Category Racism and Aboriginal Health

NACCHO Sector News: 7 November 2025

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News

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.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – a widespread but under-recognised condition

As World COPD Day approaches on 19 November, there is growing concern that many Western Australians may be living with undiagnosed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD); one of the state’s most under-recognised respiratory health challenges – which is 2.2 times more likely to impact Indigenous people.

Nationally, about 638,000 Australians – 2.5 per cent of the population – were estimated to be living with COPD in 2022.

For First Nations people, self-reported prevalence was more than five per cent, making them about 2.2 times more likely to report COPD than non-Indigenous Australians.

In Western Australia, Respiratory Care WA is working together with Arche Health via the Wangen Murduin Integrated Team Care (ITC) Program, providing culturally safe outreach and lung-function screening for First Nations people.

Read the full article.

Melanie and Geoffrey. Image: RCWA.

Melanie and Geoffrey. Image: RCWA.

Mparntwe Culture Care Connect Team wins Award for Excellence in Indigenous Healthcare

Content warning: this article contains reference to suicide. Please refer to the services at the bottom of this article for support.

The Culture Care Connect Suicide Prevention Team was awarded the 2025 Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healthcare Award at the National Rural and Remote Health Awards held in Canberra on Wednesday night.

The CCC team, based at the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress in Mparntwe / Alice Springs, is an all-Aboriginal, trauma-informed aftercare service supporting individuals, families, and communities across remote regions surrounding Mparntwe. Their work focuses on providing culturally safe, holistic support following suicide attempts, suicidal distress, or deaths by suicide.

CCC team member Wayne Clarke said he believes the CCC’s “strength is that we’re all Indigenous, and we make sure the space is culturally safe”.

Read the full article.

If this article brought up anything for you or someone you love, please reach out to, call or visit the resources listed below for support.

Awards host Junior Medical Officer, Dr Pip Kensit, with Rachel Abbott and Sheena Abbott from the Culture Care Connect Suicide Prevention Team.

Awards host Junior Medical Officer, Dr Pip Kensit, with Rachel Abbott and Sheena Abbott from the Culture Care Connect Suicide Prevention Team. Image: supplied.

Minungka makes a difference in mental health

A proud Anangu Yankunytjatjara man originally from the Northern Territory and South Australia, Minungka is currently completing a Certificate IV in Mental Health (CHC43315) and undertaking his placement with Murri Watch.

Murri Watch is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisation that provides crisis intervention and support services across Meanjin, Brisbane.

Drawing on his culture and lived experience to support others on their mental health journey, he has already set his sights on enrolling in the Diploma of Mental Health (CHC53315) in 2026, continuing his journey to help others heal – just as he has.

“Sadly, a lot of my own family has faced Mental Health challenges as part of the Stolen Generations,” Minungka said.

“I’ve dealt with Intergenerational trauma and had to do a lot of healing myself. Now that I’m in a stronger and more resilient place, I want to use what I’ve learned to support others – especially my Aboriginal brothers and sisters – who are still finding their way through tough times.”

Read the full article.

Minungka makes a difference in mental health _ TAFE Queensland

Minungka makes a difference in mental health _ TAFE Queensland

Indigenous leadership for lived experience centre

For the first time, First Nations people will have their own organisation dedicated to ensuring their voices are heard in designing and delivering culturally appropriate mental health and suicide prevention services.

From October, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Centre (ILEC) will become an independent, self-determined organisation led by First Nations people.

The transition to become the Indigenous Australian Lived Experience Centre (IALEC) marks a significant milestone in the journey toward self-determination and culturally appropriate services.

The IALEC will continue to elevate the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with lived and living experience of mental ill health. This will ensure their expertise informs the design and delivery of trauma-informed, community-led care and programs.

Since 2022, the Albanese Government has invested $10.3 million to support the centre’s work, recognising its vital role in improving outcomes for First Nations communitie

Read the full Media release.

Standing together for equity in emergency care

The Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA), the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) have united to make a stand for equity in healthcare.

We support St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne Chief Executive Nicole Tweddle’s statement reaffirming the hospital’s commitment to prioritising triage for all First Nations patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED).

St Vincent’s Hospital’s innovative policy and health strategy has successfully reduced the wait time gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients, with no adverse impact on the treatment of patients with serious or life-threatening conditions. This policy is evidence-based, drawing on data analysis showing Indigenous patients had on average three times longer ‘wait to be seen’ times and three times higher leave events than their non-Indigenous cohort.

Read the full article

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.

 

Email us your story with some images to: NACCHOCommunicationsandMedia@naccho.org.au and we will feature it in the news.

Email us your story with some images to: NACCHOCommunicationsandMedia@naccho.org.au
and we will feature it in the news.

NACCHO Sector News: 9 October 2025

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News

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.

Cheaper groceries continue to reach remote NT communities under federal subsidy scheme

More than 50 remote stores across the Northern Territory now have access to cheaper groceries under the federal government’s Low-Cost Essentials Subsidy Scheme.

The initiative, announced last month, has now enrolled 100 remote community stores across Australia. It reduces the cost of 30 staple items — including fresh and canned produce, nappies, and toilet paper — helping to bring prices closer to those in cities.

According to the government, communities such as Croker Island in the north, Aputula in the south, and Atitjere in the east are among those benefiting from lower grocery prices, with remote consumers saving up to 50 per cent on these essentials.

The scheme is overseen by the National Indigenous Australians Agency and implemented by Outback Stores, a not-for-profit Commonwealth company.

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, said the federal government had promised cost-of-living relief, “and that’s exactly what we’re delivering in remote communities across the Northern Territory”.

Read the full article.

Malarndirri McCarthy (left) and Marion Scrymgour.

Malarndirri McCarthy (left) and Marion Scrymgour.

Supporting families through stillbirth and miscarriage

The Albanese Government has provided $3.2 million over four years to Red Nose Australia to deliver the ‘Healing Through Community’ project, supporting families through stillbirth and miscarriage.

Each year in Australia, more than 110,000 families experience the heartbreak of stillbirth or miscarriage.

Healing Through Community resources support stillbirth and miscarriage bereavement care services for First Nations families, multicultural families, refugee and migrant communities, women and families living in rural and remote areas, and women younger than 20 years.

While any pregnancy can result in stillbirth or miscarriage, rates remain high for women from these communities.

The project was co-designed with health professionals and communities to ensure culturally safe and practical resources. It provides referral pathways for women, tools for local and national support, and powerful video stories from people with lived experience. These resources validate grief, amplify community voices, reduce stigma, and support training and awareness for the health workforce.

Read the full article.

High Mental Health Burden in Indigenous Young People

A recent Headspace survey found that 59 per cent of First Nations young people (aged 12-25) reported ‘high or very high’ psychological distress. Experts and those with lived experience were not surprised, attributing the confronting statistic to generational trauma, the ongoing impacts of colonisation, and systemic factors like racism, climate anxiety, and food insecurity.

Wiradjuri person Ley Laupama called the severe distress rate “believable,” given the struggles faced by their community. Despite the high levels of distress, Headspace noted an encouraging trend: more young people are actively seeking mental health support. The organisation is focusing on providing culturally safe and effective environments to meet this growing demand.

Read the full article.

Image: Headspace.

Image: Headspace.

‘A substantial new direction’: Construction of Aboriginal Child and Family Centre begins

Aboriginal families in Western New South Wales will soon have increased access to early learning and health screening after construction began on a new Aboriginal Child and Family Centre in Broken Hill.

The project is being delivered in partnership with the local Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation, which was awarded the contract following a competitive open tender process.

Designed to provide integrated, culturally appropriate and needs-based services for Aboriginal families and children, the NSW Government said Aboriginal Child and Family Centres (ACFC) also operate as community hubs, providing universal early learning services for all families, alongside dedicated health and community spaces.

Maari Ma CEO, Richard Weston, said the Centre will support Aboriginal families in the Broken Hill region.

“Maari Ma is proud to be in partnership with the Department of Communities and Justice in the establishment of a new Aboriginal Child and Family Centre in Broken Hill—a major new initiative launched in our 30th anniversary year,” Mr Weston said.

“The centre will provide a culturally grounded space focused on early childhood education, development and family wellbeing.

“This is a substantial new direction for Maari Ma, and one that goes to the heart of our purpose—supporting the growth and development of Aboriginal children and their families.”

Read the full article.

Broken Hill City Council Mayor Tom Kennedy, NSW Member for Barwon Roy Butler, Maari Ma CEO Richard Weston and NSW Minister for Families and Communities, and Minister for Disability Inclusion, Kate Washington.

Broken Hill City Council Mayor Tom Kennedy, NSW Member for Barwon Roy Butler, Maari Ma CEO Richard Weston and NSW Minister for Families and Communities, and Minister for Disability Inclusion, Kate Washington. (Image: Roy Butler MP/Facebook)

 

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.

 

Email us your story with some images to: NACCHOCommunicationsandMedia@naccho.org.au and we will feature it in the news.

Email us your story with some images to: NACCHOCommunicationsandMedia@naccho.org.au
and we will feature it in the news.

NACCHO Sector News: 7 October 2025

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News

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.

CSIRO report highlights need for First Nations-led approach to AI in healthcare

Scientists from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, together with First Nations partner organisations, have found that artificial intelligence (AI) has potential to improve healthcare in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. However, its safe and effective use must be guided by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and knowledges.

Aboriginal man from Iningai Country in Western Queensland and CSIRO Research Scientist and lead author Dr Andrew Goodman said current frameworks for AI development and application tended to be overly general and insufficiently detailed in relation to cultural diversity.

“In Australia, this has resulted in a gap in understanding of how AI can serve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” Dr Goodman said.

The Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare in Australian First Nations Communities: Scoping Project to Explore Relevance addresses this gap. The scoping project engaged 53 leaders, clinicians, researchers, and health service providers across four workshops between 2023 and 2025.

“Although these are early findings, this report provides a critical starting point for how to build responsible AI systems in technology such as apps and data collection to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare outcomes,” said Dr Goodman.

The consultations identified three critical priorities for responsible AI use in First Nations health:

  • Building AI health literacy and cultural appropriateness by ensuring communities understand how AI works, what data it uses, and how it can support day-to-day care.
  • Protecting First Nations data sovereignty by guaranteeing that health data is held, governed, and used under the custodianship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.
  • Supporting self-determination by placing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations at the centre of AI design, implementation, and oversight.
  • These findings underscore the importance of embedding cultural knowledge in the design of AI systems.

Read the full article.

Family support service to keep Mid West and Gascoyne children safe at home

A vital service aimed at keeping children safe and reducing the number of WA youth entering out-of-home care is changing hands.

The Intensive Family Support Service, funded by the Department of Communities, will soon be delivered by MercyCare in partnership with Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Aboriginal Corporation.

The program, which will slowly be rolled out from October 20, will offer in-home, practical help to families facing significant challenges, including poverty, housing instability and limited access to services.

Under the initiative, up to 45 families in Geraldton, Carnarvon, Meekatharra and nearby towns will receive intensive support each year over the next five years.

MercyCare’s general manager of youth, wellbeing and accommodation services Suzanne Caren said the program was designed to address the unique pressures affecting regional families in WA.

“Many families here are navigating remote living, housing shortages, unemployment and limited access to childcare and essential services,” she said.

“These challenges don’t just affect parents, they directly impact children’s safety, wellbeing and development. Without the right support, families can become isolated and overwhelmed and that’s when children are most at-risk of entering care.”

Read the full article

Suzanne Caren is MercyCare's general manager of youth, wellbeing and accommodation.

Suzanne Caren is MercyCare’s general manager of youth, wellbeing and accommodation. Credit: Jessica Antoniou/Kalgoorlie Miner

Racism a major issue in healthcare: RACGP Health of the Nation

Almost one third of GPs witnessed racism towards patients in the health system in the past year, according to the RACGP’s 2025 Health of the Nation report.

The nationwide survey of more than 2400 RACGP members also found that around two in 10 GPs personally experienced racism from a patient within their practice during that time, while one in 10 personally experienced racism from a colleague.

RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said these figures, along with separate statistics showing 30% of GPs have observed racism towards patients in the broader health system, are symptoms of a larger systemic issue.

“Racism in the health system is an issue that affects healthcare workers and patients alike. It is not something we can ignore, and it is certainly not something that will fix itself,” he said.

“These findings make it very clear that both action and resources are needed to tackle systemic racism in the health system, including general practice.

“The message is unmistakeable: Racism is bad for people’s health, and patients and GPs must be protected from it.”

Dr Wright said the RACGP has taken steps to address racism, such as implementing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural and health training framework to support culturally safe care, but called for wider action to eliminate racism across the health system.

Read the full article.

$5.5million First Nations Heritage Grants Program funds cultural preservation

A program designed to transfer knowledge from elders to younger generations and document cultural sites in the Kimberley has received a $200,000 funding boost.

The Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation, located in the far north Kimberley, will use the grant from the State Government’s First Nations Heritage Grants Program to conduct cultural workshops and document significant cultural sites across the Wunambal Gaambera Country.

This vast region covers 2.5 million hectares of land (graa) and sea (wundaagu) and is part of the Uunguu Indigenous Protected Area, a Category VI IUCN Managed Resource Area, which is declared and managed by the Wunambal Gaambera people.

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, said the funding highlighted the Government’s commitment to recognising and preserving the cultural importance of First Nations sites across the nation.

“The Albanese Government is dedicated to enhancing the recognition of First Nations cultural heritage at World and National Heritage-listed places,” she said.

“Our country is rich in natural and culturally significant sites that are crucial for First Nations peoples. These locations need protection, and we are proud to work alongside Traditional Owners to ensure this happens.”

Read the full article.

Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation, Uunguu Rangers completed a week of mapping and monitoring balguja (dugong) and jala (seagrass) in the Uunguu Indigenous Protected Area.

Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation, Uunguu Rangers completed a week of mapping and monitoring balguja (dugong) and jala (seagrass) in the Uunguu Indigenous Protected Area. Credit: Supplied by Wunambal Gaambera

 

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.

 

Email us your story with some images to: NACCHOCommunicationsandMedia@naccho.org.au and we will feature it in the news.

Email us your story with some images to: NACCHOCommunicationsandMedia@naccho.org.au
and we will feature it in the news.

NACCHO Sector News: 2 April 2025

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.

Closing the Gap Assembly

This week, more than 150 leaders from across the country have come together to strengthen our collective efforts to Close the Gap.

Yesterday’s discussions were honest and powerful — shining a light on what’s working, and what still isn’t, when it comes to how governments and mainstream institutions engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Because the gap we’re trying to close isn’t just about life outcomes — it’s also about the distance between systems and communities. A gap between the way governments operate and what our communities actually need.

That gap needs attention too.

Learn more here.

Have your voice heard by filling out a 10-minute survey or making a submission by 16 April, here.

Dr Dawn Casey, NACCHO Deputy CEO. Image source: Coalition of Peaks.

First Nations-led campaign promotes self-collection cervical screening

Australia has launched its first national cervical screening campaign in over two decades, aiming to increase participation rates with a new self-collection testing option.

The “Own It” campaign encourages individuals to take their own swab, providing a private and accessible alternative to traditional clinician-collected tests. With $10.2 million in funding, the initiative targets under-screened communities and will run across television, radio, and online platforms.

Dr. Dawn Casey, Deputy CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), emphasised the significance of the campaign for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

“I think it’s really important to have culturally appropriate campaigns,”

“The work that Dr. Lisa Whop did on cervical cancer and self-testing was really important, and this campaign builds on that. It strongly promotes self-collection and addresses concerns around privacy and comfort,” she said.

Read the full article here.

Racism in healthcare is unacceptable says RACGP

The Royal Australian College of GPs has outlined commitments to step towards eliminating racism in Australia’s healthcare system in a new position released today on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

“We recognise the unique challenges and discrimination faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their leadership in efforts to eliminate racism, and that truth telling is a fundamental step in eliminating racism…” said RACGP President Dr Michael Wright.

“The RACGP’s updated position on racism outlines our commitments to address it, including implementing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural and Health Training Framework, which embeds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values and ways of being and doing in GP education and training across Australia.”

RACGP Board Chair Dr Sian Goodson said racism is an urgent national health priority.

”… I also note our important and longstanding partnership with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO). Together, we jointly advocate for a culturally safe and accessible healthcare system that is free from racism, and develop key recourses, including the the NACCHO-RACGP National guide to preventive healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people which includes a chapter on the health impacts of racism.”

Read the media release in full here.

NACCHO and RACGP launching the ‘National Guide to preventative healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – fourth edition’ at the 2024 NACCHO Members’ Conference

New Good Medicine Better Health module: Talk, Test, Protect

Complete the latest Good Medicine Better Health module to gain a better understanding of gonorrhoea – including testing, prevention and contact tracing.

The National Association of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Workers has endorsed the activity with 1 CPD hour.

Start learning today.

Interim findings highlight positive impact of AHCWA’s Social and Emotional Wellbeing Model of Service

A recent evaluation of Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia’s Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) Model of Service has highlighted positive impacts in supporting health outcomes for Aboriginal people and communities. This evaluation was undertaken by researchers Patricia Dudgeon, Rama Putu Agung-Igusti, and Emma Carlin from the School of Indigenous Studies University of WA and the University of WA, and Broome Rural Clinical School Division.

SEWB is a holistic concept encompassing the importance of connection to land, culture, spirituality, and ancestry, forming the foundation of physical and mental health for Aboriginal Australians. The Mental Health Commission funded AHCWA to undertake a three-year pilot project to support Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services across WA. The SEWB Model of Service has embedded each site with a team encompassing seven positions with cultural and clinical expertise.

Learn more here.

Image source: AHCWA

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.

Governance Workshops for ACCHOs

Register now for the NACCHO Governance Workshops 2025.

Sydney is up next on Tuesday 15 April and Wednesday 16 April. 

NACCHO’s Governance Workshops are designed for people working in member ACCHOs and run by legal and other experts in the field. 

The workshops cover: 

  • Principles of good governance.  
  • Managing conflicts of interest. 
  • Managing risk (e.g. contract execution, etc.). 
  • Delegation of powers. 
  • Finance for Boards. 
  • Structure and role of boards and sub-committees; and 
  • Governance documents. 

11 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.

NACCHO and Snow Foundation partner to tackle RHD

NACCHO and The Snow Foundation have announced their partnership to prevent acute rheumatic Fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The Snow Foundation’s grant of $1m will expand NACCHO’s ARF and RHD Prevention Program into more ACCHOs and their communities.

ARF and RHD are preventable diseases triggered by a bacterial streptococcal infection with lifelong impact. The effects are compounded by the ongoing effects of colonisation, poverty and inadequate access to comprehensive, culturally safe primary health care. A person diagnosed with either ARF or RHD requires lifelong care, including many years of preventive antibiotics and, sometimes, invasive cardiac surgery.

According to the latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report released in March 2024, Australia continues to record some of the highest rates of RHD globally. This disease disproportionately affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“As Australia’s peak community-controlled body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health and wellbeing, NACCHO acknowledges The Snow Foundation as one of the first in Australia to support community-controlled program design and delivery. We all have a part to play in closing the gap,” Dr Dawn Casey, Acting CEO of NACCHO said.

To view the media release NACCHO and The Snow Foundation partner to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to tackle rheumatic heart disease published by medianet. in full click here. 

Members of the NACCHO ARF & RHD Prevention Program Community of Practice, at their first national CoP and Echo Familiarisation session on Larrakia Country (Darwin) in June 2023

Members of the NACCHO ARF and RHD Prevention Program Community of Practice, at their first national CoP and Echo Familiarisation session on Larrakia Country (Darwin) in June 2023. Image source: medianet.

National Healthcare Identifiers Roadmap released

The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) has released its National Healthcare Identifiers Roadmap – a five-year plan to support the wider uptake of healthcare identifiers. Developed in conjunction with the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) and Services Australia, the Health Identifiers (HIs) Roadmap provides a framework for bringing in HIs — unique numbers used to identify individuals and are used by healthcare providers and healthcare organisations to connect the right information with the right person at the point of care – and a crucial part of progressing interoperability across the sector.

“Healthcare identifiers are the linchpin for safe, secure and seamless information sharing across the nation’s healthcare system in near real time,” said the ADHA’s chief digital officer Peter O’Halloran. “Increased adoption of the national healthcare identifiers will mean Australians will avoid having to retell their story as they move across the health system,” said Mr Cleverley.

Work is set to being on conducting analysis and engagement with ACCHOs and key stakeholders to work on developing and implementing a plan of identified data matching improvements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It will include investigation into possible design model(s) of interaction with the HI Service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that will ensure accurate and consistent identification, with trust and community at the centre.

To view The Medical Republic article Drive to healthcare identifiers begins with roadmap’s release in full click here. 

text 'START' in yellow on highway

Image source: The Medical Republic.

Consulting Elders delivers better mental health services

Aboriginal Elders in Perth are working with mainstream mental health service leaders to improve mental health services for their community. The Looking Forward research project has enabled mental health service providers in Perth and Nyoongar Elders to be active partners in a steady and sustained engagement process. In this part of the project, four elders worked with one mental health service leader for eight years to pass on this knowledge and transform the way his service treats Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers.

A recent research paper shows how Perth-based mental health services are now becoming more culturally informed and responsive, with Aboriginal people more likely to feel acknowledged, respected and safer when accessing services. The Elders stressed it was vital to work boss to boss, or biddiya to biddiya in Nyoongar language. Strong leadership is needed to ensure changes are embedded across all levels of services.

It is unrealistic to expect quick-fixes and rapid changes to the western medical model, which tends to function in a transactional and clinical way. There is limited scope and time for service providers to interact more personably, so consumers often feel unheard and alienated. For Aboriginal people in particular, the western medical model has done very little for them to feel culturally safe. Cultural safety requires an understanding of their specific needs, as well as the time and commitment of service providers to be respectful and responsive.

To view The Conversation article Mental health services that consult with Elders can deliver better care to Aboriginal people in full click here. 

Curfews have a long history of causing harm

When news about youth crime hits the headlines in the US, the response has often been to introduce curfews even though the evidence shows these are ineffective. The extent of youth crime is often greatly overstated in the US, especially by politicians, while less attention is paid to issues affecting at-risk children such as trauma, poverty and a criminal justice system that has been historically unfair.

In Australia Commissioners from the Australian Human Rights Commission has criticised the tough on crime rhetoric that is infecting Queensland election debate, and the controversial new laws introduced in the NT in May giving the Police Commissioner the power to declare snap, three-day curfews over areas of the NT in response to “public disorder”, which may be extended for a further seven days if the Police Minister approves.

Professor Thalia Anthony and Professor Juanita Sherwood, from the University of Technology Sydney have conducted a review of the colonial history of curfews and research about their contemporary use, and concluding the approach has “high risks for little proven gain”. Those most at risk include Aboriginal young people, people who are homeless, young people in the child protection system, and people with mental health and trauma needs.

To view the Croakey Health Media article Curfews have a long history of causing harm, and their use is not backed by evidence in full click here.

red alarm light

Photo: Pixabay. Image source: Croakey Health Media.

Leadership reflections, Mabo and beyond

In the 2023 Eddie Mabo Lecture recorded by James Cook University in Cairns on 16 May 2024 Yuin woman Ngiare Brown reflects on Indigenous leadership, and explores how we can create the right conditions for all Indigenous people to flourish, and to “leave a legacy that uplifts, enriches and empowers”.

Ngiare Brown, now the Chancellor of James Cook University, was one of Australia’s first Aboriginal medical graduates, and went on to become a senior leader in Indigenous health. N

To listen to the ABC Radio National Big Ideas podcast episode A reflection on Indigenous leadership, from Mabo and beyond click here.

ABC Radio National Big Ideas podcase banner with text 'A reflection on Indigenous leadership, Mabo and beyond'

Image source: ABC News website.

Caring for First Nations women facing violence

Family violence disproportionately affects First Nations women. In fact, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 33 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence than non-Indigenous women. Antoinette Braybrook AM has been working on the frontline of Indigenous women’s safety for more than two decades, and she has only seen the rate of male violence against women increase. Yet in her work with governments on coming up with solutions, she is still sidelined, excluded and shut out of important conversations.

“This is because what I have to say represents the real experiences of Aboriginal women and children and makes some people uncomfortable,” Braybrook said. “It’s also because what I have to say is about Aboriginal women leading and determining solutions for ourselves.”

Antoinette Braybrook is the CEO of Djirra, Victoria’s first specialty family violence legal service established, designed and led by and for Aboriginal women. Her organisation provides holistic care for First Nations women in Victoria who experience family, domestic and sexual violence. “All Djirra’s programs support Aboriginal women’s journey to safety and wellbeing,” Braybrook said.

“We identified a gap in support services in Victoria that rendered Aboriginal women invisible at a time when staying silent was often the safest option and where existing legal and other support services reinforced the paternalistic and racist practices of the past 200 years.” As family, domestic and sexual violence continues to have detrimental health impacts on Aboriginal women in Australia, Braybrook is committed to accessing more government funding and support – now more than ever. “Djirra means everything to me. It is in my blood, it is who I am,” Braybrook said.

To view the Women’s Agenda article Antoinette Braybrook’s fire is burning as bright as ever as she cares for First Nations women facing violence in full click here. 

Antoinette Braybrook

Antoinette Braybrook. Image source: Women’s Agenda.

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.

2 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.

MJA Special Issue in partnership with the Lowitja Institute: Centring Indigenous Knowledges

The Medical Journal of Australia’s ‘Special Issue in partnership with the Lowitja Institute: centring Indigenous knowledges’ has been timed to coincide with NAIDOC week — with the theme “Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud” — and recognises and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and excellence in health and medical research. This article is a collaboration between the MJA Editorial Team and the Guest Editors, where we jointly reflect on the thinking and processes behind this Special Issue.

Scholarly publishing sits at the core of issues of power, privilege, and the production of knowledge in health and medicine. As Australia’s national medical journal, the MJA plays important roles not only in knowledge dissemination, but also in defining, legitimising and validating what types of knowledge matter in health and medical research, practice and policy making. To date, the Journal predominantly operated from a biomedical perspective that has embedded colonial practices, norms and assumptions that produce and sustain inequalities in health and unjust outcomes for Indigenous Australians. This inaugural collaboration between the Lowitja Institute and the MJA stems from the recognition that currently “Indigenous health research in Australia is largely informed by non‐Indigenous world views, led by non‐Indigenous people, and undertaken in non‐Indigenous organisations.”

To read the Special Issue in partnership with the Lowitja Institute: centring Indigenous knowledges, go here.

Image source: The Medical Journal of Australia.

Implementing the cultural determinants of health: our knowledges and cultures in a health system that is not free of racism

In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health outcomes remain unjustifiably poor, with policy making requiring urgent reframing. Policies produced and implemented by policy makers and health care providers are being dominated by Western European Australian biomedical knowledge systems. If we are to reform a health system that is failing to reduce health inequities and is not free of racism, the cultural determinants of health (CDoH), which are the knowledges and cultures held and owned by Indigenous peoples, must be front and centre to transforming government services.

When designing, implementing and evaluating policies and services, power sharing, underpinned by doing things with, and not to, Indigenous people, is critical, while brokering systems change that guarantees:

  • privileging of Indigenous voices, control, direction and codesign;
  • leadership by and collaboration with Indigenous scholars and experts; and
  • greater self‐determination, decision making, governance and control by Indigenous Peoples, who are the disruptors, deconstructors and decolonisers of Western knowledge systems and cultures.

To read the full article in the Centering Indigenous Knowledges special edition, go here.

Image source: Shutterstock.

Coalition of Peaks invites community input on new partnership

The Coalition of Peaks has called for community input on a new partnership to grow employment, training and business opportunities.

“Have you had trouble getting a loan for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander-owned business? Do mainstream employment services meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander jobseekers?” – are just two of the questions the Coalition of Peaks, which represents more than 80 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled peak organisations, is asking through a series of online workshops, a survey, and a call for submissions.

The Coalition said the engagements, which end 7 July, will help shape a First Nations Economic Partnership, to which the federal government committed in September last year.

The survey asks people to identify priorities for the partnership and who should represent them, and is open to anyone who wants to respond.

First Nations Economic Partnership Working Group chair Jamie Lowe said the partnership would aim to improve economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“The partnership will focus on the strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities and organisations, supporting job creation and translating our knowledge, assets, and rights into sustainable benefits,” said Mr Lowe, who is also CEO of the National Native Title Council.

Coalition of Peaks lead convenor Catherine Liddle said shared-decision making was a cornerstone of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

“Formal partnerships between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander bodies on key policy areas such as this are one important avenue for shared-decision making,” said Ms Liddle, who is also chief executive of SNIACC – National Voice for Our Children.

“This is not another government-led inquiry, advisory body or consultation. Policy partnerships require governments to relinquish some power and come to decisions by consensus with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives.

“This new way of working ensures parties can regularly and directly meet with senior government officials on equal footing, and governments are required to report on progress.”

The Coalition of Peaks and Commonwealth Treasury are working together to shape the partnership and its priorities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, businesses and individual community members are invited to get involved.

“Your involvement will be invaluable in making this a truly equitable partnership that focuses on the right areas for reform to achieve economic justice for our people,” Mr Lowe said.

The community is invited to fill out a survey or make a submission before 7 July.

To read the National Indigenous Times article, go here.

Coalition of Peaks council members with federal, state and territory ministers. Image: Coalition of Peaks.

National Strategy for Food Security in Remote First Nations Communities

The Australian Government is developing a national strategy for food security in remote First Nations communities (the Strategy) in a partnership with state and territory governments and First Nations health organisations.

To help shape the final Strategy and suite of actions, the Australian Government, state and territory governments and First Nations health organisations are seeking feedback. Consultation is open now and will close 11 August 2024. More information and consultation documents are available on the National Indigenous Australians Agency Website.

You can provide feedback in a number of ways. Consultations include regional forums, discussions in remote communities and feedback via online submissions. In-person consultations will be facilitated by PwC Indigenous Consulting.

Make an online submission or register to attend a forum here. Make sure you have your say before consultations close Sunday, 11 August 2024.

The consultation team is also visiting remote communities in July and early August to hear from residents and community-based organisations. The consultation team are working with remote communities on timing and delivery of community visits.

Image: The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre.

Increasing breast screening

Breast screening amongst Aboriginal women in the Edward River region is the highest in NSW, thanks to the efforts of the Deniliquin Local Aboriginal Land Council. As a partner in the award-winning Aboriginal led invitations and bra lift breast screen participation project, its staff have driven positive health outcomes in the district. DLALC has partnered with Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Breast Screen NSW Greater Southern (BSGS) and Support the Girls to run the project in the local area.

The program also runs in the Albury region, and has been such a success in both areas that it received the Exceptional Aboriginal Health Care Award at this year’s MLHD Excellence Awards.

The project was designed to harness the local knowledge of community members, tailoring support appropriately for women who needed transport to and from screenings, more frequent reminders, or more reassurance and support.

Rather than invitations to screening coming via a letter from BreastScreen NSW, the project relied on Aboriginal partner organisations liaising with BSGS to determine which patients were overdue, due or had never screened.

Equipped with this knowledge, trusted women from Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service and Deniliquin Local Aboriginal Lands Council then called clients to have a yarn about the importance of screening, to book them in, and to note what reminders or transport support were required to overcome barriers.

To read the full article, go here.

Heather Hilliam from MLHD, Jane Holmes from Support the Girls, Karen Mobourne from the DLALC, Cheryl Penrith and Dr Elyce Green from CSU 3 Rivers. Photo by JACKIE COOPER.

Managing diabetes in Mackay

ITC program helps First Nations people access care to manage diabetes and other 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 in this year,” Mrs Scott-Knight said.

“The ITC team plans on providing culturally appropriate group education with our clients and motivational interviewing for health goal setting as part of the My Health for Life Health Lifestyle Program.

“We are also planning upcoming facilitator training in the Diabetes Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Diabetes program which features Magnet Man, a new and improved Felt Man, to assist in one-one-one and group education on diabetes.

“This will encourage our people to maintain healthy lifestyle choices, gain health education and literacy, and self-manage their conditions.

To read the full article, go here.

Pictured from left: 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.

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.

1 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.

Health care must be ‘by community, for community’

On the eve of the Indigenous Health Special Issue of the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA), available here, in partnership with the Lowitja Institute, Professor Kelvin Kong was a guest on the MJA podcast to discuss his work with ear disease, the importance of representation and cultural safety, and his optimism for the future of Indigenous health care.

Professor Kong regularly travels to remote Australia to provide ear, nose and throat services to Indigenous people, where he sees firsthand the dichotomy in health outcomes for ear disease in this country, “…the non-Indigenous population have a completely different prevalence and incidence and outcome from ear disease than Indigenous kids. And yet this is in the same hospitals, in the same health district, in the same country that we live in, that we’re seeing this real distinct difference.”

Professor Kong emphasised the importance of culturally safe health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with a need for representation at all levels of health care to ensure that health care is “by the community, for the community. Health to us is how do we make our kids successful and out of hospitals? How do we make sure that our mental and spiritual wellbeing is very encompassed? How do we make sure that we progress in society to be able to live the dreams that we want to dream and be a part of and engaged in society? And that’s being healthy and well.”

You can listen to the podcast with Professor Kelvin Kong here and view the InSight+ article Health care ‘by the community, for the community’ with Professor Kelvin Kong in full click here.

Professor Kelvin Kong

Professor Kelvin Kong. Image source: InSight+ website.

Wathaurong moves from strength to strength

Big things are happening at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative. Last week Geelong council progressed Wathaurong’s application to rezone the site of its headquarters in North Geelong to allow for the construction of a new $43m centre, allowing the organisation to have all its services at the one site. Wathaurong also played host to Victorian Minister for Employment and Prevention of Family Violence Vicki Ward, who met with the organisation’s staff and board to officially open the recently installed Aboriginal Access Point and view designs of the new hub.

Since forming between 1978 and 1980, Wathaurong has provided a central point for the Indigenous community in the Geelong area, providing health, community and family services and a way for Aboriginal people to connect. Through that time, the organisation has evolved, grown and sometimes been forced to reassess its direction. Wathaurong CEO Simon Flagg began his career at the co-operative in 1996 as an Aboriginal Worker trainee before embarking on a 20-year career as a public servant. Since taking up the head role in 2021 he has worked to return the organisation’s focus to community building rather than service delivery.

During her visit, Ms Ward said it was fantastic to see a strong community working together to become even stronger, “When you’ve got people who absolutely understand the strengths in the community, understand how to build on that, but also understand the challenges a community might experience, it creates that environment where things can happen easier and faster. To be able to have an access point where you know you’ll be treated respectfully, safely, and be able to find your pathway is really important and it’s wonderful to see how well they’re doing it here.”

To view the Voice Ocean Grove article Wathaurong moves from strength to strength in full click here. 

Member for Lara Ella George, Wathaurong CEO Simon Flagg and Minister Vicki Ward at the official opening of the Aboriginal Access Point Barwon service.

Member for Lara Ella George, Wathaurong CEO Simon Flagg and Minister Vicki Ward at the official opening of the Aboriginal Access Point Barwon service. Photo: Louisa Jones. Image source: Voice Ocean Grove website.

Cultural safety needed in medical specialist training

Dr Paul Saunders, a proud Biripi man, academic, doctoral student, and former medical practitioner says that while there is growing attention and priority regarding cultural safety in Australian health care, an equally significant concern is mounting vis‐à‐vis the capacity of medical professionals to provide care that is deemed culturally safe by Indigenous peoples.

It is increasingly evident, says Dr Saunders, 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. Along with medical schools and pre‐vocational medical training institutions, specialist medical colleges have a considerable responsibility to ensure their organisation and training programs commit to developing medical professionals who can demonstrate cultural competence within clinical contexts.

Unlike traditional components of medical training that adopt well defined competencies to determine progression, cultural safety training is nebulous. This is due to ambiguities surrounding the concept of culture and cultural safety, which focus heavily on introspection and critical consciousness of power differentials within societal structures and systems, including health care. It is purported that such disparities in power are directly linked to the colonisation of Indigenous lands and have constructed and maintained health inequities that disadvantage Indigenous peoples. European‐based systems (eg, health care) were forcibly introduced during colonisation, often conflicting with Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. The manifestation of such epistemological, ontological and methodological conflict is inequity regarding access to, and participation in, such public systems, resulting in disproportionate outcomes.

The Medical Journal of Australia article Fulfilling cultural safety expectations in specialist medical education and training: considerations for colleges to advance recognition and quality by Dr Saunders, available here, is part of the Indigenous Health Special Issue of the MJA available here.

Dr Paul Saunders & front of Badanami Centre for Indigenous Education, Western Sydney University

Dr Paul Saunders. Badanami Centre for Indigenous Education, Western Sydney University. Image source: Western Sydney University website.

Better to Know sexual health resource for mob

Better to Know is a sexual health resource for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It provides information about common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), what to do if you have an STI and where to get tested. It contains information that deals with both men’s and women’s business.

The Better to Know website includes a range of resources and information including:

  • information about STIs
  • a list of STIs
  • how to notify a partner if you have an STI
  • being told you may have been exposed to an STI
  • how to register for a sexual health check-up reminder
  • where to find available services such as ACCHOs, HIV organisations, clinics and Aboriginal Medical Services

You can access the Better to Know website here.

Towards genomics-guided precision cancer medicine

Delivering cancer control at scale for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is a national priority that requires Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and codesign, as well as significant involvement of the Aboriginal community‐controlled health sector. The unique genomic variation observed among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may have implications for standard and precision medicine. Yet, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are absent from, or under‐represented within, human reference genome resources, genomic studies, cancer studies, cancer cell lines, patient‐derived xenografts and cancer clinical trials.

Genomics‐guided precision cancer medicine offers an opportunity to reduce cancer health disparities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through personalising prevention, diagnosis, treatment and long term management. Here, we describe what is required to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can receive the benefits of precision cancer medicine.

Equity of access to care, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer workforce, and appropriate genome reference resources are important for safe and effective cancer medicine. Building Indigenous data sovereignty principles and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance into research is required to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights and collective interests. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community engagement should be undertaken to develop an understanding of the unique cultural and ethical considerations for precision cancer research. Local and national genomic health research guidelines are needed to define a consensus best practice in genomics research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

To view The Medical Journal of Australia article Towards precision cancer medicine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer health equity in full click here. The below image is from a Lab+Life article Next-gen genomics reveals diversity of Indigenous Australians published earlier this year and available here.

Aboriginal people in traditional face paint / dress; Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background

Image source: Lab+Life website.

IUIH program making cataract surgery accessible

Ian Delaney was struggling with everyday life as his vision deteriorated. “In my right eye everything was very blurry,” said the 70-year-old Quandamooka man. “Not having clear vision was a problem making simple things like walking around the house hard. I had to be careful not to trip or fall over.” First Nations people suffer blindness at about six times the rate of non-Indigenous people, which Mater Hospital ophthalmologist Jon Farrah said was shocking, “We’ve got six times the rate of poor vision in the Indigenous population, we’ve got 90% that’s treatable and about a third of that is actually cataract blindness. It’s pretty important to address it.”

The effects of cataracts like Mr Delaney’s can be debilitating, but public waiting lists can be long, hospital settings overwhelming and specialist appointments inaccessible or expensive, so cataracts can go untreated. But through the cataract pathway program, run by the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) and Mater Hospital, groups of up to 30 patients are having their eyesight restored. More than 1,000 cataract operations have been performed so far under the program.

IUIH optometrist Celia McCarthy said while it can be stressful and intimidating to go to hospital, bringing in groups of patients to the Mater Springfield can make the waiting room feel less scary. Being supported by health workers they know builds trust in a system that hasn’t always been accessible for First Nations people, she said. IUIH also provides transport and support for patients on the day of surgery, as well as any follow up appointments, to ensure the most appropriate and holistic care for each person.

To view the Health Times article Sights set on cataract surgery for Indigenous people in full click here.

Aboriginal woman in hospital bed having eye checked after cataract surgery

Only 59% of Indigenous people requiring cataract surgery will receive it. Photo: Daniel Jesus Vignolli, Fred Hollows. Image source: Insight website.

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.

28 June 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.

New Aboriginal-led service for mob affected by FV

Aboriginal communities have worked with the Victorian government to deliver a new, Aboriginal-led service to support people affected by family violence  (FV) in the Barwon / Wadawurrung Country area. Victoria’s Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Vicki Ward, this week officially opened the Aboriginal Access Point Barwon service, which is being operated by Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative.

Ms Ward said the state government is “investing in needed Aboriginal-led family violence supports that are culturally safe and tailored to meet the needs of Aboriginal people”. The service is fully staffed by an Aboriginal workforce who provide culturally safe support for local Aboriginal families affected by family violence, living on Wathaurong, Gulidjan and Gadabanud Country, in the Geelong, Bellarine and Colac regions.

Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative CEO Simon Flagg said the Co-operative “welcomes the investment into culturally safe support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our region. This service, alongside services that Wathaurong already provides with The Orange Door, will allow us to support our community who are experiencing or at risk of family violence.”

To view the National Indigenous Times article Aboriginal-led service to help people affected by family violence on Wadawurrung Country in full click here.

Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative CEO Simon Flagg. Image: Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative

Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative CEO Simon Flagg. Image source: National Indigenous Times.

VACCHO framework aims to improve cancer outcomes

The Victorian government has announced their support of a new initiative to improve cancer outcomes for Indigenous people in the state, as well as helping to close the gap in cancer research and care. Yesterday (Thursday 27 June 2024), Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas announced $3.87m towards Framework Respect – a culturally responsive and safe framework to boost participation in cancer clinical trials – led by VACCHO in partnership with local ACCHOs.

VACCHO CEO and cancer survivor, Jill Gallagher said VACCHO’s journey strategy “provides the roadmap for improving cancer outcomes” for Indigenous Victorians. “This commitment means Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will have greater access to the latest approaches to detect and treat cancers, with ACCOs providing that access,” the Gunditjmara woman said.

This framework will form part of the Cancer Clinical Trials Program 2024–2028 and is on top of the $7.8m plan by the government to “support the development and implementation” of VACCHO’s Aboriginal Cancer Journey Strategy 2023–2028. “Equity in healthcare must be a priority, and we can’t ignore the fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander have worse outcomes when it comes to cancer – this funding will help address that gap,” Minister Thomas said. “These new guidelines will ensure that health services have a clear and consistent framework when engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in clinical cancer trials in a meaningful and respectful way.”

To view the National Indigenous Times article New funding a roadmap to improving cancer outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians in full click here.

van painted with Aboriginal art outside VACCHO office building

Image source: National Indigenous Times.

Murdered First Nations Women report due soon

A major investigation into violence against First Nations women and children will soon be released, almost two years after the Senate referred an inquiry to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee. The inquiry into Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Children has since published  87 submissions and held multiple hearings.

Jade Bradford, a Ballardong Noongar freelance journalist based in WA, has been following the inquiry closely, and undertaken a thematic analysis of some of the key issues raised by submissions. Ms Bradford  found that while many different organisations and individuals from different places and contexts have made submissions to the inquiry, three clear themes emerged from hre systematic view:

Truth telling is foundational, including truth telling about the connections between colonial violence and the violence experienced by First Nations women. In their submission QAIHC cited research suggesting that the decision made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women on whether or not to disclose violence was directly related to the cultural safety of services.

Self-determination was another key theme was the importance of self-determination in all responses, whether in prevention, or policy and service development and delivery. In their submission the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (CAAC) said “ACCOs, especially ACCHOs, should be recognised as preferred providers for government funded services to address family violence, in recognition of their greater service effectiveness, their higher levels of employment of Aboriginal women, and their formal structures for involving Aboriginal communities in general and women in particular in decision-making.”

Investment in social and cultural determinants of health especially poverty and housing, and a lack of cultural safety in policy and services was highlighted in many submissions, including the one from CAAC, “Increased investment in housing for both remote and urban areas as an important underpinning strategy to support women’s independence and address mental health and social and emotional wellbeing issues, including family violence.”

To view the Croakey Health Media article Truth telling and self-determination are critical for addressing violence against First Nations women and children in full click here. 

Michael, Rose and Orlyn at the graveside of their mother

Michael, Rose and Orlyn at the graveside of their mother, Constance Watcho. Photo: David Maguire, Four Corners. Image source: ABC News website.

Important Stronger Bubba Born surveys

The Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) has developed two very important surveys to evaluate and improve the Stronger Bubba Born program. Both surveys are anonymous and will take about 10–15 minutes to complete.

One survey is for Health Care Professionals and is titled Co-design of stillbirth prevention and care resources for diverse communities in Australia. It is a part of the evaluation of the Cultural Adaptation of the Safer Baby Bundle (inclusive of Stronger Bubba Born and Growing a Healthy Baby). This survey is aimed at clinicians who provide maternity care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and/or migrant or refugee women. You can access this survey here or by clicking on the QR code below:Stronger Born Bubba QR codeThe second survey is titled Developing resources for a safer pregnancy: a survey for Indigenous women. This is targeted at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are 16 years of age and above and are either currently pregnant or were pregnant in the previous 3 years. Due to ethics requirements, the QR code can’t shared here but will be sent out to ACCHO practice managers to promote within house.

Please contact the NACCHO Maternal and Child Health team via email here if you have any questions.

culturally-sensitive resources for ATSI women to have a safer pregnancy

Culturally-sensitive resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Image source: Stillbirth CRE website.

Workforce Wellbeing Guide for Kimberley ACCHOs

The Workforce Wellbeing Guide: A self-reflection and self-care resource for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in the Kimberley was written in Rubibi (Broome). It was developed by the Wellbeing Informed Care – Kimberley (WIC-K) research project in collaboration with the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service (KAMS), and the University of WA (Rural Clinical School of WA and School of Indigenous Studies).

The WIC-K project team would like to thank the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) workers, and Aboriginal Health Workers who contributed their time, knowledge, and lived experience to the development of this guide.

You can access the Workforce Wellbeing Guide on the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing blog here.

cover of KAMS Workforce Wellbeing Guide for Kimberly ACCHOs

Image source: TIMHWB blog.

OAMS staff visit Nikinpa Aboriginal Child and Family Centre

Orange Aboriginal Medical Service (OAMS) staff Linda, Facilities & Assets Maintenance Manager and Ri, CQI Coordinator recently travelled to Toronto near Newcastle, NSW, to visit the Nikinpa Aboriginal Child and Family Centre. The centre brings together a range of education, health, and family support and early childhood services to improve local Aboriginal families’ overall health, education and wellbeing.

It was an exchange of ideas meet up where Emma, Centre Manger and Jennifer DCJ Program Director gave a centre tour and talked about their various free programs such as women’s art therapy, nutrition and healthy lifestyle activities. They also host events such as community breakfasts, and many other organisations, such as the AECG (Aboriginal Education Consultative Group), who use their space to hold regular meetings.

A highlight was a viewing of the artwork from members of the Nikinpa art group. One member of the artists group is Aunty Brenda Simon is a proud Wiradjuri woman from Gulargambone. All seven of Brenda’s children were taken from her by government authorities in the 1970s, and her story is now the subject of a powerful new documentary, The Last Daughter, on Netflix. Aunty Brenda attends the art group each week and says painting leaves has helped build connections in her community.

You can find more information about the Nikinpa Aboriginal Child and Family Centre on the Muloobinba Aboriginal Corporation website here and watch a trailer to The Last Daughter here.

collage 3 images, 4 women, woman with artwork, painted gumnut leaves

Images from the OAMS staff visit to the Nikinpa Aboriginal Child & Family Centre. Photos supplied by OAMS.

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 June 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.

Community-led family violence responses needed

In a recent article for the National Indigenous Times Dr Hannah McGlade says the federal government shocked and hurt Aboriginal women across Australia with its announcement on 28 May of an Expert Panel tasked with conducting a Rapid Review of violence against women, with a focus on the killings of women, with not one Aboriginal woman included as a member of the panel.

Considering Aboriginal women are at exceptionally high risk of violence and even murder and have been standing strong against violence for many decades, this was a serious oversight and concern. Now last week, with no consultation with Aboriginal women, WA Premier Roger Cook and Minister Sabine Winton announced new family violence laws to include coercive and controlling behaviour, as well as electronic monitoring of high-risk offenders.

Violence against Aboriginal women will never be addressed while Aboriginal women’s expertise and leadership is denied and undermined. It’s time all forms of violence are addressed, including racism and the imposition of yet more laws that carry unacceptable risk of harm to First Nations women and children.

To view the National Indigenous Times article Aboriginal community-led responses to family and domestic violence are needed, not more police powers in full click here.

Dr Hannah McGlade portrait shot, Aboriginal painting in the background

Dr Hannah McGlade, a Kurin Minang human rights expert, law academic and member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Photo: Rangi Hirini, NITV.

Project aims to improve custodial healthcare for mob

At the end of January this year, Lynore Geia, Palm Island Bwgcolman woman and Professor of Nursing and Midwifery at Edith Cowan University, contacted NACCHO to request the dissemination of a letter via the NACCHO Sector News newsletter. It has only now come to light that this unfortunately did not occur.

The letter, available here, was written to inform Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members and families of a project initiated by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) titled An analysis of Coronial Tribunal findings of deaths in custodial settings of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People that involved a nurse or midwife. The project is driven by a commitment to enhancing cultural safety and addressing health equity and racism as public health issues through improved nursing and midwifery care for our community members. The aim is to carefully examine the role of nurses and midwives in custodial settings.

This significant project is being undertaken by a diverse and skilled team, comprising four respected Aboriginal registered nurse researchers, namely Professors Lynore Geia (Bwgcolman), Roianne West (Kalkadoon, Djunke), Juanita Sherwood (Wiradjuri), and Janine Mohamed (Narrunga Kaurna); and three non-Indigenous registered nurse researchers – Professors Karen Strickland, Lisa Whitehead, and Dr. Belinda Lovell, along with Psychologist Professor Andrew Day, who specialises in criminology and psychology.

The project team has been carefully reviewing coroners reports from 2012 to 2022 that are publicly accessible through databases such as the Australasian Legal Information Institute website, State and Territory Coroner’s websites, and The Deaths in Custody Project. As health professionals the team is concerned that past and recent coronial inquires have raised questions around nursing and midwifery care where a nurse/midwife has been involved in the health care of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person who has died in custody. The primary purpose of the project is to analyse the nursing or midwifery care as described in the coroner’s reports to identify any areas that require change to improve the cultural safety of nursing and midwifery care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custodial settings.

It is anticipated that this strategic work will significantly contribute to necessary reforms in nursing and midwifery care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custodial settings.

custodial nurse Hugo Chatwin-Smith

Registered nurse Hugo Chatwin-Smith, Victoria Police Custodial Health Service. Image source: Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal.

Health costs widen gap for rural, remote mob

From sleeping rough in parklands to skipping medical appointments, the additional burden of out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure is widening the healthcare gap for Aboriginal households in rural and remote regions. The rising cost of living, including the need to travel long distances to medical appointments, as well as income limits and shortages of housing and medical services, also adds to the health burden on rural and remote communities.

In particular, Aboriginal families in remote regions face even higher out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure (or OOPHE) – which includes additional healthcare expenses not covered by universal taxpayer insurance (i.e. Medicare) – due to additional health needs and multiple barriers to getting appropriate care.

In a new article in Rural and Remote Health journal experts in Indigenous health worked closely with Aboriginal communities from SA’s Far West region to examine these impacts. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a rate of potentially preventable hospitalizations 4.9 times greater than other Australians. Poor communication is a well-established risk factor contributing to adverse medicine events. For a medicine to be used effectively, treatment decisions need to be conveyed to consumers and their support people in ways they understand.

To view the Rural and Remote article Experiences and impacts of out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure on remote Aboriginal families in full click here. 

RFDS nurse treating young Aboriginal boy on plane

Image source: Royal Flying Doctor Service website.

PSA Faye McMillan grant winners announced

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has announced the recipients of the second annual PSA Faye McMillan Conference Grant as Timothy Hockam, Elizabeth Dening, and Kirralee Natty.

Inspired and supported by Prof McMillan, the annual grant offers an opportunity for First Nations pharmacists to attend the PSA National Conference (PSA24) next month, which will foster their professional development.

McMillan, a Wiradjuri yinaa (woman) originally from Trangie, NSW, was the first Indigenous Australian to hold a western degree in pharmacy. She congratulated all the recipients and said, “belonging is such a critical aspect of being part of a profession, and the relationship with PSA gives that feeling”.

To view the Pharmacy Daily article McMillian grant winners in full click here.

tile with text PSA Faye McMillan Conference Grant - 2024 Winners Announced, PSA logo & photo of Faye McMillan

Image source: PSA website.

Genocide in the Wildflower State documentary

Yokai (Western Australian Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation) support the needs of individuals and families in WA adversely affected by policies and practices of separating Aboriginal peoples from their families, communities, countries and cultures. Yokai’s Chairperson, Mr Jim Morrison, will be attending Parliament House in Canberra next week for the screening of their latest documentary Genocide in the Wildflower State.

The 60 minute documentary is about a violent, state-run system of eugenics, racial absorption, and social assimilation in Twentieth Century, WA. For the more than six decades between 1905 and 1970, thousands of mixed-race Aboriginal children in WA were forcibly removed from their families. Systematically organised by the State, overwhelmingly supported by WA society, generation after generation, for over 60 years — the State worked to destroy Aboriginal families, culture, and language, for the purpose of securing white, settler dominance.

In 1997 a National Inquiry called this for what it was — Genocide. ‘Stolen Generation’ Survivors give vivid and at times heartbreaking testimony of cruel isolation, abuse and humiliation in the system. Their accounts are supported by documentary evidence from state records, public archives and historical scholarship. “Genocide in the Wildflower State” is truth telling and a demand for justice. It holds to account successive parliaments in WA that have failed to make redress. It is about helping to heal the trauma in the Survivor community, and building understanding in broader society.

Yokai, through Senator Sue Lines’s invitation here, are inviting Community and government employees to attend the documentary launch.

You can view the trailer to the Genocide in the Wildflower State documentary here. 

first image of documentary text 'GENOCIDE in the Wildflower State' against backdrop outback trees & sky

Image source: Yakai.

$550k for Kempsey Her Futures Wellbeing project

The NSW Government is investing more than $2.6m to deliver seven women’s health, wellbeing and empowerment projects from 2024–2027 as part of the statewide Investing In Women Funding Program. Through this program, the NSW Government is working in partnership with community organisations to improve women’s economic opportunity and advancement, health and wellbeing and participation – the three priority areas of the NSW Women’s Strategy.

One of the projects to receive  2023-2024 funding is the Her Futures Foundation – The ‘Her Futures Wellbeing’ project is designed to reduce the major health concerns among Aboriginal women in Kempsey through a tailored health and wellbeing group program.

Commencing in 2024, the Her Futures Foundation’s health and wellbeing project will have a total funding of $550,000 to help tackle major health concerns among women in Kempsey. The foundation will deliver a 12-week group program of facilitated fitness and healthy lifestyle sessions to improve fitness, self-care, guided access to services and social participation for local women.

To view the NSW Government media release $2.6 million invested in women’s health, wellbeing and empowerment in full click here. 

mural of Aboriginal woman, snake & stars

Kelly Purvis Mural, Savages Lane, Kempsey. Image source: visitnsw.com.

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.

 

24 June 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.

Aged Care leaders commit to cultural safety

Four major Australian aged care providers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ACCO Yokai this week signalling the groups’ commitment to enhancing culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal customers. Juniper, MercyCare, Bethanie, and Hall and Prior reached the MOU with Yokai, an Aboriginal rights and Stolen Generations advocacy group.

Yokai’s CEO Jim Morrison, “It’s encouraging to see aged care organisations committing to understanding that caring for older Aboriginal people, especially Stolen Generations Survivors, should focus not only on their clinical needs but also on their cultural needs, such as their connection to Country and lived experience.”

Yokai, a term derived from the Noongar language, serves as a powerful call to action, conveying the message of ‘enough is enough’. The initiative has been collaboratively developed by the Bringing Them Home Committee (WA) and the WA Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation, which serves as the representative body for Stolen Generation Survivors in WA. The work undertaken by Yokai is grounded in thorough consultation and extensive research, with the aim of achieving improved outcomes for the Aboriginal community and Stolen Generations Survivors.

To view the National Indigenous Times article Aged care leaders commit to Aboriginal cultural safety with Yokai agreement in full click here.

Russell Bricknell & Jim Morrison shake hands at culturally safe aged care MOU signing

Russell Bricknell and Jim Morrison shake hands at the MOU. Image source: National Indigenous Times.

Denticare is the goal but long road ahead

The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association’s (AHHA) Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research has released an issues paper titled ‘integrating oral health into primary healthcare for improved access to oral health care for rural and remote populations’, available here. The brief collated information on issues, particularly for rural and remote and Indigenous Australians, in accessing oral health care, namely maldistribution of oral health services and a constrained dental workforce supply in these areas. The brief found that integrating oral health promotion, screening and non-invasive preventive care provision into primary care could have far reaching effects.

“Primary care providers are often the first point of contact for health services in rural and remote communities and are well positioned to provide basic oral health care,” said AHHA chief executive Kylie Woolcock. “However, limited oral health knowledge and skills and boundaries to professional scopes of practice curb the possibility of leveraging existing primary healthcare resources for oral health care provision.”

According to Adjunct Associate Professor at the Menzies Centre for health policy and economics Lesley Russell while the goal should eventually be a Medicare-like support system for oral health care, “Denticare”, or incorporation of dentistry into Medicare, getting there would need to be an iterative process. In the interim, Professor Russell suggested that health checks could be broadened to include the mouth and particular populations could be supported through Medicare for oral health care, such as those with relevant chronic conditions like cancer, HIV/AIDS and diabetes – and Indigenous communities. “Ideally, you’d have a dentist or at least a dental technician within an ACCHO or a primary care practice,” she said.

To view the Medical Republic article ‘Denticare’ is the goal, but it’s a long road ahead here.

Aboriginal woman in dental chair

Image source: Central Australian Aboriginal Congress website.

National Anti-Racism Framework workshops

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is developing a National Anti-Racism Framework as a central reference point for anti-racism action by government, non-profits, businesses, communities, and other sectors. Guided by a community-led and human rights-based approach, the Commission is currently progressing national First Nations and multicultural community-level consultations to seek community advice and input on designing the Framework. These consultations are all led, designed, and facilitated by First Nations Co., and offer various modes of participation.

Following the completion of in-person consultations, First Nations Co. is excited to announce 12 virtual workshops dedicated to informing the development of a National Anti-Racism Framework. If you work in the Education, Health, or Justice sectors, your voice is crucial!

Healthcare Services, ACCHOs, Health Organisations/Departments

  • Wednesday 26 June, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (AEST)
  • Thursday 27 June, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (AEST)
  • Wednesday 3 July, 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AEST)
  • Thursday 4 July, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (AEST)

To register complete this registration form and receive your meeting invite from the First Nations Co. team.

Can’t attend? Share your insights via our online survey. Your participation is invaluable in building a framework that truly represents our community’s needs.

If needed and preferred, the First Nations Co. team is open to engaging in one-on-one virtual consultations with individuals and peak bodies, and these sessions can be arranged with First Nations Co. directly on a case-by-case basis. Written submissions are also accepted if this method is preferred.

If you have questions or want to learn more about this project, you can access the First Nations Co. website here or contact First Nations Co. by email here.

You can view NACCHO’s National Anti-Racism Framework Submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission – February 2022 here. 

Australian Human Rights Commission national Anti-Racism Framework tile, AHRC logo & circle with different colour wedges

Image source: AHRC website.

Identifying upper GI cancers GP training

The Pancare Foundation, which provides support to people impacted by a diagnosis of Upper Gastrointestinal cancer, have launched their first GP education module: Trust your gut: identifying upper gastrointestinal cancers in general practice. This comprehensive module focuses on recognising signs and symptoms for earlier detection of oesophageal and stomach cancers.

Trust Your Gut is a video-based activity, for GPs and nurses, designed to increase awareness of symptoms warranting urgent referral for stomach and oesophageal cancers. By the end of the activity, participants will be able to:

  • identify patients at high risk of oesophagogastric cancer and those who present with symptoms.
  • facilitate appropriate and timely referral of patients at risk of, or with suspected, oesophagogastric cancer for further investigations and/or specialist intervention.

You can access the GP module here and the nurse module here.

You can view a flyer for the education modules here.

More support for birthing on Country

More First Nations families now have access to culturally safe maternal healthcare in NE Arnhem Land thanks to a growing workforce of Djäkamirr. Djäkamirr are First Nations skilled companions and caretakers of pregnancy and birth, who use both Yolŋu and western knowledge to support women in Birthing on Country.

First Nations women and their babies experience poorer health outcomes compared to non-Indigenous mothers and their babies. The rate of preterm birth in First Nations mothers is almost double that of non-Indigenous mothers (14.1% in First Nations mothers, compared with 7.9% in non-Indigenous mothers in 2021).

The federal government said in a statement yesterday (Sunday, 23 June 2024) that as part of its commitment to Closing the Gap, it is investing $6m in funding in the Djäkamirr Birthing on Country Project in Galiwin’ku. Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights director of research and innovation, Professor Sue Kildea, said the initiative “is an absolute game changer that is likely to have lifelong impact and change the way we deliver services across Australia – a landmark in cultural recognition and the blending of western and Yolŋu knowledges and culture.”

To view the National Indigenous Times article Funding boost for maternal healthcare in North East Arnhem Land in full click here.

Aboriginal mum & baby

Image source: National Indigenous Times.

Millions unknowingly at risk of heart failure

Heart failure is estimated to affect approximately half a million Australians, with over 67,000 Australians being diagnosed each year. Heart failure patients often suffer from multiple comorbidities (cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular), such as an irregular heart rate or rhythm, high blood pressure, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, iron deficiency, and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. A new survey commissioned by YouGov, on behalf of leading charity Hearts4heart, indicates more than four million Australians are not aware of the comorbidities that can increase the risk of heart failure.

Despite the name, heart failure doesn’t mean the heart has stopped or failed, it means that the heart is ‘failing’ to keep up with the body’s demands. A comorbidity, which is any co-existing health condition, is one contributing factor to heart failure if not properly managed so, it’s essential to speak to your GP to understand your risks and treat any underlying medical conditions you may have.

In May 2023, the Heart Health Check program, subsidised by Medicare, was extended for another two years, allowing people aged 45 and over and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 30 and over to assess their risk of heart disease during a 20-minute consultation with a medical practitioner.

To view the The Heart4Heart article Millions of Australians unknowingly at increased risk of heart failure article in full click 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.