsening outcomes in areas such as early childhood development, adult incarceration, displaced children, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide. SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle expressed concern about the slow pace of reform and called on governments to pick up the momentum. Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney echoed these concerns and emphasised the need for a different approach to address the disadvantages faced by First Nations people.

While progress has been made in areas such as preschool enrolment, youth detention, employment, and land rights, only four out of the 19 targets are on track to be met. The report revealed that fewer Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are developmentally on track when starting school, with only 34.3% meeting the target compared to a national goal of 55%. The statistics on adult incarceration, out-of-home care, and Indigenous suicide also raised alarm.

SNAICC emphasised the need for more action, accountability, and collaboration between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to drive the necessary change.

You can read the full story in the National Indigenous Times here.

Deaf Indigenous Dance Group unites communities

Patty Banjo-Morris, leader of the Deaf Indigenous Dance Group (DIDG) has made a triumphant return to Laura at the long-running Laura Quinkan Indigenous Dance Festival, one of Australia’s oldest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural festivals.

Banjo Morris is passionate about ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with hearing impairments have access to their culture and language. After becoming deaf at the age of two, she was sent from her hometown to attend a special needs school away from her hometown. She stated,

“It was very emotionally impacting on me – I used to not be able to sleep at night, worrying about my parents, [although] I had a foster family who were very encouraging and supportive.”

Now, Banjo Morris runs DIDG, which brings together dancers from different communities across the Cape York peninsula. DIDG was among nine dance groups competing at the weekend’s festival, which has been running since the early 1980s. A troupe from Pormpuraaw on the western coast of Cape York took home the competition shield after being judged the best dancers of the event, with groups from Lockhart River and Coen rounding out the top three.

You can read the full story in the ABC News here.

A dance troupe from Pormpuraaw took out this year's competition shield. Image source: ABC Far North: Meghan Dansie

A dance troupe from Pormpuraaw took out this year’s competition shield. Image source: ABC Far North: Meghan Dansie

The RACGP supports the Voice due to the positive health benefits

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) supports the establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament in the Australian Constitution. RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins announced the RACGP’s official position today.

Dr Nicole Higgins stated, “The Voice to Parliament will help drive changes to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and address the inequity in our health system.”

“In Australia, this change will ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices are central in the laws, programs and services that affect us and our communities. This will lead to better health outcomes and is a key step to closing the gap in health equality.

“Research clearly shows the links between constitutional recognition and improved health outcomes. It makes recognition in health legislation easier, which leads to greater involvement in health policy-making and service delivery. There is evidence of this from the many other countries that have already established models for constitutional and treaty recognition, including New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and Norway, and it’s time that Australia followed suit.”

You can read the RACGP Position Statement here.

You can read the full story here.

Multi generation Aboriginal Australian family sitting on the bed.

Multi-generation Aboriginal family. Image source: xavierarnau

Men sharing stories to save lives

WARNING: This story contains distressing elements, including references to suicide. 

Men supporting men is a powerful approach in addressing mental health issues. By encouraging open conversations, reducing stigma, and providing a supportive network, men supporting men can help individuals feel more comfortable seeking help, accessing support services, and ultimately finding the necessary support to navigate their mental health challenges.

To address these challenges, some Mpartwe men have been featured in a new video, ‘Men Can Get Support’, speaking of their personal experiences with suicide in the hope of breaking the silence and encouraging a collective effort to promote mental health and wellbeing within their communities.

“It’s a subject that needs to be spoken about a lot in the community. It’s not only tricky but it’s a scary subject. I’ve lost a lot of friends and family members to suicide,” said Chris Forbes, group co-ordinator, who features in the video.

In Australia, 75 percent of suicide deaths are men.

“As men, we get looked down upon if we cry and show our emotions out in public,” said Mr Forbes.

“We have to break that barrier and that stereotypes and say it’s ok to cry it’s ok to reach out it’s alright to say I need help.

“Most of the time you’re thinking is this the right thing to say? Is this ok to say? Is it the right time to say something? But I reckon it’s just starting the conversation.”

You can read the full article in NITV here.
You can watch the video Men Can Get Support below:

Tangentyere Men's Family Safety Group in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) have produced a video sharing their personal experiences with suicide and self-harm.

Tangentyere Men’s Family Safety Group in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) have produced a video sharing their personal experiences with suicide and self-harm. Image source: Tangentyere Men’s Family Safety Group

Fred Hollows: Why First Nations health is still on the agenda

In recognition of the challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in eye health, JulEYE – National Eye Health Awareness Month aims to raise awareness about the importance of eye care and address the disparities in access to services.

While Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children generally have better eyesight than non-Indigenous children, adults from these communities are three times more likely to experience vision loss or blindness. Limited access to public eye health services, particularly in remote areas, exacerbates the issue, as most ophthalmologists work in the private sector and many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals lack private health insurance. This results in lengthy waiting lists for essential treatments, with cataract surgeries being delayed by 40% despite its potential to be corrected through a quick procedure. Furthermore, endemic trachoma remains a concerning issue, affecting only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities in Australia.

You can read the full story on The Fred Hollows Foundation website here.

Fred Hollows Foundation

Fred Hollows Foundation

New Aboriginal cultural heritage laws in WA

New Aboriginal cultural heritage laws in Western Australia aim to shift the state from its “wild west” reputation and improve the protection of Aboriginal cultural sites. The laws seek to empower Aboriginal communities and strengthen their control over their cultural heritage, acknowledging the vital link between preserving Aboriginal culture and promoting better health outcomes for Aboriginal people.

The new laws have removed section 18 of the old Aboriginal Heritage Act, which allowed Rio Tinto to blow up the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge site with ministerial approval, even after archaeological digs uncovered artefacts and sacred objects signifying the importance of the site.

The state government says the new laws empower Aboriginal people to protect and manage cultural heritage on their traditional lands and embed free, prior, and informed consent into agreement-making processes.

The legislation marks a significant step towards reconciliation and respect for Aboriginal traditions, emphasizing the importance of cultural preservation in fostering a more inclusive and harmonious society.

You can read the full story in The Guardian here.

Advocates at a rally.

Advocates at a rally. Image source Image source: Richard Wainwright/EPA at the Guardian.

 

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Jul 5 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Celebrating the contribution of our health professionals

image of Aboriginal Health Worker & ATSI patient lying on bed in health clinic; text 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals are a source of national pride that should be celebrated every day'

The image in the feature tile is from an article Scholarships on offer for Indigenous health practitioners published in the Katherine Times on 20 February 2020, featuring a Mala’la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation Aboriginal Health Worker in the Maningrida Health Clinic, NT. Photo: NTPHN.

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

Celebrating the contribution of our health professionals

Kuku Yalanji man Carl Briscoe is the CEO of National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP), the peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners in Australia. NAATSIHWP members work in the Aboriginal community-controlled health sector, other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical services, mainstream and private health services.

Mr Briscoe values the opportunity to influence how program initiatives and policies are shaped. The practical experience working as an Aboriginal Health Worker provided a solid grounding for the policy roles he has undertaken, he said. In addition, Briscoe has enjoyed working to raise the profile of the profession. While there’s a long way to go, he said a range of stakeholders within the health sector, including the Australian Medical Council and RACGP, recognise the role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker and Practitioner. In particular, the cultural expertise of the profession is being “respected and recognised”, Briscoe said.

One of the strengths of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professions is their cultural knowledge, understanding and personal experience. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce “holds a diverse range of experiences of being a First Nations person in this country, and the knowledge of their family and communities, and how this may influence a person’s interaction with the health system,” according to Fiona Cornforth, a Wuthathi descendant and Chair of the National Health Leadership Forum (NHLF) and CEO of The Healing Foundation. Briscoe added: “Our profession is the only culturally raised health profession with national training and regulation, and we think it’s a source of national pride that should be celebrated every day.”

To view the Croakey Health Media article Celebrating the contributions and expertise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals in full click here. You can also listen to an interview Karl Briscoe in the video below.

Why the Voice is critical to mob’s health

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, says later this year, Australians will have the chance to change our Constitution and recognise the place of First Nations people in this country. Australians will get a chance to embrace that recognition through a voice to parliament, and I can’t think of a more important area where we should listen to that voice than health. The voice will be a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who offer advice to the parliament on issues that affect them.

We need their insights so we can improve their lives. For too many years the parliament and health ministers of both political persuasions have been confronted with the appalling health gaps that exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. There are many health challenges that unarguably impact Indigenous Australians differently, and some others that are largely unknown to n  on-Indigenous Australians.

To view Minister Butler’s media release Why Voice is critical to First Nations health in full click here.

Aboriginal flag flying with Australian Parliament House in background

Photo: Mick Tsikas, AAP. Image source: The Guardian.

Breaking down digital health barriers

NAIDOC Week 2023 (2-9 July) provides a significant opportunity to showcase how digital health tools can support healthcare access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including reducing the need for people to travel to get the care they need, and supporting care on Country regardless of location. The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA), in consultation with the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), has released an in-language educational video as part of an ongoing initiative to enhance digital health literacy in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities so that people can most effectively engage with their health.

The newly launched educational video offers valuable insights into the array of digital health tools available to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. It centres around the health journey of Latoya, a person living with a chronic illness, providing culturally appropriate and accessible information to the community. Importantly, the video has been created in both Yumpla Tok, a language spoken in the Torres Strait Islands, and English.

Amanda Cattermole PSM, CEO of the Australian Digital Health Agency said “Co-designing communications with Indigenous audiences is vital so that the information hits the mark. Our consultations suggest that animation is one innovative means of engaging well with Indigenous peoples, and so for this video we have presented Latoya’s story in animation form.”

To view the Australian Government ADHA media release Latoya’s Journey: breaking down barriers to digital health literacy with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community driven resources in full click here.

RACGP welcomes boost for rural pharmacies

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has welcomed a significant financial boost for community pharmacies across Australia, which took effect from Saturday 1 July 2023. Changes announced by the Federal Government include comm2023.unity pharmacies being paid more for dispensing medicines, pharmacies outside the big cities will have their location allowance doubled, and pharmacy medicine stocks will be assured.

RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins said the support for community pharmacies is welcome. “Australia needs a strong and sustainable primary care system with GPs working together with pharmacists, allied health and nurse practitioners to provide the best care for patients,” she said. “Community pharmacies play an important role in dispensing medication. They also provide various associated services, such as for opioid dependence treatment, medication reviews, and Indigenous health, which are government subsidised.”

“The significant financial boost to pharmacies from 1 July 1 welcome, particularly for those in our rural communities. The regional pharmacy maintenance allowance has doubled, so pharmacies in the most remote areas are now eligible for more than $90,000 a year to keep their doors open. Rural and remote communities typically have limited access to health services, sometimes there’s just one GP practice and pharmacy, and the local community relies on them heavily. The rural primary care community is also tightknit, we support each other, and I know there will be many rural GPs who’ll be happy to hear about this additional support for their local pharmacists.”

To view the RACGP media release RACGP welcomes financial boost for rural pharmacies in full click here. You can also view Minister Butler’s media release Rural Pharmacies receive major funding boost here.

pharmacist's hands holding medicine boxes

Image source: newsGP.

Improving literacy, numeracy and digital skills

The Albanese Government is working to close the gap, by removing barriers to accessing education and training for First Nations Australians. Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor will announce in Darwin today a specific Indigenous stream to the Government’s Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) foundation skills program, to improve literacy, numeracy and digital skills for First Nations Australians.

Around 1 in 5 Australian adults lack the basic literacy, numeracy and digital skills to gain better jobs and participate fully in society. For First Nations people, it is estimated that 40% of adults have minimal English literacy and this figure can rise as high as 70% in remote communities, such as those in the NT. The Government is investing $436 mover four years to fundamentally reform the way the Commonwealth delivers Foundation Skills programs, so Australians have the core literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills to succeed.

To view the media release Better access to literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills crucial for Indigenous Australians in full click here.

3 young Aboriginal kids with a book in classroom

Image source: Indigenous Literacy Foundation website.

Eye sector unites for equitable eye health outcomes

The 2023 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference (NATSIEHC23) recently took place over three days on Dharug Country in Western Sydney. The remarkable event drew in over 240 delegates, including over 40 optometrists. The conference aimed to build on the collective work of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health sector to improve eye health access and outcomes for First Nations Australians. It was led by the National Expert Group in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health (NEGATSIEH) and co-hosted by AH&MRC (Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council, NSW) and the Indigenous Eye Health Unit (IEHU) at The University of Melbourne.

The NATSIEHC23 theme ‘Our Vision in Our Hands: Finding Our Voice’ sought to highlight emerging and future First Nations leaders of the sector, while also resonating the strength and values of the longstanding movement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination in health and the broader current national movement to enshrine First Nations Voice to parliament.

Optometry Australia Policy & Advocacy Manager Sarah Davies said “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a long history in promoting health and wellbeing and providing health care, and as a peak, national eye health professional body, Optometry Australia believes it has a responsibility to advocate with and work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, to facilitate an Australia where all people have ready access to the eye care they need, provided in a culturally safe and respected environment. NATSIEHC23 provided a unique opportunity for gathering and collaboration, showcasing the work occurring nationwide to advance eye health outcomes for Australia’s First Peoples, and to celebrate the success of our collaborative efforts to date.”

To view the Optometry Australia article Eye health sector unites to achieve equitable eye health outcomes for First Nations peoples in full click here.

Conference participants and presenters: (L-R) Kane Ellis, Donna Murray, Lauren Hutchinson, Karl Briscoe, Renata Watene and Uncle 'Widdy' Welsh

Conference participants and presenters: (L-R) Kane Ellis, Donna Murray, Lauren Hutchinson, Karl Briscoe, Renata Watene and Uncle ‘Widdy’ Welsh. Image source: University of Melbourne School of Population and Global Health webpage.

Sector Jobs

Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.

Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.

Jun 20 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Australians to vote on the Voice within six months

The image in the feature tile is of the Upper House as the legislation on the Indigenous Voice referendum question passed federal parliament, a development that moves the nation closer to a referendum date being determined. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch. 

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

Australians to vote on the Voice within six months

Australians will officially vote on the Voice to Parliament within the next six months, after the bill to trigger the referendum passed the Senate 52 votes to 19, yesterday. Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said the development brought Australia “one step closer” to acknowledging Indigenous Australians in the Constitution and making a “great country even greater.”

“For too long, Indigenous Australians have been consistently worse off than non-Indigenous Australians…It’s a broken system. And the Voice is our best chance of fixing it, because when we listen to people on the ground and consult with locals, they make better decisions and achieve better outcomes,” Minister Burney said.

In an interview with ABC’s Dan Bouchier on One Plus One – The Elders, NACCHO CEO, Pat Turner talked about the upcoming referendum and encouraged Australians to support the Yes Vote later this year.

To read the SBS News article ‘It’s on’: Senate vote triggers Voice referendum within the next six months click here. You can also watch Pat Turner on ABC’s One Plus One – The Elders here.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney poses for a photo with 40 members of Jawun at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas.

Improving eye health

AH&MRC and the National Expert Group in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health (NEGATSIEH) co-hosted the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference at the end of last month. With a successful turnout, the conference aimed to build on the collective work of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector to improve eye health access outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

The conference theme ‘Our Vision in Our Hands: Finding our Voice’ sought to highlight emerging and future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders in the sector, as well as resonating the strength and values of the longstanding movement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination in health, and the broader national movement for a constitutionally enshrined First Nations Voice to Parliament.

NACCHO Acting Director, Programs, Anne-Marie Banfield was the Conference Co-Chair and introduced the newly appointed First Nations Eye Health Alliance (FNEHA) board and facilitated a panel discussion about the aims of the alliance. A key focus of FNEHA is strengthening the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce by providing professional support and networking. Collaboration was another key component of the conference, with over 240 delegates from all states and territories, including representatives from ACCHOs, eye care clinicians, policy makers, researchers, non-government organisations, hospitals, professional peak bodies and government departments from across the country.

Learn more about the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference here.

2023 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference. Source: AH&MRC.

Culturally safe breast cancer screening

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists have a chance to improve cultural safety during breast cancer screenings. BreastScreen Victoria is seeking to commission an Indigenous artist to create an original artwork for a breast cancer screening shawl. The aim of the shawl is to help women feel culturally safe, comfortable, and familiar during the breast cancer screening process. The selected artist will also have their work featured on postcards, posters, as well as shared on social media to raise awareness for breast cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

The brief for the artwork is to reflect women’s business and is intended to represent a story of health and wellbeing, that includes breast screening for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women aged over 40.

To apply, visit the BreastScreen Victoria website here. Submissions close this week – Thursday 22 June 2023.

Victorian program helping people avoid homelessness forced to close

According to Aboriginal Housing Victoria (AHV), more than 3,000 Victorian Aboriginal households living in public housing find themselves without culturally safe support to help manage their tenancies in times of crisis. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander homelessness service providing culturally safe and free social housing support has closed its doors after a successful pilot supporting more than 100 Indigenous people last year. Funded by Homes Victoria, the 12-month pilot program was delivered by the Victorian Public Tenants Association, whose chief executive, Katelyn Butters is urging the government to “reconsider” the pre-budget submission which was unsuccessful.

“We believe this is a substantial missed opportunity to help our First Nations communities’ access and sustain affordable long-term homes,” Ms Butters said.

Over the past 12 months Ms Butters’ team helped provide a safe gateway for First Nations people who had previously felt discriminated against in the housing process. AHV chief executive Darren Smith said AHV is also disappointed the program had been defunded. He said, “There is an urgent need for Aboriginal Victorians to have access to culturally safe tenancy support services to help maintain their public housing tenancies.”

To read the full National Indigenous Times article click here.

Victorian Parliament House. Source: National Indigenous Times.

Sector Jobs

Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.

Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.

Macular Week – 19–25 June 2023

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience three times more vision loss than non-Indigenous people, creating a concerning gap for vision. Macular Week is a chance to show the impact of macular disease, raise awareness, and highlight why funding research to find a cure is so vital.

35% if Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults have never had an eye exam. The My Macula quiz, available on the Macular Disease Foundation Australia website here, is an accessible tool to determine if you have any risk factors for macula disease.

Learn more about Macular Week here.

May 19 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Prohibition doesn’t address underlying issues

empty beer cans on Todd River's dry bed, Alice Springs

The image in the feature tile is a photo taken by Tim Wimborne of empty beer cans lying on the Todd River’s dry bed in Alice Springs. The photo appeared in a Reuters article Australia limits alcohol sales in Alice Springs amid crime wave, published on 24 January 2023.

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

Prohibition doesn’t address underlying issues

Alcohol management in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities has been a deeply divisive issue, as seen recently in Alice Springs in the NT. Indigenous leaders called for and welcomed emergency restrictions on the sale of alcohol from January 24 2023. This approach resulted in an immediate decrease in alcohol-related harms, including family violence and emergency department presentations.

But Elders in Alice Springs have warned these restrictions “should not let governments off the hook” from addressing the underlying social determinants of alcohol-related harm. This reflects a long-standing community concern that prohibition alone does nothing to address issues such as intergenerational trauma, poverty, housing, education, unemployment, access to alternative activities, access to adequate health care and racism.

Critics of government-imposed alcohol management argue the allocation of resourcing is too strongly weighted toward supply reduction – and especially law enforcement – with inadequate funding of demand-reduction and harm-reduction strategies.

To view the Australian Herald article To reduce harm from alcohol, we need Indigenous-led responses in full click here.

Budget ‘excellent’ for remote healthcare

This month’s Budget included a raft of good news for general practice in regional and remote areas, the RACGP’s Rural Chair has said. Associate Professor Michael Clements has called the measures introduced by the Federal Government last week – which heeded many of the calls made by the RACGP – as “an excellent, rurally loaded Budget.” Among the moves that will most impact rural doctors is a tripling of the bulk billing incentive, a central request of the college’s pre-budget submission – and one which will particularly benefit rural general practices.

However, while the broad budgetary picture is a positive one for Assoc Prof Clements, he is realistic about how quickly it will solve the challenges of general practice in regional and remote areas. “I think this will have a positive impact on rural workforce as it does financially incentivise more rural and remote work,” he said.

Assoc Prof Clements said “This should be seen as a start of a multiple stage process to reinvigorate rural workforce. I think the Federal Government has shown significant new investment into rural health and now is the opportunity for state governments to come to the party as well.”

To view the RACGP newsGP article Budget ‘excellent’ for remote healthcare: RACGP Rural Chair in full click here.

white 4-wheel drive red dirt road Australian outback

Photo: Francesco Ricca Iacomino, iStock. Image source: The Medical Republic.

NSW’s first mobile CT imaging van unveiled

Communities in the NSW’s north west will soon have better access to the latest diagnostic imaging technology, with NSW’s first mobile CT imaging van officially unveiled by NSW Minister for Health and Regional Health, Ryan Park, during his visit to Walgett Multipurpose Service yesterday.

CT – or computed tomography – takes detailed images of the internal organs, bones, soft tissue and blood vessels. The new Remote Mobile CT Service will be used for non-emergency patients to help diagnose causes of pain from muscles or joints, detect diseases or prepare patients for further treatment or surgery. The ground-breaking service will begin welcoming patients in the coming weeks, and is expected to see around 1,500 per year as it rotates between Walgett, Bourke and Cobar.

Mr Park said, “Bringing these specialist services closer to people’s homes is tremendously important in this part of the state, where the cost and complexity of travel and leaving family or community can be a disincentive. Having the Remote Mobile CT Service at their doorstep will help many patients avoid hours on the road, some of them up to 10-hour round trips to Dubbo, to have scans. It will also be a huge benefit as we continue improving health outcomes among our Aboriginal communities.”

To view the NSW Government article Remote communities benefit from state’s first mobile CT service in full click here.

NSW's first mobile CT service (van)

Mobile CT Service van. Image source: NSW Government website.

New vision clinic opens at GRAMS

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in WA’s Mid West will be able to access eye screening and treatment at a new vision clinic opened yesterday at Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Services (GRAMS). The clinic has been established by The University of WA’s Eye Health Centre of WA with the support of The Fred Hollows Foundation, WA Centre for Rural Health and GRAMS.

UWA Head of Optometry Professor Garry Fitzpatrick said the state-of-the-art clinic would deliver culturally safe eye care services, “Affordable and accessible primary eye care services will be available for people of all ages who are experiencing eye health issues like blurred vision, dry eyes, low vision or who need glasses or lenses and who will be able to access services without a referral.”

GRAMS CEO Deborah Woods acknowledged the partnerships with The Fred Hollow Foundation and UWA. “GRAMS is extremely excited to be able to deliver next level eye health service to our clients all under one roof,” she said.

To view The University of WA article Cultural safety focus of new eye health clinic in Geraldton in full click here. You can also view more photos of the new vision clinic on the GRAMS website here.

Photo (L-R): Deborah Woods (CEO GRAMS), Wilfred Tang (Program Director UWA) and Eric Dalgety (Eye Health Practitioner GRAMS) pictured with the new state-of-the-art technology

Photo (L-R): Deborah Woods (CEO GRAMS), Wilfred Tang (Program Director UWA) and Eric Dalgety (Eye Health Practitioner GRAMS) pictured with the new state-of-the-art technology. Image source: GRAMS website.

New course to help close health gap

A new course to help close the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Care has been announced by the TAFE Queensland Bowen Campus and eligible students may be able to study for free. The Certificate lll in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Care is being offered for the first time at the Bowen Health Hub. It is predicted that the Indigenous health worker sector will grow strongly over the coming years and could increase by 17%.

Community and Health Faculty Manager for TAFE Queensland in Far North and North Queensland, Melanie Clarke, said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers are a vital link between individuals, communities, and health services. “The course will teach students how to undertake basic health assessments, as well as how to identify community health issues and needs, and assist with health screening, promotion and education services,” she said.

The year-long course begins this month and will encompass seven week-long training blocks at the Bowen Health Hub. “The facility is a simulated clinical training ward which replicates a real-life hospital environment, allowing students to gain vital hands-on skills using industry equipment and technology,” said Ms Clarke.

To view the Mackay and Whitsunday Life article New Course Launches For Bowen Health Hub in full click here.

male health worker taking woman's blood pressure in clinic room at Bowen Health Hub QLD

Bowen Health Hub. Image source: TAFE Queensland Student Handbook 2023.

Why the Voice is nurses’ business

For far too long, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people haven’t had a say on decisions, policies and laws that affect their lives, says Sye Hodgman, a Trawlwoolway Palawa-Pakana nurse and First Nations Strategy, Policy and Research Officer with the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU).

“There are constitutional powers that are given to government to make laws specifically in respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” explained Sye, in an address to the Coalition of National Nursing & Midwifery Organisations (CoNNMO) in Melbourne earlier this month. “Every time that happens, communities get hurt. But there is no power or protection for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to even be involved, or recognised, in that process, apart from being a recipient.”

“The very fact that we require predominantly white Australia and non-Indigenous Australian people to give us permission to have a Voice and to be voting on this particular process is symptomatic of the endemic systemic racism within the Australian political system,” Sye told CoNNMO attendees, which included Australia’s Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Alison McMillan, and Australian Nursing and Midwifery (ANMF) Federal Secretary Annie Butler.

To view the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal article ‘Nothing about us without us’: Why the First Nations Voice to Parliament is nurses’ business in full click here.

Sye Hodgman, a Trawlwoolway Palawa-Pakana nurse and First Nations Strategy, Policy and Research Officer with the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU)

Sye Hodgman, a Trawlwoolway Palawa-Pakana nurse and First Nations Strategy, Policy and Research Officer with the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU). Image source: Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal.

Sector Jobs

Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.

Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website Current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.

May 5 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Heart Week 2023 – learn about ARF and RHD

feature tile NACCHO generated ARF and RHD logo; text 'For Heart Week 2023 NACCHO is encouraging everyone to learn more about ARF and RHD'

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

Heart Week 2023 – learn about ARF and RHD

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) are entirely preventable conditions, and only occur in high income countries when the social and cultural determinants of health are not equitably addressed.

In 2022, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported the number of cases of ARF and RHD increased nationally from 2016–2020, with 92% of ARF diagnoses occurring in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and diagnoses of RHD 15 times more likely to occur than for non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the same period. This is why it’s so important the ACCHO sector is co-designing approaches to prevent and manage ARF and RHD in Australia.

ARF occurs as an immunological response to a Group A Streptococcal (GAS) infection (be it of the skin or throat).

People affected by ARF usually present with a range of non-specific symptoms and signs, including fever, painful and tender joints, rash, chest pain, shortness of breath, tiredness, and jerky body movements. These symptoms can be easy to ignore so please check in with a health professional if you are worried. Ask the question: could this be ARF?

RHD occurs when the heart valves are damaged by recurrent, untreated episodes of ARF. Whilst effective treatments exist to prevent people diagnosed with ARF from developing RHD, ARF is too often misdiagnosed and mismanaged in Australia. Once the heart valves are damaged, there is no cure. However high quality, holistic care can prevent worsening of the valve damage and ensure people living with RHD can live a happy and healthy life.

For this year’s Heart Week, we are encouraging everyone to learn more about ARF and RHD.

If you have a sore throat or skin sores, visit the clinic and get it checked out.

Have a yarn with your health worker about getting a 715 health check. This could help diagnose ARF and RHD early and ensure you get the right treatment.

If you get ARF or RHD, regular antibiotics (injections or oral) can protect your heart valves and prevent worsening damage.

If you are pregnant or planning to start a family, have a yarn with your GP to check your heart for RHD as early as possible to plan for a safe pregnancy. If you have RHD, it will be important to get regular check-ups during pregnancy to protect your heart from further damage.

For further information, contact the NACCHO RHD team by email here.

tile text 'Heart Week 2023'

Scale of preventable blindness in Australia is massive

Urgent action is required to address the systemic barriers deterring access to eye health care in Australia, write Dr Gifar Hassan and Clinical Professor Leanne Rowe AM. For many years, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) and other eye health organisations have highlighted the massive scale of preventable blindness in Australia, including increasing diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and uncorrected refractive error.

After three years of reduced patient access to preventive eye care and elective eye surgery due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, medical practitioners at the front line of health care are increasingly recognising the fire impact of undiagnosed and untreated visual impairment. This includes falls, motor vehicle and other accidents and injuries, medication error, deterioration of other comorbid disorders due to inactivity, mental health problems, loss of independence and prolonged hospitalisation to name a few.

Based on what is known about the increasing prevalence of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration in our aging population, it is likely millions of Australians are missing out on routine eye screening, follow-up and treatment, particularly in regional and rural areas. As many disadvantaged people continue to have inadequate access to health care as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is also impossible to estimate the true extent of undiagnosed eye disease in vulnerable groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, ethnic minorities, and those with lower incomes.

To view the InSight article Medicare limitations causing preventable blindness in full click here.

ATSI man having eye test

Image source: Flinders University News webpage.

Attorneys General meeting to address justice reform

Last Friday (28 April 2023) the Standing Council of Attorneys General (SCAG), made up of Commonwealth Attorney General Mark Dreyfus and the AGs from each state and territory, met in Darwin. All Attorneys General present agreed “significant and transformational criminal justice reform” is needed to correct the ongoing impacts of the current system on First Nations people.

Currently, targets 10 and 11 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custody, “is going backwards”, according to the Council. At the adoption of the agreement in mid-2020, after more than a decade of steps towards it, the most recent set of Australian Bureau of Statistics data recorded an imprisonment rate of 2.2% among all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. In the most recent set of data, from the December 2022 quarter, the number had risen to close to 2.4%. In June 2022, more than 32% of all prisoners in the country were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Council acknowledged the “significant role” they play in reducing the rate of First Nations adults in custody by at least 15% by 2031. “All Attorneys-General acknowledged the need to do better, collectively, to improve justice outcomes for First Nations Australians,” the SCAG said in a statement. Central to realising targets set out by the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, and a key pillar to incorporating principles and shared decision-making, is the Justice Policy Partnership (JJP) body made up of Coalition of Peaks (Indigenous peak bodies), coalition-appointed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experts, and Australian, state and territory governments.

To view the National Indigenous Times article Attorneys General meeting flags reforms to reduce Indigenous incarceration rate, raising age of criminal responsibility in full click here.

ATSI man's arms / hands though jail bars

Image source: Law Society Journal Online.

Measure aims to protect against heart disease

The Albanese Government is acting to protect Australians against our country’s biggest killer – heart disease. As part of the 2023–24 Budget, the Albanese Government will extend the Medicare rebate (items 177 and 699) for heart health assessments until 30 June 2025. Each day 438 Australians are hospitalised with coronary heart disease. Heart disease is responsible for almost 1 in 10 deaths and for 6% of Australia’s total disease burden. Many Australians don’t know they are at risk of heart disease, as some factors – such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol – might not be noticeable without a medical assessment.

An assessment of a patient’s heart health with a general practitioner (GP) will help to identify the risk of heart attack or stroke in those patients who haven’t previously been diagnosed with heart disease. The Check takes less than 30 minutes with a GP and is the nation’s best tool for preventing heart disease. GPs can then work with their patients to make changes to their lifestyle or prescribe medicines to lower any identified risk of heart disease.

The items will also be amended to remove restrictions preventing First Nations people from claiming a heart health assessment within 12 months of an annual health check for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, supporting the earlier diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease in First Nations people.

To view Minister Butler’s media release Protecting Australians against heart disease in full click here.

red heart stress toy sitting on trace of heart rate, stethoscope

Photo: Krisanapong Detraphiphat – Getty Images. Image source: Prevention website.

Rural and remote deserve health reform that works

Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) has welcomed the focus National Cabinet is giving to system-wide health reform. It was reinforced at their meeting of Friday 28 April and demonstrated by the announcement of $2.2b in extra Commonwealth funding to improve access health care in the community when and where people need it. Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP, elaborated on the urgency for action and the proposed direction of reform in his address to the National Press Club on Tuesday 2 May, revealing more can be expected when the Federal Budget is announced next week.

Reforming our health system is a priority long overdue. Our system faces mounting pressures. Ministers acknowledge that key components are no longer fit-for-purpose, and this is putting the entire system at risk. Existing gaps in access and service capacity – long evident and unresolved – must be addressed.

On 4 April 2023, SARRAH convened a roundtable meeting of rural and remote health care providers and workforce organisations. Two things framed our discussion:

1. Chronic and continuing service and workforce shortages in rural and remote Australia – which contribute to, and correlate closely with, poor health and wellbeing outcomes across communities.

2. Current system and policy reform agendas – at the inter-government, intra-government and cross-sector levels which have the potential to enable more equitable, effective and sustainable health and care systems than have been achieved through the policy and delivery frameworks operating over recent decades.

To view the SARRAH media release People living in rural and remote Australia deserve primary health reform that works for them in full click here.

bitumen road through outback Australia

Image source: The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre website.

Sector Jobs

Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.

Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website Current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.

Save the Date – NACCHO Members’ Conference 2023

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Monday 𝟮𝟯 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿
𝗔𝗚𝗠: Tuesday 𝟮𝟰 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿
𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Wednesday 𝟮𝟱 October Thursday 𝟮𝟲 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿

This year’s Youth Conference, AGM and NACCHO Members’ Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency, Noongar Boodjar (Perth).

The conference brings together people working in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector to network, showcase, learn and celebrate the impact of our work on improving health and wellbeing across the country.

Registrations and sponsorship opportunities will open soon.

For up-to-date information about the conference visit the NACCHO website here.

Or follow us on social media here.

If you have any queries, please contact the NACCHO Conference Team by email here.

save the date tile: NACCHO Members' Conference 2023 26-28 October, Noongar Boodjar (Perth); photo of Perth at night in the background; graphic gold Aboriginal dot wave

Mar 29 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Better online experiences for young mob

Aboriginal mum & 2 daughters looking at iPhone; text 'ATSI youth MORE LIKELY to be exposed to harmful online content'

The image in the feature tile is of Wyonna Palmer (Telegraph Station, Alice Springs) looking at her phone as her 6-year-old daughter, Lakayla, and her sister, Anna Maria, look on.  Photo: Matt Rogers/The World. Image source: Petchary’s Blog, 28 December 2020.

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is a platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

Better online experiences for young mob

Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland said the Albanese Government is supporting better online experiences for First Nations people as new research shows that more young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are turning to technology for cultural expression and engagement. Findings released earlier this week by the eSafety Commissioner reveal First Nations youth are collectively using the internet in greater than average numbers to explore the world, make new friends, connect with people from different backgrounds, and discuss social or political issues.

eSafety’s research, Cool, Beautiful, Strange and Scary: the online experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their parents and care givers, available here, shows that First Nations youth are almost twice as likely as young Australians overall to post original video or music online, and more than twice as likely to post their own story or blog.

The Hon Linda Burney MP – Minister for Indigenous Australians said “Technology can be a great tool to build connection, support identity and boost civic engagement. “But today’s research from the eSafety Commissioner is a reminder it also carries risks, with young Indigenous Australians more likely to be exposed to harmful content or hate speech attacks. “As with so many other areas where disadvantage undermines health and wellbeing, more work is needed to ensure equal protections and access to the good things the internet can provide. This is especially so as we begin the referendum process to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to the Australian Constitution.”

To view the joint media release (The Hon Michelle Rowland MP – Minister for Communications, The Hon Linda Burney MP – Minister for Indigenous Australians and Julie Inman Grant – eSafety Commissioner) Culture, connection and creativity: better online experiences for First Nations people in full click here.

cover of report Cool, beautiful, strange & scary: the online experiences of ATSI children, their parents & caregivers - Aussie Kids Online, March 2023, Aust Govt eSafety Commissioner

Senate backs inquiry into ADHD care

Senator Jordon Steele-John, Australian Greens spokesperson on Disability Services, Health and Mental Health, says the Australian Senate has formally backed a proposal from Australian Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John to hold a Senate inquiry into attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and support services in Australia.

Senator Jordon Steele-John proposed the inquiry in the hope of addressing common barriers to adequate ADHD assessment and care, as well as establishing possible policy interventions to improve accessibility and outcomes in this space. Around a million Australians are directly impacted by ADHD, a widely misunderstood neurodevelopmental disability that can cause significant impairment and dysfunction in people’s lives.

To view Senator Jordon Steele-John’s media release Senate Backs Greens Proposal for Senate Inquiry into ADHD Care in full click here.

youth ATSI girl & boy both with their hands behind their heads

Image from the Sparkles playgroup – Fact Sheet webpage. Intereach website.

Culturally safe resources for kids with disability

There’s a movement afoot to provide more culturally safe resources to Aboriginal children with disability. Called the I Am, Movement it came from one mother’s quest to better support her son in his diagnosis and focuses on grassroots conversations and Indigenous experiences to create a more supportive and appropriate environment for these children.

Founder Tanika Davis found there was a lack of culturally appropriate information when her son Slade began his autism diagnosis journey. “We had a lot of information about what autism was, but essentially not much [was] culturally safe or appropriate,” she explained.

But because of her background in Indigenous health promotion, she knew what she was looking for and what others would need. “And one of the first things that we ever did as a family after his diagnosis was basically [say] how can we support our son better and maintain his culture throughout this journey?” Davis knew there was a gap that needed to be filled, and in 2019 she started the I Am, Movement.

To view the Pro Bono Australia article Moving towards cultural safety for Aboriginal children with disability in full click here.

Tanika Davis speaking with microphone to audience with HEYWIRE Trail Blazer banner in the background; The I Am, Movement flashcards for letters & numbers

Ms Davis’s background in Aboriginal health promotion helped her develop The I Am, Movement. Photo: Mark Graham, ABC Heywire. Examples of The I Am, Movement flashcards.

Eye health data shows decrease in trachoma

Annual eye health data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people shows a decrease in active trachoma in children and an increase in the number of Indigenous Australians having eye checks. The Australian Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released its sixth annual report to update the eye health measures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The report said the overall prevalence of active trachoma among children aged 5–9 in at-risk communities fell from 15% in 2009 to 3.3% in 2021.

Trachoma is a highly infectious disease of the eye and repeated infections can result in scarring, in-turned eyelashes (trichiasis), and blindness. In 2021, the overall treatment coverage of active trachoma cases in at-risk communities was 71%—that is, 1,666 community members identified as having trachoma received treatment. This included children with active trachoma, along with their household contacts and other community members.

Between 2010–11 and 2020–21, the proportion of Indigenous Australians who had an eye health check as part of a health assessment increased from 11% to 29%, based on age-standardised rates.

To view the mivision article Indigenous Eye Health Data in full click here.

NT Health nurse Imogen McLean flips the eyelids of kids to see if there are any traces of trachoma

NT Health nurse Imogen McLean flips the eyelids of kids to see if there are any traces of trachoma. Photo: Stephanie Boltje, ABC News.

Sistergirl helps others find their voice

Ever since she was a kid, Jo’s known she was “different from the others”. You can’t tie a neat bow around the nuances of her life — it’s just “me being me”, she explains. “I just love being myself, you know?” Jo is a sistergirl — a term used by some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to describe gender-diverse people that have a female spirit. At its most simple “it’s another way of saying a trans woman”, she says. While she found strength in the support of those around her, her journey “wasn’t always easy”.

Through her own experiences, Jo is now determined to become an “outspoken advocate for Indigenous queers” in her community. “Because I see none of them that have voices,” she says. “I want to be there and talk up for them and help them build their confidence and courage so they can be able to talk.”

Dr Farrell, a queer-identified Wodi Wodi descendant from Jerrinja Aboriginal community on the South Coast of NSW, says that means LGBTQIA+ Indigenous people continue to be discriminated against “in places that stand to close the gap for Indigenous people”, and their needs aren’t taken into account when formulating health and other policies. It renders trans communities, queer communities broadly, as invisible in those services and in resources.”

To view the ABC News article Jo always knew she was a sistergirl. She wants to help others find their voice in full click here.

Sistagirl Jo looking at mirror surrounded by light bulbs

Jo wants to be an advocate for the Indigenous LGBTQIA+ community. Image source: ABC News.

Tahnee helps mob achieve better health

TAFE Queensland’s Toowoomba Indigenous Student of the Year, Tahnee Hooper, has been recognised for her outstanding achievements during her studies and in her role within a Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisation, as she guides clients towards a healthier tomorrow.

The Diploma of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health (HLT50113) graduate received the special award in front of her family and friends, and more than 600 students celebrating the completion of their studies, at a recent TAFE Queensland Darling Downs and South West Graduation Ceremony for the graduating class of 2022.

Putting into practice the advanced community health skills and knowledge she gained during her course, complemented by her existing experience in the health sector, Tahnee is leading the delivery of holistic, whole-of-life care programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Toowoomba and the wider Darling Downs region. “I want to make a difference in people’s lives and to help our mob and communities achieve better health outcomes,” Tahnee explained.

To view the TAFE Queensland article Tahnee is empowering people to achieve better health outcomes in full click here.

Tahnee Hooper in graduate robes holding wooden goanna plaque for winning TAFE QLD Toowoomba Indigenous Student of the Year award; text 'Congradulations - tafe - make great'

Tahnee Hooper. Image source: TAFE Queensland website.

Sector Jobs

Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.

Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website Current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.

Mar 28 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: SA first state to establish Voice to Parliament

crowd with Aboriginal flags at announcement of SA Indigenous Voice to Parliament

The image in the feature tile is taken from an article South Australia becomes the first state to establish an Indigenous Voice to Parliament published in the National Indigenous Times on 26 March 2023. Photo: Matt Turner (AAP).

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is a platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

SA first state to establish Voice to Parliament

SA has become the first Australian jurisdiction to establish an Indigenous Voice to parliament, with premier Peter Malinauskas declaring it a “momentous” event. The SA government’s legislation passed the House of Assembly and was immediately given assent by Governor Frances Adamson in a public ceremony before a large crowd who had gathered to witness the event outside parliament house in Adelaide on Sunday.

Premier Peter Malinauskas said that “…the way we pay our respects…is not with our words, but in our deeds. And there are no more powerful deeds than SA becoming the first place in our nation to pass a law enshrining an Indigenous voice to our parliament.” The premier also lamented that while “almost all of us” had experienced Australian prosperity, the Bill marked just one a step towards addressing the gross inequalities faced by First Nations people.

“It is an even more remarkable Australian tragedy, that the one group of people that have been left most behind for the last 200 years, are the very people, who for over 65,000 years have provided great care and custodianship to the land we stand on today,” he said. He later wrote on social media: “Put simply, our First Nations people deserve the right to have a say on the issues that affect their lives. They will now have the opportunity to speak directly to decision makers at the highest levels of in this State.”

To view the National Indigenous Times article South Australia becomes the first state to establish an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in full click here.

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas addressing crowd at lectern after the establishment of SA's Voice to Parliament

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas speaks after the establishment of SA’s Voice to Parliament. Photo: Matt Turner (AAP). Image source: National Indigenous Times.

CAAC supports vision loss prevention resources

Anmatyerre artist Curtis Haines sees a lack of hope in his community among people who have low vision or are blind. “I feel bad because I can see,” he said. “I want others to see too, what I see.” Indigenous Australians suffer from low vision or blindness at three times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians. Now, Haines is part of a collaboration between Vision Australia and the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (CAAC) to create artwork and help close the gap.

Ellie Hudson is a vision loss specialist with Vision Australia, working with Congress, which is based in Alice Springs. She said the artworks were an important way of reducing the stigma around poor vision in First Nations people. “People don’t talk up much about eyes,” Ms Hudson said. “We want to say it’s alright, you can talk about it, and you can get help.”

The artworks will feature information on how to maintain eye health, as well as steps to seek help and receive treatment. They will also feature images showcasing connection to country, like hunting and connecting with family — aimed at demonstrating what can still be done if vision loss is prevented, or when treatment is completed.

To view the ABC News story Alice Springs Aboriginal artist develops health promotion material for vision loss prevention in full click here.

Ellie Hudson & Curtis Haines, Vision Australia

Ellie Hudson and Curtis Haines. Photo: Lara Stimpson, ABC Alice Springs.

AMA: ‘crumbling’ health system needs urgent funding

Expectations are growing that the upcoming May federal budget will be a ‘health budget’ after a slew of reports indicating that the Australian health system is “crumbling beyond repair”. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Professor Steve Robson, said the health system requires urgent funding now after being in crisis for years, with cracks starting to show even before the pandemic.

He released AMA’s analysis, delivered in a report Australian Public Hospitals in Logjam, that reveals only three of the 201 Australian public hospitals analysed are delivering care within recommended timeframes. The AMA’s report is not the only one to highlight the dire state of the public health system. Also in February, were two reports: one from the Health Services Union (HSU) by Impact Economics and Policy on the NSW health system, entitled Reform Critical – A Fragmented Health System at Breaking Point; the other from independent public policy think-tank The Grattan Institute.

The HSU report called for a Royal Commission into NSW state’s “chronic misallocation of resources and warped priorities” around health. The Grattan Institute report meanwhile indicated that Australia was “sleepwalking into a sicker future that will condemn millions of Australians to avoidable disease and disability”.

To read the mivision The Ophthalmic Journal article Eyes on Federal Budget to Address ‘Crumbling’ Health System in full click here.

bandaid over cracks in concrete wall / path

Image source: mivision The Ophthalmic Journal.

Mob drastically overrepresented in homeless deaths

New research presented at an inquiry into homelessness services has revealed at least 107 homeless or recently homeless people died in Perth in 2022, with 31% of those who died being Aboriginal people. The people were homeless at the time of their deaths or had recently experienced homelessness. The average age of death was 50 years.

The inquiry also heard that well over half of the public housing tenancies terminated in “no grounds evictions” last year were Aboriginal families. House the Homeless WA campaigners Dr Betsy Buchanan OAM and Jesse Noakes gave evidence at the WA Parliamentary Inquiry into the Financial Administration of Homelessness Services explaining how WA housing policy continues “to trap Aboriginal people in the system and makes Closing the Gap impossible”.

House the Homeless WA presented to the inquiry previously unreported data showing the WA housing crisis has “dramatically worsened” in recent years, and unfairly impacts Aboriginal families at “wildly disproportionate rates”; including that more than 50% of all public housing evictions in WA every year under the McGowan government having been Aboriginal tenancies.

To read the National Indigenous Times article Research reveals Indigenous people drastically overrepresented in Perth homeless deaths and evictions in full click here.

homeless person lying on pavement Perth CBD

Homeless person in the Perth CBD. Photo: Graeme Powell, ABC News.

Inaugural Pilbara Aboriginal Health Alliance newsletter

Pilbara Aboriginal Health Alliance (PAHA) Chair, Richard Ansey, says he is proud to introduce readers to the Inaugural Newsletter for PAHA. Mr Ansey goes on to explain the PAHA is a partnership between the three ACCHOs based in the Pilbara, Mawarnkarra Health Service, Wirraka Maya Health Service and Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service, with the purpose of the PAHA being is to provide strong advocacy and support to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait people, families and communities in the Pilbara Region.

Mr Ansey said the Boards and CEOs of the three ACCHOs have worked closely together over the past few years to secure funding to see their vision become a reality and today the PAHA is an established organisation working at a regional, state and federal level.

The newsletter includes:

  • Chair Report – Richard Ansey
  • CEO Report – Chris Pickett
  • Good News – Culture Care Connect program
  • Member Highlights
  • Prime Minister’s visit to Hedland
  • Global Health Challenge

You can view the APHA Newsletter Issue #01 March 2023 by clicking on this link.

L–R: Robby Chibawe CEO PAMS, Joan Hicks CEO MHS, June Councillor WMHSAC, Minister Mark Butler, Chris Pickett CEO PAHA

L–R: Robby Chibawe CEO PAMS, Joan Hicks CEO MHS, June Councillor WMHSAC, Minister Mark Butler, Chris Pickett CEO PAHA. Image source: PAHA Newsletter Issue #1 March 2023.

Alternative to Custody Program sets women on better path

Selina Newcastle knows what captivity feels, smells and sounds like — what an unairconditioned cell in the Central Australian desert does to a person. Taking in a deep breath of air, the 47-year-old Warlpiri woman and ex-prisoner said: “Freedom, it opens your eyes”. Ms Newcastle shared her story to a crowd of legal experts, politicians and government officials at the launch of the Smarter Justice campaign on Monday this week.

After participating in a six-month Alice Springs based diversion program in 2022, Ms Newcastle is now showing the Territory’s leaders what a new approach to crime can look like. Ms Newcastle is one of 20 women who have completed the Mparntwe/Alice Springs Alternative to Custody Program over the past two years.

“I needed some help because I didn’t want to go back to drinking alcohol again,” she said. “I got so much support when I was there. I could talk to them about my problems and share stories, and I learned how to manage myself and look after myself better. I want to get a job now and keep busy. I feel like I have a second chance at life.”

The above has been extracted from The Weekly Times article Mparntwe, Alice Springs Alternative to Custody Program setting women on better path. You can find out more information about the Alternative to Custody Program here.

Warlpiri woman Selina Newcastle took part in the Mparntwe/Alice Springs Alternative to Custody (ATC) Program

Warlpiri woman Selina Newcastle took part in the Mparntwe/Alice Springs Alternative to Custody (ATC) Program in 2022. Photo: Sierra Haigh. Image source: The Weekly Times.

Sector Jobs

Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.

Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website Current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.