Category Immunisation

28 August 2024

The NACCHO Sector 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.

Help increase participation in the national cancer screening programs

We know cancer screening saves lives, but only around 50% of Australians eligible for the national cancer screening programs – BreastScreen Australia, National Bowel Cancer Screening Program and National Cervical Screening Program – complete the tests.

Australians diagnosed through the national cancer screening programs:

Research shows primary healthcare workers are key to motivating patients to participate in cancer screening.

In 2022, the Australian Government distributed GP cancer screening engagement packs to more than 7000 general practices across Australia including demo bowel screening kits, cervical screening swabs and waiting room posters.  This year new and updated kits will be mailed out, including translated materials, to distribute across practices to help encourage patients to screen for bowel, breast and cervical cancer.

The packs will include:

  • A3 posters, one for each national cancer screening program, with reminder messaging and information on how to book. We are encouraging practices and ACCHOs to hang these in waiting rooms and other high traffic areas to prompt conversations with healthcare professionals about cancer screening. Translations of the poster in over 20 languages will be available to be printed in-practice.
  • Demonstration samples of the bowel cancer screening home test kit and the cervical screening self-collection swab – these can be used to show patients how to do the tests.
  • Illustrated infographics on how to use the cancer screening tests and where to find educational resources on cancer screening. Translations of the illustrated guides will be available in over 20 languages online.

More information on cancer screening and resources for healthcare providers can be found on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care is seeking help from healthcare providers to increase participation in the national cancer screening programs (bowel, breast and cervical).

Eye Health 2024 Webinar Series: IUIH’s cataract pathway program

Join us on Wednesday September 4 (1-2 PM AEST) for the first of the Eye Health 2024 Webinar Series: IUIH’s cataract pathway program. ️

The Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH), a Southeast Queensland network of five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services, embeds eye health services within a primary care network.

This webinar will outline IUIH eye health pathways that provide holistic primary care services with a continuum into secondary and tertiary eye care.  These pathways demonstrate the importance of community-controlled health organisations as we provide the personalised approach ensuring continuous information flow for true patient-centred care. We will also yarn about our health promotion program Deadly Urban Eyes & the importance of regular eye checks.

Presenters:

  • Celia McCarthy: Celia was born and raised on Darumbal country, Central Queensland, and has called Southeast Queensland home since 1995. Celia’s role at the IUIH is Eye Health Services Manager.
  • Olivia Hillard: Olivia was born and raised on Turrbal Country, North Brisbane, and has worked as Eye Health Assistant at the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health for six years.

To register, go here.

Alice Springs leaders suggest alternatives to new CLP government’s promised crime reforms

Alice Springs organisations are advocating for alternative approaches to reduce crime, as the NT’s new CLP government pledges to toughen crime laws.

Donna Ah Chee, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress CEO said it was using $18 million from the federal government’s $250 million Alice Springs rescue package to treat a key driver of crime – young people suffering from brain development and mental health conditions. The NT’s youth detention royal commission found that many young people convicted of crimes have these conditions.

Ms Ah Chee is calling on both the new NT and federal governments to fund some new solutions.

“What we are advocating for is a long-term, secure care rehabilitation facility for traumatised kids, who have ongoing contact with the youth justice system,” she said.

“It would be mandated and therapeutic, and also ensures that they are reconnecting with education and training, and their family.”

Ms Ah Chee said Congress also wants a mandatory treatment facility for men perpetrating domestic violence, before or after prison.

To read the ABC News article in full, go here.

Donna Ah Chee said Congress wants young offenders to receive six months of mandatory treatment. (ABC News: Jane Bardon).

New ‘Super Kids’ ad helps families understand the importance of childhood immunisations

The Australian Government has launched new advertising for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents and carers reminding them about the importance of childhood vaccinations. The ‘Super Kids’ ad shows how being up to date with vaccinations means little ones can become superheroes who can help protect the entire community. This advertisement will be shown throughout Aboriginal Medical Centres and social media and as a reminder to get children vaccinated.

Vaccinations under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) are a safe, free and effective way to protect children and communities from diseases such as measles and whooping cough. Skipping or delaying vaccinations puts children and those around them at risk. Although in Australia we have high rates of childhood vaccination, recent data shows that routine childhood immunisation coverage rates have declined, particularly in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

We can contribute to growing vaccination rates by children receiving their free routine vaccines:

To learn more, go here.

The ‘Super Kids’ ad shows how being up to date with vaccinations means little ones can become superheroes who can help protect the entire community. Image source: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

Otitis Media Australia conference ‘Mob Only Day’

A key focus of OMOZ 2024 is the health and wellbeing of First Nations communities, who experience disproportionately high rates of chronic ear disease. Prominent Indigenous leaders, including Nathan Towney, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Indigenous Strategy and Leadership at the University of Newcastle, will emphasise the importance of Indigenous leadership in healthcare.

Professor Kong reiterated the significance of Indigenous voices attending the conference.

We want to ensure that Indigenous voices are not just heard but are central to the conversation. That’s why we’re dedicating the first day of the conference as a ‘Mob Only Day.’ It’s crucial that our communities lead the way in shaping solutions to the ear health challenges we face.”

For more information, go here.

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.

26 August 2024

The NACCHO Sector 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.

Yarrabah community asked to get vaccinated

An expanded immunisation clinic has been established at Yarrabah after two residents were admitted to hospital with symptoms of meningococcal and a third person treated for a suspected infection. After successful contact tracing and prophylactic treatment, Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services, in partnership with the Tropical Public Health Service expanded its immunisation clinic.

Free immunisation shots are available to all Yarrabah community members up to and including 23 years of age, severely immunocompromised people and residents that live in community that are household contacts or contacts of the confirmed cases.

The Gurriny Yealamucka Public Health team has carried out contact tracing on both confirmed cases and administered where appropriate antibiotics and offered an immunisation shot. Gurriny Yealamucka’s director medicine Dr Jason King said the service continued to provide access to child and adult immunisation free of charge to the Yarrabah community.

To read the article in full, go here.

Dr Peter Roach of Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services with Jaraymas Myngha and Lanyah, aged 3. Picture: Gurriny Yealamucka.

Strengthening the medical workforce for a healthy Charleville

A $2.4 million federal government investment is aiming to make it easier for rural Queenslanders to see a doctor. The new Single Employer Model (SEM) trial will support up to six GP and rural generalist registrars’ training in the Charleville region of QLD. The trial will be delivered by Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) in partnership with Charleville and Western Areas Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health.

Registrars’ training will be packaged with high level cultural mentoring and support, to allow them to build strong connections with the community and expertise in delivering comprehensive primary health care for First Nations people.

Under the trial, GP and rural generalist registrars have the option of being employed as salaried employees. This would allow them to have a single employer while placed in GP practices in rural and regional locations across the state, instead of having to change employers every six or 12 months with each new placement.

By providing GP and rural generalist registrars with guaranteed income and entitlements such as annual leave, parental leave, sick leave and other remuneration and benefits received by doctors working in hospital settings, the SEM will make working in rural and general practice more attractive and improve recruitment and retention of GPs in regional and rural communities.

This will give medical graduates the best opportunity to build their careers while supporting our medical workforce in regional and rural areas, making it easier for people in Charleville and surrounding regions to see a doctor.

The new trial is part of an SEM expansion announced in the October 2022 and May 2023 Federal Budgets. Trials will run until 2028.

For more information, go here.

Charleville QLD.

Calls for minimum alcohol floor price to remain in the NT

The Australian Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) has urged all sides of politics to commit to maintaining the minimum unit price, or floor price, of alcohol in the NT.

Dr John Paterson, AMSANT CEO said removing the floor price would lead to more alcohol abuse, more crime and more disadvantage.

“It’s a vicious cycle but for many people it all starts with cheap grog,” Mr Paterson said.

“Right now, the minimum price of alcohol is $1.30 and we expect that removing the floor price would see that drop to as little as 25 cents based on experience in other places.

“The result will be more problem drinking and we know the impact this has on communities and families, especially as it relates to domestic violence.

“No one wants to see more harm in our communities and a floor price on alcohol is one important tool in the kit to manage the problem.”

To read the National Indigenous Times article in full, go here.

Australian Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory CEO John Paterson. (Image: Mitch Woolnough/ABC News).

World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference: We can and we will heal our communities

The ongoing effects of generational trauma is evident across our communities globally: the dispossession and disparity is all too common, Joe Williams writes:

I was honoured to have been asked to deliver one of the keynote speeches at the 4th World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference (WISPC) last month. This gathering provided a culturally safe space for us to come together as a global community of original peoples; to share our experiences, work, story and collective efforts to heal our communities from the devastating impacts of suicide.

The common theme is that we all face similar challenges in our communities and are confronted with the enduring and ongoing impacts of trauma due to the forced changes from our original ways of doing and being. The ongoing effects of generational trauma is evident across our communities globally; the dispossession and disparity as a collective is all too common.

This year’s conference topic being ‘Reclaiming Indigenous resiliency and hope’, we came together at Niagara Falls to find collective solutions and to support one another in our journey towards healing. We can and will be able to heal the challenges our communities face, by community led solutions founded in grassroots initiatives – like our brothers and sisters are doing throughout the globe, we just need to be given the opportunity to do so.

To read the NITV article in full, go here.

Joe Williams writes about a recent visit to the USA to meet with global Indigenous leaders about the mental health issues facing our communities. Image source: NITV.

If this article brought up anything for you or someone you love, please reach out to, call or visit the online resources listed below for support. The four organisations in blue offer immediate help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

New discussion papers on policy and reform approaches to reduce incarceration around Australia

The Justice Reform Initiative papers focus on what is required to reduce incarceration in seven priority reform areas: police, bail, courts, drug policy, post-release, youth justice and prisons. The discussion papers aim to both synthesise existing data, research, and analysis, and build on this work to establish clear, evidence-based policy positions.

Organisations are now invited to:

  • Review the discussion papers and provide feedback about any critical information that you consider to be missing, and/or any content in the papers that would make it difficult for your organisation to publicly endorse the discussion paper.
  • Provide endorsement of one or more discussion papers at the organisational level.

For more information, go here.

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.

16 August 2024

The NACCHO Sector 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.

“Social prescribing” another stolen Indigenous concept?

Holistic comprehensive care is the core of community-controlled primary care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. To achieve this, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health organisations (ACCHOs) have routinely delivered or connected people using these services since 1971 to address socio-economic and cultural determinants through a caring approach rooted in Indigenous knowledge and practices. ACCHOs also offer social and cultural connections to housing, education, and legal aid services.

There has been a surge in social prescribing research and policy interest globally. However, the ACCHO model has been delivering holistic care for patients and the community with a more sustainable workforce model that needs to be recognised, celebrated, replicated and shared nationally and globally.

A national funding model must be developed to adequately support the ACCHO sector, provide flexible, holistic care models, and expertly guide how the concept is adopted by primary care. While doing so, it is crucial to have a directory of culturally safe and responsive services, need assessment tools, and linking data on referrals and services to people to measure outcomes.

Importantly, Australian academics, policy makers and the primary care sector should acknowledge this long history and learn from it by looking to Indigenous models of “social prescribing” that address the holistic needs of people to guide the implementation of social prescribing programs in Australia.

To read more, go here.

ACCHO Map.

Meningococcal B outbreak in Yarrabah community near Cairns

Two cases of meningococcal B have been detected in Yarrabah, an Indigenous community near Cairns, with authorities on the lookout for more infections. Contact tracing has begun with close contacts of the infected children to be given antibiotics.

The meningococcal B vaccine is free for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies under the age of two and for people with specified medical risk conditions that make them more vulnerable to the invasive disease. An immunisation program will begin in Yarrabah next week focusing on about 50 close contacts, and catch-up vaccinations for those who are eligible.

Suzanne Andrews, CEO of Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service, said the cases were compounded by an ongoing influenza outbreak. The Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation will deliver vaccinations in people’s homes as well as in its clinic.

To read the ABC News article in full, go here.

Professor Paul Dugdale and Suzanne Andrews believe close contacts through overcrowding are compounding the issue. (ABC Far North: Christopher Testa).

Disaster resilience inquiry highlights the need for better mental health support

The need to protect and support the mental health and wellbeing of disaster-affected people and communities is a key focus of the final report of the Select Committee inquiry on Australia’s Disaster Resilience. Evidence given during the inquiry showed the significant mental health impacts on people who live through and respond to natural disasters.

Three of the ten recommendations in the final report, ‘Boots on the ground: raising resilience’, tabled last week, incorporate suggestions to better address mental health and wellbeing of people involved in natural disasters:

  • The Australian Government should establish a national disaster mental health hub to coordinate and provide mental health resources, training, and support for first responders and communities affected by disasters across the nation. This hub should serve as a comprehensive resource centre for addressing the mental health needs of all stakeholders involved in disaster response and recovery efforts.
  • The Australian Government should design and implement consistent national trauma-informed care principles, ensuring that first responders – both professional and volunteer – receive training and support in these national principles to better address the mental health and wellbeing of disaster-affected individuals and communities.
  • The Australian Government should convene a disaster resilience mental health summit to hear from all related agencies and stakeholders to identify solutions to the mental health impacts of disasters.

The inquiry – chaired by Senator Jacqui Lambie – conducted 17 public hearings and received 174 written submissions, ten of which were made by health and social service organisations including the Department of Health and Aged Care, Rural Doctors Association of Australia, Lifeline Australia, Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services and Australian Council of Social Services.

To read the Croakey Health Media article in full, go here.

Flooded road near Windsor, Western Sydney, 2022. Photo by Wes Warren on Unsplash.

Kit the Koala: the mob-made animation destigmatising and embracing neurodivergence

A two-part animated series developed by palawa woman Nicole Hewlett and the Strong Mothers group at Carbal Aboriginal Medical Service in Toowoomba, follows the adventures of Kit the Koala, who lives with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD is a term used to describe the life-long impacts on the brain and body that people can experience following prenatal exposure to alcohol.

“We hope to build the capacity of families to live well with those who have FASD and understand how we can better support our loved ones with FASD,” said Hewlett.

In the series, Kit is joined by a host of other cute characters – a possum living with autism, a wallaby with ADHD and a platypus with a combination of the two.

Hewlett, PhD student at the University of Queensland, has worked on strengths-based, healing-informed and trauma aware approaches to FASD for over ten years. She says the intention of the project is to change the narrative around neuro-divergence, especially FASD.

She said the project leans into the power of Aboriginal humour to connect with audiences and from start to finish, script, music and voices, is mob-made.

Carbal Aboriginal Medical Service brings together the Strong Mothers group to offer holistic support.

To read the NITV article in full, go here.

The Carbal Strong Mothers group hopes Kit the Koala will help people all over the country.

Waminda’s National Conference to highlight Birthing on Country

Waminda South Coast Women’s Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation is inviting all women and non-binary friends to come explore and experience the intricacies of Birthing on Country with the incredible team at Waminda’s National Conference taking place on the South Coast NSW from September 17 to September 19, 2024.

The two-day event is stacked with an incredible lineup of speakers and a dynamic and exciting agenda. During the conference the Waminda Executive Leadership team, Keynote Speakers, Waminda Program Managers and Coordinators, along with community leaders in the Aboriginal women’s health and wellbeing space will take you on a journey of looking back to celebrate how far Waminda has come; whilst giving insight into the now and inspiring what is emerging in Aboriginal women’s leadership, health, and wellbeing.

For more information and to register, go here.

Mel Briggs, Waminda Senior Balaang and Birthing on Country Manager.

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.

9 August 2024

The NACCHO Sector 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.

40 years of Aboriginal Women in Leadership

Waminda South Coast Women’s Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation is inviting you to celebrate 40 years of Aboriginal Women in Leadership hosting the “Strong Women, Strong Community, Leading the Way” conference in Nowra NSW. Waminda grew from a vision and a need Community woman saw, to create safe spaces for Aboriginal Women’s health and wellbeing on the NSW South Coast. Since its first inception as Jilimi in 1984 and through its transition into Waminda one thing has held true – the privilege of Aboriginal voices and the leadership of strong, staunch and nurturing Community women. This has led to the incredible milestone of Waminda’s operation in Community for 40 years.

During the conference, Waminda’s Chief Executive Leadership team, Keynote speakers, Waminda Program Managers and Coordinators, along with Community leaders in the Aboriginal women’s health and wellbeing space will take you on a journey of looking back to celebrate how far Waminda has come; whilst giving insight into the now and inspiring what is emerging in Aboriginal women’s leadership, health, and wellbeing from across the country.

For more information about the conference, go here.

Waminda Chief Executive Leadership Team: Kristine Falzon, Lisa Wellington, Cleone Wellington, Hayley Longbottom. Image source: Waminda.

More support for First Nations children and families

The Allan Labor Government has provided a funding boost for Aboriginal-led child and family programs to ensure better access to culturally safe services.

The $2.3 million grant supports Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCHOs) in Victoria to advance Aboriginal self-determination in the children and families service system. Recipients include Njernda Aboriginal Corporation for Cultural Healing Groups, the Victorian Aboriginal Children and Young People’s Alliance for a new residential care model, and Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative for cultural education sessions.

Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn emphasised the importance of supporting Aboriginal families and children in succeeding and staying together.

For more information, go here.

Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative will receive funding to deliver cultural education sessions in primary schools across western Melbourne and Victoria, enabling children to retain their sense of identity.

Twenty thousand WA babies vaccinated against RSV under free immunisation program

Twenty thousand WA babies have been vaccinated against a highly infectious respiratory virus in just four months, which is a sign of success for a free new immunisation program.

Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson announced the milestone for the rollout of the State Government’s nation-leading $11 million immunisation program for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) on Thursday. RSV infects up to two-thirds of all babies before the age of one and hospitalises more than 1,000 babies each year. WA became the first State in April to make the antibody Nirsevimab, which protects against RSV, free for certain babies.

The immunisation protects infants for up to five months and was timed to cover the typical winter RSV season from May to September. Based on the program’s success, WA has prevented 760 hospitalisations. Data to the end of July found that RSV hospitalisations in WA were down 53% among babies eligible for immunisation under eight months old compared to last year.

Newborns in birthing hospitals can also receive Nirsevimab for free until the end of this year’s RSV season and will be offered the immunisation by the hospital. The immunisation is free for babies born from October 1, 2023, Aboriginal children and children deemed high-risk born from October 1, 2022.

For more information on the RSV immunisation, visit the WA health website.

WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson. Credit: Iain Gillespie/The West Australian

Caring for People & Country: BDAC’s New Sustainable Health Complex

A new sustainable health complex is set to rise at the Bendigo District Aboriginal Co-operative (BDAC), aiming to close the gap in access to culturally relevant health services in the region.

The facility, scheduled to open in mid-2025, will quadruple its capacity to deliver medical and allied health services to the local community. The $3.7 million Federal Government contribution will enable the construction of a 1,460 sqm building to provide holistic and culturally appropriate care.

The project is designed to embed sustainability into every aspect, featuring recycled materials, passive lighting, a large-scale solar system, and more.

The facility is expected to significantly expand BDAC’s capacity to meet the growing demand for local, culturally appropriate medical and health services, driving positive health and well-being outcomes for the community.

To read the article in full, go here. 

High School launches innovative ‘hands on’ career taste program

Narrabri High School has introduced the Careers Health Immersion Program (CHIP), aiming to provide students with a glimpse into potential career paths in the health industry. The program, developed in response to educational studies, local research, and feedback from industry and employers, will run for 10 weeks. It will involve interactive workshops and workplace visits, showcasing a variety of health careers through partnerships with local businesses and agencies.

In an effort to address the increasing interest in nursing traineeships and the ongoing shortage of nurses, the focus of the first CHIP program is on health careers. Students will have the opportunity to receive first aid training and participate in workshops and workplace visits to gain practical insights into various health-related professions.

Narrabri High plans to introduce different career-focused programs each term, including agriculture/primary industries and creative and performing arts. The school aims to provide students with a range of opportunities to explore their career interests and options.

It is believed that these programs are the first of their kind in a school setting, aiming to provide students with better educational and career outcomes. The school has committed to embedding specific career outcomes into its teaching across all subjects and year groups, based on the Australian Careers Blueprint.

Strong community support has been crucial for the success of programs like CHIP. The school looks forward to connecting with key stakeholders to further benefit students in the future.

To read the article in full, go here. 

Hazmat equipment is high tech to meet a wide range of emergency situations. Above, Narrabri Fire and Rescue’s Jason Anderson, Lucas Warren, Lee Rich, Jeff Reyes and Joel Hogan with Narrabri High students Alyssa Christie, Paganne Ryman, Brielle Bourke and Maxine O’Connor.

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.

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – 9 August 2024

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a United Nations event observed globally, is celebrated annually on 9 August.

Reflecting this global commitment, last month, Monica Barolits-McCabe, NACCHO’s Executive Director, had the honour of presenting at the World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference (WISPC) held on the lands of the Seneca Nation, near Niagara Falls. The conference theme, Reclaiming Indigenous Resiliency and Hope, resonated deeply with the participants.

The conference gathered Indigenous leaders from around the world to engage in critical discussions about the role of traditional wisdom in leadership and suicide prevention. It also honoured ancient health and wellbeing practices, fostering an environment for deep conversations, storytelling, and the sharing of innovative approaches.

During her presentation, Ms. Barolits-McCabe highlighted NACCHO’s Culture Care Connect program, which integrates suicide prevention and holistic aftercare with a focus on cultural sensitivity and community empowerment. Barolits-McCabe commented that the Culture Care Connect program is deeply rooted in preserving and celebrating the diverse cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, ensuring that culture is at the core of the care and support we provide to both recipients and providers.”

To learn more about the World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference, go here. To learn more about Culture Care Connect, go here.

Sharon Kinchela from ‘Yarns Heal’ (left) Monica Barolits-McCabe, NACCHO’s Executive Director (right) at the World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference.

ACCHO Governance Workshops

Free, specialised governance workshops for ACCHOs will be delivered in multiple locations across the country during 2024 and 2025. 

Registrations are now open for:

  • Port Macquarie: 20-21 August
  • Dubbo: 22-23 August.

The program is delivered by legal experts and covers:  

  • Delegation of powers 
  • Finance for Boards
  • Governance documents
  • Managing conflicts of interest 
  • Managing risk  
  • Principles of good governance  
  • Structure and role of boards and sub-committees 

To register, go here.

For more information, please contact NACCHO using this email link.

30 July 2024

The NACCHO Sector 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.

NT Aboriginal health alliance urges consultation on CLP pharmacy proposal

The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) has raised concerns with the Country Liberal Party about its proposal to allow pharmacists to treat more medical conditions currently treated by GPs. The Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services peak body said the proposal “blurs the line” between diagnosis and treatment for a range of potential complex medical conditions.

Dr John Paterson AMSANT chief executive said while the Alliance supported community pharmacy playing a significant role in the frontline health system, the CLP proposals went “too far”.

“We have written to the CLP to flag our concerns and I know that other health organisations have done so as well,” said Dr Paterson.

“We need to make sure local communities have good quality medical services, joined up across the system. That can involve using the capacity of pharmacists and we’ve seen that in areas like vaccinations.

“But we also need to be cognisant of boundaries that are there for good reason. General practitioners should be diagnosing conditions and pharmacists treating conditions where medications are required.”

Dr Paterson said he would welcome consultation with the Alliance to plan policy reforms that will be effective in local communities.

“Surely by now we have learned the lessons of the past – the first step in tackling local problems, including the need for more investment in local community health is to speak with those communities,” he said.

“I’ll take a call from anyone interested in practical solutions to get more and better health service to local Aboriginal communities.”

To read the National Indigenous Times article in full, go here.

Image source: NT News.

Malarndirri McCarthy steps up as new minister for Indigenous Australians

Yanyuwa Senator Malarndirri McCarthy has been appointed as the new Minister for Indigenous Australians, stepping up from the assistant ministry to fill the vacancy created when Linda Burney moved to the backbench last Thursday. Senator McCarthy, from the Gulf country in the NT, was sworn in to the ministry in Canberra on Monday. Senator McCarthy paid tribute to her friend and mentor Linda Burney on social media.

“It’s been an extraordinary journey and a wonderful privilege to walk beside both her and former Senator Pat Dodson for the last eight years.”

Senator McCarthy was named assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians and Indigenous Health in 2022. In her First Speech she spoke about land rights, her support for the union movement and same-sex marriage and the challenges of walking in two worlds as an educated Aboriginal woman.

To read the NITV article in full, go here.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy with Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn during the Federal ministry swearing in ceremony today. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch.

Case of meningococcal disease reported in WA

WA Health has reported that a child was diagnosed with meningococcal serogroup B disease and is currently recovering at home. Meningococcal disease is an uncommon, life-threatening illness caused by a bacterial infection of the blood and/or the membranes that line the spinal cord and brain, and occasionally of other sites, such as the throat, lungs or large joints. To date in 2024, five meningococcal cases have been reported in WA – four cases were serogroup B and one was serogroup W.

Due to a higher rate of meningococcal disease in Aboriginal children in WA, the MenACWY vaccine is offered free to Aboriginal children aged from six weeks to 12 months old.  The MenB vaccine is free for all Aboriginal children aged up to two years old. Both these vaccines are also free for people of all ages with certain medical risk conditions. People not eligible for free vaccines can request them through their immunisation provider for a fee.

Meningococcal bacteria are not easily spread from person-to-person. The bacterium is present in droplets discharged from the nose and throat when coughing or sneezing but is not spread by saliva and does not survive more than a few seconds in the environment. Meningococcal bacteria are carried harmlessly in the back of the nose and throat by about 10-20% of the population at any one time. Very rarely, the bacteria invade the bloodstream or tissues and cause serious infections.

Sometimes – but not always – symptoms may be accompanied by the appearance of a spotty red-purple rash that looks like small bleeding points beneath the skin or bruises. Symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease may include high fever, chills, headache, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, and severe muscle and joint pains. Young children may not complain of symptoms, so fever, pale or blotchy complexion, vomiting, lethargy (inactivity), poor feeding and rash are important signs.

Although treatable with antibiotics, meningococcal infection can progress very rapidly, so it is important that anyone with these symptoms seeks medical attention urgently.

For more information, go here.

Campaign for rehab centre gains momentum, pushes for regional drug forum

A campaign to build Tamworth’s first 24-hour drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility is picking up steam as it seeks a space for open advocacy and discussion. The state government has announced a two-day summit in Sydney in December to bring together a range of experts and stakeholders to build consensus on the way NSW deals with drug use and harms. In the lead up to the summit there will be two days of regional forums in October, and the Fair Treatment campaign wants Tamworth to host one.

To push for better AOD [alcohol and other drug] services in the region, a number of community groups and organisations have come together to form the Tamworth Strategy Group, the driving force behind Tamworth’s Fair Treatment campaign.

Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service (TAMS) drug and alcohol counsellor Sandy Hawley got involved with Tamworth Strategy Group at the start of the year. She and minister for the Tamworth region Uniting Churches, Reverend Geoff Flynn, have been running petitions, surveys, and advocacy sessions since the start of the year.

To read the article in full, go here.

The Tamworth Strategy Group has been building momentum since 2021, though interest from the community has really come up a notch in the last year. Picture by Gareth Gardner.

Waminda National Conference September 2024

Waminda South Coast Women’s Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation is proudly inviting you to celebrate 40 years of Aboriginal Women in Leadership hosting the “Strong Women, Strong Community, Leading the Way” conference in Nowra, NSW. Waminda grew from a vision and need Community Women saw, to create safe spaces for Aboriginal Women’s health and wellbeing on the South Coast. Since its first inception as Jilimi in 1984 and through its transition into Waminda one thing has held true- the privileging of Aboriginal women’s voices and the leadership of strong, staunch and nurturing Community women. This has led to the incredible milestone of Waminda’s operation in community for 40 years.

During the conference the Waminda Executive Leadership team, Keynote Speakers, Waminda Program Managers and Coordinators, along with community leaders in the Aboriginal women’s health and wellbeing space will take you on a journey of looking back to celebrate how far Waminda has come; whilst giving insight into the now and inspiring what is emerging in Aboriginal women’s leadership, health, and wellbeing.

For more information, go here.

Image source: Waminda.

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.

ACCHO Governance Workshops

Free, specialised governance workshops for ACCHOs will be delivered in multiple locations across the country during 2024 and 2025. 

Registrations are now open for:

  • Port Macquarie: 20-21 August
  • Dubbo: 22-23 August.

The program is delivered by legal experts and covers:  

  • Delegation of powers 
  • Finance for Boards
  • Governance documents
  • Managing conflicts of interest 
  • Managing risk  
  • Principles of good governance  
  • Structure and role of boards and sub-committees 

To register, go here.

For more information, please contact NACCHO using this email link.

4 July 2024

The NACCHO Sector 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.

$5.9m for First Nations Cancer Scholarship program

Applications are being sought for a ground-breaking new scholarship program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, health professionals and researchers in the field of cancer. The First Nations Cancer Scholarship, led by the Aurora Education Foundation and backed by funding from the Australian Government through Cancer Australia, represents a significant investment of up to $5.9m over four years.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduate students, early career researchers and health professionals can apply for financial support of up to $120,000 annually for up to 3 years, as well as academic, wellbeing and community support.

Cancer remains the leading cause of mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, yet less than 1% of health professionals identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.

Recognising the urgent need to strengthen the Indigenous cancer workforce, this scholarship program seeks to grow the capacity of Indigenous health professionals and researchers through advanced studies and research opportunities.

The goal of the scholarship program is to expand the network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people actively involved in cancer control, further embedding Indigenous voices into cancer policy making, research and care delivery.

Eligible candidates for the First Nations Cancer Scholarship must be Indigenous students engaged in full-time postgraduate studies or research within a cancer-related field covering health, research, or policy.

Expressions of Interest for the First Nations Cancer Scholarship are currently being accepted until Friday 30 August 2024.

To learn more about the scholarship program and to submit an application, click here. You can also view a flyer for scholarship program here.

Uniting Health Professionals to Ignite Change:
Good Medicine Better Health Online Yarning Circle About Vaping

NACCHO’s Good Medicine Better Health Program, in collaboration with Quit, is thrilled to announce the development of an innovative online Vaping Cessation learning module. This resource is designed specifically for Aboriginal Health Workers/Practitioners, and other Health Professionals working across the sector.

Our goal is to create a culturally relevant and effective learning module that addresses the unique needs and challenges faced by our communities. But before we begin crafting this crucial resource, we need your input!

We want to ensure this module is as impactful as possible, and that means hearing from you- the health professionals who are on the front lines. Your experiences, insights, and suggestions are invaluable to us.

Join us in this important yarning circle, and let’s work together to create a healthier future for all. Your voice is essential in developing a module that resonates with and supports our community effectively. Together, we can cook up something truly deadly!

Register your interest here. 

Empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Mental Health

Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia says it recognises the urgent need for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership to be fully supported and integrated across all parts of the Australian mental health system. Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia calls for comprehensive strategies to ensure the presence, visibility, and influence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, while also fostering their self-care, peer support, and accountability to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

To increase the visibility and influence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders across the Australian mental health system, Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia recommends the following:

  • Invest in comprehensive, culturally grounded leadership development programs tailored to the specific needs and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals. These programs should provide training in both Western and Indigenous leadership models, fostering a unique and powerful blend of skills and knowledge.
  • Establish formal mentorship programs and create spaces for informal networking to connect emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders with experienced mentors and peers, fostering a strong and supportive community of practice.
  • Mandate comprehensive cultural responsiveness training for all mental health professionals, ensuring they understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership styles, cultural protocols, and decision-making processes.
  • Allocate dedicated funding streams to support the professional development, self-care, community engagement, and cultural leadership activities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health leaders. This funding should be sufficient to address the unique challenges and opportunities faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and enable them to thrive in their roles.

Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia firmly believes that centring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, knowledge, and self-determination within the mental health sector is paramount to achieving culturally safe, effective, and sustainable mental health outcomes for their communities.

To read the Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia position paper in full, go here.

WA government walks away from building Halls Creek renal centre before next state election

The WA government has walked away from a pledge to build a dialysis centre in Halls Creek within this term of government, blaming COVID-19 and once-in-a-century flooding for the delay. Announced in 2021, the $24 million, 20-bed renal hostel would have eight dialysis machines, cater for up to 32 patients, and include accommodation for staff.

Local Indigenous health leaders lobbied for the facility to ensure residents in Halls Creek and the surrounding communities, 2,600 kilometres north of Perth, could receive life-saving treatment without having to leave their family and country. The Kimberley maintains some of the highest rates of kidney disease in Australia.

In late 2021, then Minister for Health Roger Cook told the ABC in a statement that the government was committed to building the renal centre within the parliamentary term. In February this year, the minister’s office said that statement still stood, but in a press conference in Kununurra in June, Mr Cook all but confirmed it was unachievable.

Local Indigenous health leaders are frustrated by the slow progress, saying the government has failed to meaningfully consult. Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS) said the proposed Halls Creek facility was a crucial addition to its large regional network of operations, which were under strain from increasing demand.

In a statement to the ABC, chief executive Vicki O’Donnell criticised comments current Minister for Health Amber-Jade Sanderson made in a parliamentary committee in May.

The minister said the government was working with the relevant Indigenous health organisations in the Kimberley on the “model of delivery”.

Ms O’Donnell said there had been no formal meeting between state government representatives and KAMS or the locally based Yura Yungi Medical Service in the past 18 months.

“I’m disappointed … it seems the minister has been ill-advised,” she said.

“Along with the Halls Creek community, I am concerned that there was no allocation in the recent state budget for the total project to build a renal centre, renal hostel, and staff accommodation.

“More broadly, I am also concerned that the state government will fail to deliver on their Kidney Disease Strategy.”

To read the full ABC News article, go here.

Dialysis is an essential treatment for people with end stage kidney disease. (ABC News: Lee Robinson).

Fulfilling cultural safety expectations in specialist medical education and training

It is increasingly evident that health inequities within Indigenous populations “are primarily due to unequal power relationships, unfair distribution of the social determinants of health, marginalisation, biases, unexamined privilege, and institutional racism,” prompting the need for attention at a variety of levels within health care, including at the systemic, organisational and individual levels.

Specialist medical colleges are prominently placed to promote, facilitate, and enact the principles of cultural safety within their institutions. If we are to close the gap in health outcomes between Indigenous and non‐Indigenous communities, colleges must fully appreciate their role and the ongoing commitment required to realise such outcomes for its staff, members and the Indigenous community.

Colleges must direct efforts to centre the development of critical allyship to support Indigenous peoples in managing cultural load, ensure Indigenous employees are respectfully engaged in the prioritisation of tasks and roles, and facilitate critical immersive activities for trainees and Fellows.

They must always be conscious of the expectations of the Indigenous communities they profess to serve. It is not simply enough to undertake this journey as a reaction to the nudging stick of accreditation, rather it must be a genuine, proactive commitment that recognises the injustice of doing the bare minimum, progressing at a slow pace, or, worse, not progressing at all.

To read the full article Fulfilling cultural safety expectations in specialist medical education and training: considerations for colleges to advance recognition and quality in the Medical Journal of Australia Special Issue in partnership with the Lowitja Institute: centring Indigenous knowledges, go here.

The Medical Journal of Australia Special Issue in partnership with the Lowitja Institute: centring Indigenous knowledges.

Outreach immunisation clinic brings care closer for families

In the heart of La Perouse lies the Aboriginal Community Health Centre, where every second Tuesday morning, a dedicated team provides opportunistic immunisations to Aboriginal bubs and their families. This outreach initiative, led by Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick (SCH), in collaboration with the Public Health Unit (PHU), works to educate and support families about childhood immunisations, with a current focus this winter on flu and RSV.

“We’re seeing significant increases in hospitalisations due to flu and RSV, so it’s crucial that we provide better access to these immunisations for bubs and their families within their own community,” Emma Birrell, Registered Nurse in the Opportunistic Child Immunisation Service at SCH said.

Flu and RSV can be serious, especially for young bubs. In NSW, all Aboriginal bubs born after 31 October 2023 are eligible for the free RSV immunisation, Beyfortus. In addition, the flu immunisation is available free for the whole family. These immunisations are offered at the La Perouse clinic.

The immunisation clinic is run through the support of many staff including pharmacy, medical professionals, Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs), and nurses. The team work together to engage local schools and childcare centres, to drive community engagement and awareness.

The clinic aims to overcome barriers preventing families from immunising their bubs, striving not only to increase immunisation rates but also to enhance accessibility. Integration into the La Perouse community is vital in achieving these goals.

“During visits to the Centre, we provide immunisations for bubs through working closely with our staff including Aunty Bev, Aunty Lola, and child and family health to ensure culturally safe care for the families we see. Families can just drop in to La Pa or give us a call and book an appointment”, Kelsey Fletcher, Registered Nurse in the Opportunistic Child Immunisation Service at SCH said.

However, the team’s role extends beyond immunisations. “Sometimes it’s just about having a yarn, I enjoy just chatting and spending time with families, building rapport and relationships,” Emma said.

To read the article in full, go here.

Image source: NSW Government.

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.

3 July 2024

The NACCHO Sector 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.

CTG PBS Co-payment Program has been expanded

The Closing the Gap (CTG) PBS Co-payment Program has been expanded to include section 100 (S100) PBS medicines dispensed by community pharmacies, approved medical practitioners, and private hospitals in Australia. This expansion is in addition to the section 85 (general schedule) medicines which are also dispensed under this program. The initiative also covers all section 100 PBS medicines supplied under Continued Dispensing arrangements. Starting from 1 January 2025, the program will extend to all section 85 and 100 PBS medicines currently dispensed by public hospitals around the country.

The CTG PBS Co-payment Program aims to improve access to PBS medicines for First Nations people with or at risk of chronic diseases, and addresses the significant barrier of medicine costs. It helps ensure they can adhere to their prescribed medication regimen, reducing the likelihood of setbacks in the prevention or management of their conditions.

Registered participants on the CTG PBS Co-payment Register who would normally pay the full general PBS co-payment amount now pay the concessional rate. Those who already pay the concessional rate receive their medicines for free, without any co-payment costs. Additionally, the Remote Area Aboriginal Health Services (RAAHS) program complements this initiative by allowing clients in remote areas to receive free PBS medicines directly from their RAAHS without the need for a normal PBS script.

You can find more detailed information about the expansion of the CTG PBS Co-Payment Program on the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care’s PBS News webpage here. 

New programs to combat diabetes and chronic conditions

Two new programs will be rolled out this year to help combat diabetes and other chronic conditions in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is good news for the Mackay community, according to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS) Mackay Integrated Team Care (ITC) team.

ATSICHS Mackay Indigenous Health Project Officer Sharni Scott-Knight (nee Dorante) said the ITC team recently participated in the Diabetes Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Diabetes training as well as the My Health for Life facilitator training. “These programs are currently in the planning stages and will be rolled out this year,” Mrs Scott-Knight said.

“These programs will be extremely beneficial to help people manage their chronic conditions and continue to access culturally safe and high-quality health care services, at both ACCHOs and mainstream private practice” said Mrs Scott-Knight.

To view the PHN Northern Queensland article Our Region, Our People: Meet Sharni in full click here.

-R: ITC Outreach Worker Atha Power, ITC Care Coordinator - Private Practices patients Alma Hawdon, ITC Care Coordinator - ATSICHS Mackay patients Thelma Fry, and Indigenous Health Project Officer/Team Leader Sharni Scott-Knight

L-R: ITC Outreach Worker Atha Power, ITC Care Coordinator – Private Practices patients Alma Hawdon, ITC Care Coordinator – ATSICHS Mackay patients Thelma Fry, and Indigenous Health Project Officer/Team Leader Sharni Scott-Knight. Image source: PHN Northern Queensland website.

GPs key to overcoming immunisation misinformation

AMA President Professor Steve Robson says support for general practitioners (GPs) in continuing to play the lead role in vaccinating the community must be at the heart of Australia’s next National Immunisation Strategy. In its submission, available here, to the federal government’s public consultation on the 2025–2030 National Immunisation Strategy, the AMA has highlighted the critical role GPs have played in the achievement of world leading rates of vaccination in Australia and calls for this to be strengthened even further. Prof Robson said the situation around the world was concerning, as a drop in childhood vaccinations is driving a global resurgence of measles and other infectious diseases.

“Australia’s world-leading National Immunisation Program has led to an exceptionally high rate of childhood immunisation, but there are many challenges to overcome on the path to the national coverage target of 95%,” Professor Robson said. “We are unfortunately still seeing misinformation about vaccines spreading like wildfire on social media, while a mixture of vaccine hesitancy and fatigue set in following the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Data shows immunisation rates are falling among Australia’s most vulnerable cohorts, including the elderly and children, amid a significant rise of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, influenza, RSV and whooping cough this winter. “GPs have proven to be the best at ensuring Australians receive their vaccinations in a safe and timely manner, as shown by the impressive growth in vaccination rates over the past 25 years,” Professor Robson said. “This is because GPs spend time with patients to answer questions and discuss any concerns a patient might have, helping to counter the rise of dangerous misinformation.”

To view the AMA’s media release GPs critical to overcoming vaccine misinformation and fatigue in full click here.

Utju (Areyonga) NT resident receiving a vaccination

Residents in the remote NT community of Utju (Areyonga) were proud of the community’s vaccination efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Samantha Jonscher, ABC Alice Springs.

Healthcare workforce growing slower than demand

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) report Australian’s Health 2024 shows Australia’s healthcare system is facing increasing strain despite record resourcing. Despite workforce growth, increasing demand on the healthcare system has led to a shortage of healthcare workers across the country. Four out of five (82%) of health occupations were in shortage in 2023, with particularly acute shortages of general practitioners, nurses and mental health professionals.

The report gives three main reasons for the growth in healthcare demand: an aging population, rising concerns about mental health, and redistribution. As people age, there is a higher prevalence of chronic conditions and a greater need for medical care. AIHW CEO Zoran Bolevich said “Chronic conditions present a key challenge for individuals, health providers and society as a whole. Individuals with chronic conditions often have complex needs that require services from all levels of the health system.”

AIHW reports routinely show the relationship between healthcare quality and proximity to a major city is almost linear. The cost of programs that redistribute health resources to under-serviced areas increases costs to the system as a whole. Health inequalities persist for many population groups in Australia — including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people living in rural and remote communities.

To view The Mandarin article AIHW data shows healthcare workforce growing slower than demand in full click here.

Shield yourself from shingles – what you need to know

In the video below Dr Richard Mills (GP) speaks with Trina Scott (Registered Nurse and Bundjalung woman) about the shingles vaccine, Shingrix, that’s just been made free for nearly 5 million eligible Australians. Dr Mills has been a GP for over 30 years with half that time spent working as a GP for an ACCHO in Qld and also in the NT.  Trina Scott works in primary health care, First Nations health, diabetes education and nurse navigation.

Dr Mills and Ms Scott explain what shingles is and why it’s important for people to protect themselves against shingles, especially as they get older and if they are immunocompromised. Over 95% of Australians over the age of 30 have had chickenpox. If you’ve had chickenpox as a child, there’s a good change that you’ll have shingles as an adult. About one in three people will get shingles in their lifetime with the risk increasing with age and in those 65 years and older. First Nations Australians are more likely to experience complications from shingles from the age of 50.

There are changes to the shingles vaccine under the National Immunisation Program. The shingles vaccine, Shingrix, replaced Zostavax and is available for free for a broader group of people at higher risk of serious illness. You’re eligible for the free Shingrix vaccine if you’re aged 65 years and over, you’re a First Nations person aged 50 and over, or you’re an immunocompromised adult with eligible medical conditions.

To view the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care’s webpage Shield yourself from shingles – Get your questions answered here.

Integrated PHC key oral health in remote areas

Access to oral health care for rural and remote Australians is limited, particularly for underserved populations that rely on public dental services. This includes First Nations Peoples. This is largely due to poor distribution of oral health services and a limited dental workforce supply in these areas.

Released on 20 June by Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association’s (AHHA) Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research, the Issues Brief ‘Integrating oral health into primary healthcare for improved access to oral health care for rural and remote populations’ synthesises evidence about the extent of access challenges in rural and remote Australia.

AHHA CEO Kylie Woolcock said the Issues Brief “highlights the missed opportunities for inter-professional collaboration and interoperability of oral and primary healthcare professionals, as there are no mandated data reporting, management, and sharing mechanisms between dental and broader healthcare systems.” The Issues Brief recommends improving health training for rural and remote primary healthcare professionals, allowing primary healthcare professionals to include oral health care in their scope of practice, identifying oral health as a ‘core’ primary healthcare service, increasing interoperability and data sharing, and improving access to oral health care under Medicare for rural and remote populations.

To view the Retail Pharmacy article Integrated Primary Health Care key to oral health improvement in rural and remote Australia in full click here.

UQ Dental Clinic in Dalby; Aboriginal man receiving treatment

University of Queensland Dental Clinic in Dalby. Photo: Laura Cocks, BC Southern Qld.

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.

21 June 2024

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.

Largest remote housing investment in NT signed

The largest remote housing investment in NT was signed yesterday (Thursday 21 June 2024) at the remote community of Milikapiti on the Tiwi Islands. The new 10-year remote housing partnership agreement is designed to halve overcrowding in Aboriginal communities, which has been a major long-running problem in northern Australia.

The federal government said in a statement that the Partnership Agreement represents a new way of working collaboratively with Aboriginal communities and housing organisations towards a better remote housing system across the Territory’s 73 remote communities. The $4b agreement commits federal and Territory governments working with the four NT Land Councils and Aboriginal Housing NT to collaborate on improving existing housing and building houses that are culturally appropriate and meet the climate challenges of the Territory.

Construction of up to 2,700 new homes across the Territory aim to halve overcrowding in the next 10 years, aligning with the National Closing the Gap targets with improvements in health, education and community safety, as well as opportunities for economic growth across the Territory. Federation Funding Agreements between the NT and the Commonwealth, informed by the Partnership Agreement, will also include better repairs and maintenance in remote community housing and improvements and infrastructure upgrades in homelands.

To view the National Indigenous Times article Largest remote housing investment in Northern Territory signed at Milikapiti on the Tiwi Islands in full click here.

Selena Uibo, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Marion Scrymgour MP (centre three) with locals in Milikapiti

Selena Uibo, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Marion Scrymgour MP (centre three) with locals in Milikapiti. Image source: National Indigenous Times.

Ensuring Ballarat kids are ready for school

The Albanese Government is helping First Nations children get the best start in life, expanding the successful Connected Beginnings program to Ballarat with $1.8m provided to the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BDAC).

The program connects First Nations children aged 0–5 with a range of early childhood health, education, and family support services – helping children meet the learning and development milestones necessary to achieve a positive transition to school. The new site in Ballarat, being delivered in partnership with BADAC, will support about 350 First Nations children in the local area.

The Government partners with SNAICC National Voice for our Children and the NACCHO to deliver the Connected Beginnings program, a community-led project achiving results for about 16,500 First Nations children across Australia. The funding for the new Ballarat site is part of an $81.8m investment to expand the program to 50 sites across the Country. Once all 50 sites are established the program has the potential to support up to 20% of all First Nations children aged 0-5.

You can learn more about the Connected Beginnings program on the Australian Government Department of Education website here and by watching the SNAICC video by clicking this link.

To view the joint media release Ensuring First Nations children in Ballarat are school ready in full click here. 

Screenshot of video from SNAICC about the Connected Beginnings program

Screenshot of video from SNAICC about the Connected Beginnings program. Image source: SNAICC website.

Interventions show promise to prevent elder abuse

To mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on 15 June 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) released an interactive database of 89 interventions that show promise to prevent and respond to the abuse of older people, also known as elder abuse. This database is the first product of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing’s Intervention Accelerator initiative on abuse of older people. The Intervention Accelerator is an international network of experts, led by WHO, working to develop a portfolio of effective approaches to address the abuse of older people.

Abuse of older people is widespread, with around 1 in 6 people aged 60 years and above in the community experiencing some form of abuse every year. Abuse of older people can have serious consequences for healthcare and wellbeing, including earlier death, physical injuries, depression, cognitive decline and poverty. However, until recently experts agreed there were no interventions scientifically proven to work to prevent and respond to abuse of older people, which may contribute to the under-prioritisation of the issue globally.

“WHO’s new database is a critical first step towards developing and scaling up cost-effective solutions to address abuse of older people, which has been highlighted as one of five priorities to tackle the issue during the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021–2030,” said Dr Etienne Krug, Director of the Department of Social Determinants of Health, WHO. “It is high time to do more as a global community to address this neglected but seriously harmful problem. I encourage all stakeholders committed to ending the abuse of older people to use and build on this evidence-based tool.”

To view the Healthcare Channel article New database aims to accelerate global action against elder abuse in full click here.

NT Aboriginal Health Forum marks 100th meeting

The NT Aboriginal Health Forum (NTAHF) marked its 100th meeting on Wednesday (19 June 2024), covering a span of 26 years. The Forum is the main collaborative Aboriginal health planning partnership between government and ACCHOs in the NT.

Aboriginal man from Derby and Forum chairperson Rob McPhee said the NTAHF has shown over 26 years that collaboration between the government and the Aboriginal community can achieve significant results. “Over more than a quarter of a century, the NTAHF has demonstrated what can be achieved when government and the Aboriginal community sit down in a spirit of collaboration and respect to make decisions together,” he said.

Mr McPhee highlighted key successes of the Forum, including increased primary health care funds through better Medicare access for Aboriginal people, equitable distribution of resources via funding allocation formulas, agreement on core functions of primary health care, development of NT Aboriginal Health KPIs to monitor service delivery, and supporting the transition of government-run primary health care services to Aboriginal community control. “Through these actions, the Forum played a key role in improving the health outcomes of our people over the last two decades,” Mr McPhee said.

To view the National Indigenous Times article Northern Territory Aboriginal Health Forum celebrates 100th meeting milestone in full click here.

NT Aboriginal Health Forum NTAHF 100th meeting group

Northern Territory Aboriginal Health Forum NTAHF 100th meeting group. Image source: National Indigenous Times.

Why you may be asked to draw a clock

You may be asked to draw a clock upon admission to a hospital as part of a cognitive assessment. A cognitive assessment is conducted to help health professionals determine any changes in multiple mental abilities, including learning, thinking, reasoning, remembering, problem-solving, decision-making and attention span. This screening process can help to determine whether a person has started to experience delirium or dementia.

Approximately 10 – 18% of Australians aged 65 years or older have delirium at the time of admission to hospital and a further two to eight percent develop delirium during their hospital stay. People experiencing delirium may show signs of confusion, uncertainty, inattention, distress or psychosis. A person may experience delirium for a few days and be asked to take the clock-drawing test throughout their hospital stay to see if their score improves and rule out underlying conditions.

For First Nations people the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment was specifically designed as an alternative cognitive assessment to assist health professionals.

To view the Aged Care Guide article Why you may be asked to ‘draw a clock’ at the hospital in full click here.

Warning as flu cases surge

Authorities have warned serious cases of the flu have jumped 33% across NSW, leaving an increasing number of people sick in emergency rooms. The number of influenza cases and presentations in hospitals rose within the span of a week, according to the latest NSW Health Respiratory Surveillance Report.

The increasing flu activity is not only concerning, it is expected to worsen in the coming weeks, NSW Health director of health protection Dr Jeremy McAnulty said. “Influenza is more serious than the common cold,” he said. “It can cause pneumonia, make chronic underlying medical conditions like diabetes, lung and heart disease much worse requiring hospital admission and causing death. Complications can occur in anyone but are most likely in those at higher risk of severe illness.”

The state’s health authority has urged everyone to get vaccinated – especially those at a greater risk of severe disease. People most at risk are eligible for free vaccinations and include those over the age of 65, children aged between six months and five, Indigenous people from six months of age, pregnant women and people with serious health conditions like diabetes, cancer, immune disorders and severe asthma. “Vaccination is the best protection against infection and severe disease,” McAnulty said. “By getting vaccinated you also help protect those around you.”

To view the 9 News article Warning as surging flu cases, hospital visits squeeze NSW health system in full click here.

hospital ward

Photo: Kate Geraghty. Image source: 9 News.

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.

18 June 2024

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.

$200 Million Boost for Aged Care Services

The Albanese Government is investing $200 million in infrastructure grants to support residential aged care services in regional, rural and remote locations. The choice to enter residential aged care shouldn’t mean a choice to leave your community.

The government’s $200m funding package, in addition to $135 million recently awarded under Round 1, will improve access to quality aged care in small rural towns and remote communities, including for older First Nations people.

This $200 million will allow successful applicants to build new facilities as well as upgrade existing infrastructure. Funding under the Aged Care Capital Assistance Program supports the basic rights of all older people in Australia to have access to safe and high-quality aged care services regardless of where they live.

For this round eligibility has been expanded to include all regional areas (MM 2-7) with grants also available to help providers build and improve services for First Nations communities in any location, including major cities.

Grant information, including eligibility requirements are on GrantConnect.

Image source: iStock.

Carbal Medical Services, Jannah De-Bressac enhances immunisation support for First Nations Communities

Carbal Medical Services is proud to announce that Jannah De-Bressac, Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP) at Carbal Warwick, has successfully completed the First Nations Immunisation Course. With a dedicated service spanning five years, including 3.5 years as an Aboriginal Health Worker (AHW) and 1.5 years as an AHP, Jannah brings a wealth of experience and cultural insight to her role. Jannah is the first AHP in Queensland to have obtained this competency.

The completion of the First Nations Immunisation Course will significantly benefit Jannah’s practice by enabling her to provide robust support to the nursing staff. Leveraging her established relationships with the local community, Jannah will discuss vaccination benefits, importance, side effects, and concerns with families. She will also provide necessary resources to alleviate any apprehensions regarding immunisations.

Jannah’s familiarity and long-term engagement with the community play a crucial role in building trust.

“Having a familiar face to discuss concerns is invaluable. Over the years, I have built strong relationships, and having the time to discuss immunisations, address concerns, and explain vaccination benefits in a safe and culturally sensitive environment is vital,” says Jannah.

She emphasizes the importance of clear communication, free from jargon, particularly when discussing catch-up schedules. Jannah strongly advocates for the inclusion of the First Nations Immunisation Course in all AHW and AHP training programs.

“It is a great asset to any Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) clinic and to the health workers. I am now confident in discussing the benefits of vaccination and the process of vaccine creation with the community.”

Expressing her enthusiasm, Jannah stated, “I am excited to have completed the First Nations Immunisation Course because I can now confidently assist in the clinic. I am well-equipped to talk to parents, carers, and patients about vaccinations, their benefits, and to address any concerns they may have. The course has provided me with the tools to alleviate those concerns effectively.”

Jannah highlights the course’s family-friendly e-Learning approach and the strong support system it offers.

“The course allowed time for family, which is very important to me. The support was excellent, with prompt replies to any questions I had. It was interesting, and I learned a lot of new skills and information while having fun. I highly recommend it!”

For more information on Carbal Medical Services and the initiatives undertaken to support First Nations health, please go here.

Carbal Medical Services, Jannah De-Bressac successfully completed the First Nations Immunisation Course. Image source: Carbal Medical Services.

Raising awareness of blood borne viruses

The WA Department of Health has launched an advertising campaign to raise awareness of blood-borne viruses (BBVs), and the importance of BBV prevention among Aboriginal people aged 16-39 years. Blood-borne viruses – such as hepatitis B (Healthy WA), hepatitis C (Healthy WA) and HIV (Healthy WA) – are transmitted by blood, and hepatitis B and HIV can also be transmitted through sexual activity (sexual transmission of hepatitis C is also possible if blood is present). The campaign was developed in consultation with Aboriginal health workers and leaders from regional and metropolitan areas and community-based organisations including a peer organisation for people who inject drugs. Interviews with Aboriginal people in WA that have a lived experience of hepatitis C and HIV also shaped the campaign development.

People with blood-borne viruses often look and feel healthy, so encouraging people at risk to get tested is a key factor in addressing blood-borne viruses. Hepatitis C notifications are disproportionally high in the Aboriginal population. In WA, hepatitis C notifications in Aboriginal people are 13-times higher than reported among non-Aboriginal people. Injecting drug use also contributes to a proportion of newly diagnosed HIV infections in WA.

Testing is crucial as a range of treatments are now making it possible for people with blood-borne viruses to continue to live long and healthy lives. Treatments are now available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. A cure is now possible for 95% of people with chronic hepatitis C. Highly effective treatments are also available for people living with HIV.

Encourage your community to get tested for blood-borne viruses.

To learn more about the campaign, go here.

WA Department of Health Look After Your Blood campaign tile.

Aspiring doctor wants more “familiar faces” in health

From bandaging up mannequins at the local TAFE, to studying medicine at the University of Western Australia, Kahlie Lockyer has always wanted to make a difference. The Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Yawuru and Nyulnyul woman from Port Hedland grew up travelling to remote communities with her mother, a nurse who taught first aid and health courses to First Nations people. Her mum was her first inspiration.

“She really wanted to make a difference,” Ms Lockyer told AAP.

“Trying to help educate our people as well … I guess it was her way of doing her part to close the gap in Indigenous health.”

But it was when the accomplished 35-year-old artist had her second son, who was born with congenital complications, that she was propelled into the world of medicine.

“I knew what it felt like being an Indigenous mother and not having an understanding of what was going on with my boy, and coming up against a lot of racism,” she said.

“Some of the paediatricians we encountered were so amazing … I thought, we need more paediatricians that can provide the health care that our people need.”

Ms Lockyer is in her third year of medical school and after receiving the AMA Indigenous Medical Scholarship to help with her studies said she feels empowered and excited for the future.

Getting through university has had its challenges but Ms Lockyer has loved her studies and she knows how important it is to have more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in the health sector.

“If an Indigenous person can get the care from someone who has the same understanding of how things are different for us and be a familiar face, it could give them more trust in the healthcare system,” she said.

To read the full article, go here.

Artist Kahlie Lockyer (centre) is the latest recipient of the AMA Indigenous Medical Scholarship. (Image: HANDOUT/AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION).

Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation (KBHAC) bus visit to Winnunga

Julie Tongs, CEO of Winnunga Nimmityjha was pleased and honoured to welcome the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation (KBHAC) to Winnunga Nimmityjah last month. KBHAC is a Stolen Generations Survivor led organisation which was established by the survivors of Kinchela Boys Home.

The Home was run by the NSW Government for over 50 years to assimilate Aboriginal boys who, in their words, were kidnapped from their families. KBHAC was represented during the visit by three Kinchela “boys, notably Uncles Roger Jarrett, Richard Campbell and Willy Nixon, each of whom had spent their childhoods, in the 1950’s and 60’s at the Kinchela Boys Home after being forcefully removed, or in their words “kidnapped”, from their families. The “boys” were accompanied on the visit to Winnunga Nimmityjah by Aunty Lesley.

Before addressing staff a heartbreaking film, produced by KBHAC and which focussed on life at the Kinchela boys home, highlighted the inhuman and heartless treatment and abuse endured by the boys detained at the “home”.

KBHAC has developed a wide range of programs and services aimed at addressing the reconstruction of identity, restoration of family structures and improving social inclusion in the community. They also provide a range of services focussed on supporting Stolen Generations survivors and their descendants.

To read the full story, go here.

Shannan Dodson, Uncle Roger Jarrett, Julie Tongs, Uncle Willy Nixon, Aunty Lesley and Uncle Richard Campbell. Image source: Winnunga Nimmityjha.

Path to healthcare advocacy

In Yarrabah, Charanti Andrews found her calling at home. Her close-knit family, especially her grandfather, played a pivotal role. After he suffered a stroke in 2019, Ms Andrews cared for him during his rehabilitation. Once he recovered, she focused on her two younger nephews, both diagnosed with ADHD, and one also with autism, dedicating time to helping them manage their challenges. These experiences clarified her purpose: to make a meaningful impact in healthcare and transform lives with compassion.

Ms Andrews was fortunate to have supportive parents who valued hard work and resilience. Her mum, the CEO of the local health service, and her dad, the Mayor of Yarrabah, inspired her through their leadership. With their encouragement, Ms Andrews applied for and was accepted into the Cape York Leaders Program, securing a scholarship to attend one of Queensland’s top boarding high schools.

Joining the University of Queensland’s Health Science Camp, her passion for health sciences was clear, but the opportunity to explore disciplines like occupational therapy, nursing, dentistry, psychology, midwifery, and pathology provided the clarity she needed.

“I liked being surrounded by other Indigenous kids who have a passion for health, and I really enjoyed visiting the Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation Centre,” Ms Andrews said.

“I love interacting with people with sensory disabilities. It just makes me happy.”

She has now completed Year 12 and has started turning her dream into a reality after enrolling in a Bachelor of Public Health at The Queensland University of Technology.

To read the full National Indigenous Times article, go here.

Charanti Andrews’ shift from family caregiving to healthcare advocacy shows her commitment to compassionate change. (Image: Cape York Partnership).

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.

4 June 2024

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.

ACCHOs, how many screening kits can you issue this Bowel Cancer Awareness Month?

Bowel cancer is a preventable cancer and if caught early it can be successfully treated in more than 90% of cases. We know that more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating in bowel cancer screening means that more cancers will be prevented or detected early, and more lives will be saved.

June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. ACCHO’s can issue bowel cancer screening kits direct to community. To make sure your ACCHO has enough kits on hand for Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, issue kits through the Healthcare Provider Portal. There is a prize up for grabs for the ACCHO who can issue the highest number of kits in June.

For more information on bowel cancer screening, go here.

Prize up for grabs for the ACCHO who can issue the highest number of kits in June.

Billy goes to BRAMS children’s book launches in Broome

The story of a young boy who visits Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (BRAMS) for a health check has been launched in a new children’s book, Billy goes to BRAMS. Children and parents gathered at Broome Public Library on May 29 for the official book reading by BRAMS Kids Club educators Maxine Briggs and Kiara Malcolm, with early education worker Mystique Dia facilitating the event. Written by Melanie Prewitt and illustrated by Maggie Prewitt, the book is the first resource developed for the BRAMS Kids Club, a membership-based program that gives children access to free activities and giveaways.

After the engaging storytelling and vibrant illustrations, children were taught about the importance of healthy habits and health checks, including demonstrations of how to brush their teeth. BRAMS health promotion co-ordinator Liz Bakowski said the book has had a “great response” from the community so far. It aims to engage children about regular health checks even when people look and feel well.

“Health checks can pick up on small problems before they become big ones,” sh­­­­­e said.

“Healthy kids are more likely to be healthy teenagers and adults. This book is so important to build a good relationship between children and BRAMS now and into their future.”

Those who wish to be a member of the BRAMS Kids Club can sign up here and can get their own copy of Billy goes to BRAMS.

Read the Broome Advertiser article here.

BRAMS Kids Club educators Maxine Briggs and Kiara Malcolm at the Billy goes to BRAMS book launch.

Free online smoking and vaping cessation group program for women

Which Way? have officially launched a new online group smoking and vaping cessation platform developed for and by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Over six weeks, Which Way? Will provide women with resources and information, answering questions they might have and support connection through the quitting journey. Women can do this from their phone, computer or tablet at any time that suits them.

The program is open for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman over 16 years old, pregnant, or planning to be, who love in NSW and want to quit smoking. Before joining, they will be asked to consent to the research component of this work.

Once women register, the Which Way team will send a text message with the details of how to access the Women’s Group page.

Registrations are open until June 14. For more information and to register, go here.

First Nations truth telling project

NSW leading health LGBTQIA+ organisation ACON has launched a First Nations Listening and Truth Telling Project to improve its ongoing commitment to reconciliation and the promotion of health equity for LGBTQ+SB* Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Launched last week as part of National Reconciliation Week 2024, ACON is reflecting on its history as well as its role in the reconciliation process and the actions needed to increase our efforts to further this objective.

“As an organisation, we are dedicated to creating opportunities for all people in our communities to live their healthiest lives, which includes LGBTQ+SB Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill AM said.

“We stand firmly by the ideals of self-determination for First Nations people, ensuring our programs and interventions are guided by those they are intended to serve.”

“To amplify First Nation voices within our organisation, and to improve our capacity to address the unique challenges these communities face, ACON is launching a Listening and Truth Telling process. This initiative aims to create a culture of meaningful listening within the organisation, to ensure that the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are amplified, and their needs are more effectively prioritised.”

The objectives of the Project are to strengthen dialogue, inform program development, guide strategic health outcomes, and identify how ACON’s role in addressing issues affecting First Nations LGBTQ+SB people can be improved.

To learn more, go here.

Photo: Ann-Marie Calilhanna.

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.

RSV Awareness Week – 4-10 June

RSV Awareness Week is from June 4 to June 10, and aims to shine a spotlight on an unpredictable and potentially dangerous virus that puts thousands of infants in hospital each year and can cause serious long-term health issues.

In an Australian first, WA infants under eight months old are being offered immunisation as part of a state government-funded program expected to prevent about 700 infant hospitalisations from the highly communicable virus, which infects more than 65%of all infants in their first year of life.

Since the program started in April, more than 8,361 infants in the state have had a dose of RSV immunisation.

The program launched as more than 100 cases of RSV were recorded in the Kimberley for the month of April, compared to the monthly average of about 20 to 30.

Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia Public Health Medical Officer Dr Caitlyn White said recorded RSV cases and hospitalisations for the state were higher already this year than at this time in 2023, indicating the start of a big RSV season.

She urged parents across WA to immunise their young babies, whose smaller airways make them more likely to have a serious outcome following an RSV infection – including potential hospitalisation and an increased risk of developing childhood asthma.

“Every year RSV hospitalises around 1,000 babies in WA, with Aboriginal infants being hospitalised at higher rates than non-Indigenous children,” Dr White said.

“Now is the time to visit your local AMS and get your young infants immunised.”

One dose of nirsevimab, given via injection, protects infants for at least five months, covering them for the duration of an average RSV season, which is typically May through to September. For every 25 infants who receive nirsevimab, one RSV-related hospitalisation is prevented.

All Aboriginal babies born on or after 1 October 2022 are eligible for RSV immunisation at GP practices, Community Health Clinics and Aboriginal Medical Services that provide childhood immunisations.

For more information, go here.

Image source: Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia.