Category RHD

Sep 13 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: ‘Indigenous paradigm’ to tackle RHD

feature tile image of Dr Jessica O'Brien & text 'Applying an 'Indigenous Paradigm' to tackle RHD'

The image in the feature tile is of Dr Jessica O’Brien from an article Q&A with Dr Jessica O’Brien published on the Heart Foundation website.

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

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

‘Indigenous Paradigm’ to tackle RHD

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) tells us that the median age at death for Indigenous Australians with RHD is 43, with half of those who died aged under 45. Three years ago, cardiologist and Monash PhD student Jessica O’Brien began an important heart research project looking at ways to understand a potentially fatal but preventable disease affecting mainly young Indigenous Australians – rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

Then, two-thirds of the way into it, everything changed. After all her clinical and research training in a biomedical system, O’Brien underwent a kind of academic and cultural awakening in terms of Indigenous health and the problems with what the researchers describe as an overwhelmingly “colonial” health system.

Dr O’Brien said she began talking with Professor Karen Adams, Director of Gukwonderuk, the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences’ Indigenous engagement unit at Monash University, about the paradigmatic clash between biomedicine and Indigenous health. “What I needed to learn is, how do we make our very colonial hospital and medical systems appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I’m Aboriginal myself, but I’m new to Indigenous research. I’m only now learning and trying to apply new ideas in an Indigenous research paradigm.”

To read the Monash University Lens article Applying an ‘Indigenous paradigm’ to tackle rheumatic heart disease in full click here.

young Aboriginal boy having RHD heart check

Image source: National Indigenous Times.

Nyikina woman wins Human Rights Award

Today, Janine Dureau was announced as the 2023 Bill Armstrong AO Human Rights Award winner at an online event livestreamed from Vancouver, Canada. Hosted by Community First Development, an Aboriginal community development and research organisation, the Award provides an opportunity to identify and honour those who are doing outstanding work with First Nations’ people and communities, exemplifying self-determination in practice.

This year, the fourth year of this Award, Community First Development received many strong and worthy nominations, including for several inspiring First Nations’ leaders. “The Bill Armstrong AO Award has gone global. As well as our presenting team coming from different continents this year, this extended reach was also reflected in the range of nominations of people working in support of the human rights of First Nations Peoples across different countries and continents… including for several inspiring First Nations’ leaders.”

Following the Panel’s deliberations, Janine Dureau, a Derby born Nyikina woman, was announced as the 2023 Award winner in recognition of her passion and dedication to empowering and strengthening the capacity of Aboriginal people, families and communities to improve their quality of life. Over a 30-year period, Janine has led several campaigns and initiatives focused on culture and leadership for and on behalf of the Aboriginal community. She is currently the Chair of the Kimberley Aboriginal Women’s Council which she established with the support of 100 Aboriginal women.

To view the Community First Development media release Tireless efforts of two inspiring First Nations women recognised at Human Rights Award click here.

L-R: Janine Dureau, Chairperson at the Kimberley Aboriginal Women’s Council; Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, Commissioner for Children and Young People; June Oscar, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner; Mary O’Reeri, Former Local Hero Award Winner

L-R: Janine Dureau, Chairperson at the Kimberley Aboriginal Women’s Council; Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, Commissioner for Children and Young People; June Oscar, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner; Mary O’Reeri, Former Local Hero Award Winner. Photo: Commissioner for Children and Young People WA. Image source: Community First Development.

FASD Awareness Month

To mark Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day, Saturday 9 September 2023, the Australian Government National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) produced a video explaining FASD. In the video Katerina Giorgi, CEO of the Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education (FARE), says that during September – International FASD Awareness Month, we need to draw attention to this often invisible disability by:

  • asking what FASD it means
  • asking what the guidelines say around alcohol and pregnancy
  • hearing the stories of people who are impacted by FASD

NACCHO Executive Director Monica Barolits-McCabe, also featured in the video, said FASD is a fully preventable disability, and “if we have more awareness out there, we take the stigma out of FASD and alcohol consumption.” More conversations about FASD, she said, will result in prevention, earlier screening, early detection and more support.

The third speaker in the video, NOFASD Chief Operating Officer Sophie Harrington, said FASD is often a diagnosis that is misdiagnosed. It can often be seen as other disabilities, and other disorders like autism or ADHD or can masquerade as developmental trauma. Ms Harrington said FASD is preventable only if we understand from the very first time someone decides they want to start trying for a baby, they actually stop drinking.

You view the video below or by clicking on this link.

Dr Demmery: 2023 ACT Woman of Spirit

Dr Karen Demmery, Wiradjuri from Dubbo and Barkindji from Bourke, was kicked out of school in year nine, “My parents had divorced, I wasn’t sure where I was going or what I was doing, so then I got into trouble with the police, drugs and alcohol, and my life began spiralling out of control.”

Many years later Dr Demmery is celebrating her win as the 2023 ACT Woman of Spirit. “It’s the first award I’ve ever won,” she says. “I’m so passionate about what I do now, because I know the impact that it can have and obviously there are more people who are needing help.

“Winning, for me, was the coolest thing, next to so many other brilliant women. We don’t do what we do for recognition, but it’s great when we get it. When they read out my name I started laughing, I was not expecting it and I had no speech written.”

When Karen first started her business, it was called the Trauma, Leadership, Mental Health and Coaching Institute. “I know that when you’re in the midst of it, you don’t realise how bad it is,” she says. “These options for help now, what I am doing, is for my grandkids that aren’t even here yet.”

To view the CBR City News article Dr Karen knows trouble, setbacks and success in full click here.

Woman of Spirit Dr Karen Demmery - 4 different poses collage

Woman of Spirit Dr Karen Demmery… “What I do now is really about helping people to figure out why they do what they do, because once you know, then you can change it.” Photos: Andrew Campbell. Image source: CBR City News.

VIC Aboriginal Aged Care Summit

A 2-day Victorian Aboriginal Aged Care Summit to be held in Melbourne from 3–4 October 2023 will commemorate and celebrate the vital role that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders play as the heart and soul of their Communities. The summit will be co-convened by the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and the Victorian Committee Aboriginal for Aged Care & Disability (VCAACD).

Abe Ropitini VACCHO’s Executive Director of Population health said at the summit “We’ll be hearing from them (the Elders) about the changes that they have witnessed over their lives and their aspirations for the future of their communities and the quality of life that we need to ensure we maintain for all of our Elders, both Elders that we have now and our emerging Elders as well.”

You can listen to the NITV Radio interview here and find more information about the summit on VACCHO’s website here.

NITV Radio logo banner text ' Victorian Aboriginal Aged Care Summit to discuss what it's like to be an Aboriginal Elder today' & portrait image of Abe Ropitini VACCHO's Executive Director of Population Health

VACCHO’s Executive Director of Population Health, Abe Ropitini. Image source: NITV Radio.

Sector Jobs

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

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

Anniversary of UNDRIP

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted by the General Assembly on Thursday 13 September 2007. The Declaration is the most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of Indigenous peoples.

It establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the Indigenous peoples of the world and it elaborates on existing human rights standards and fundamental freedoms as they apply to Indigenous peoples.

The Declaration is particularly significant because Indigenous peoples, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, were involved in its drafting.

You can access more information on the Australian Human Rights Commission’s website here.

Aug 8 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: World Congress on RHD

 

The image in the feature tile is from the Echo in ACCHOs Program workshop in June 2023.

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

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

World Congress on RHD

Yesterday, 7 August, on the National Day of Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners, NACCHO Deputy CEO, Dr Dawn Casey addressed the Acute Rhematic Fever (ARF) and Rhematic Heart Disease (RHD) research community ahead of the World Congress on Rheumatic Heart Disease. In her remarks, she reminded the research community that investing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and practitioners, is an essential part of the community-controlled sector’s response to ARF and RHD.

“We have stellar Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners leading the discussion, sharing solutions, and identifying common issues.

“This community of practice is a joy to watch,” said Dr Casey.

Read the full keynote address to the Australian pre-World Congress on RHD meeting here.

Dr Dawn Casey Speaking at the Australian pre-meeting for the World Congress on RHD.

Lorraine Anderson Speaking at the Australian pre-meeting for the World Congress on RHD

Why the Voice is a health issue

NACCHOs response to the pandemic has been recognised as an “extraordinary success story.” In the ABC Health Report, University of Western Australia’s Professor Fiona Stanley said it’s an example of what happens when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a voice.

“The Aboriginal Network of Health and other services worked across Australia to prevent the pandemic from having such a devastating effect on Aboriginal people as it did on other First Nations people everywhere else,” said Stanley.

“… All they need is to have that voice,” she said.

CEO of the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, Donna Ah Chee said the need for the Voice is about establishing genuine, substantive, and continued representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the policy-making process.

“We know…from our own experience that if you give us a voice, we will make a positive change,” she said.

On the NT Aboriginal Health Forum Mrs Chee said, “It really laid the groundwork for many of our health improvements in the Northern Territory that we’ve seen since.

“We’ve seen in the Northern Territory life expectancy for Aboriginal men improved by 9 years from 1999 to 2018,” she said.

Listen to the ABC Health Report here.

Homes for the future

Local communities, doctors, architects, and tradespeople have teamed up to address the remote housing crisis in the NT. The project, titled Wilya Janta, translates to standing strong, and aims to create culturally safe and climate-appropriate housing for remote Aboriginal communities. Residents in remote public housing currently access electricity through a prepaid system which means power is automatically disconnected when credit runs out. Hoping to change that, Warumunga Elder Norman Frank Jupurrurla and NT doctor Simon Quilty first envisioned Wilya Janta more than three years ago.

“We’ve been talking about better houses for my people for a long time now.

“Houses that are made better for my climate, for my culture, and for my children,” Mr Jupurrurla said.

Wilya Janta designs include solar panels and improved insulation, with a desire to create housing that will not only accommodate the extremes of climate change but help reduce costs for residents.

The project is already taking shape with the process of securing land tenure and housing design currently under way. The next step is to secure funding.

Read more here.

Government house accommodating 13 residents. Photo source: Wilya Janta.

Understanding Dementia

A new study will use yarning circles to examine the direct impact and awareness of dementia, sources of strength, and barriers to care from the perspective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in urban and remote communities. The PhD research Community, Country, and Cognition: A multi-jurisdictional assessment of dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples by Monash University’s Dr Antonia Clarke aims to enhance culturally safe clinical practice, education, and community-led dementia care.

“As a researcher, my goal is to contribute to our understanding of the early identification of factors that promote healthy brain ageing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the development of culturally responsive and community-led prevention and risk reduction programs,” Dr Clarke said.

Read more here.

Image source: Unsplash.

Honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and health practitioners

Yesterday, on the National Day of Recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners, ACCHOs took to social media to acknowledge the dedication of their staff to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

SWAMS Senior Aboriginal Health Professional, Salena Linforth-Milham reflected on her 16-year journey with the ACCHO, “I have been a receptionist, Health Information Officer and now a Registered Nurse. My passion has always been to help my people and my community our way,” she said.

In 2021, Ms Linforth-Milham became involved in an Aboriginal Brain Study, led by SWAMS and Derbarl Yerrigan. The study has been testing whether we can improve brain health by improving heart health.

“We hope the study findings will help us develop effective programs that can reduce rates of dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” she said.

SWAMS Senior Aboriginal Health Professional Salena Linforth-Milham. Image source: SWAMS Facebook.

NACCHO would like to thank all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and health practitioners for the wonderful work you do. Below are social media posts from ACCHOs to celebrate the day.

 

Sector Jobs

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

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

Jun 14 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Wed International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference

image Adam Goodes opening session conference; text 'LOWITJA INSTITUTE'S 3rd International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference KICKS OFF IN CAIRNS'

The image in the feature tile is of Adam Goodes speaking at the Opening Plenary Session at the Lowitja Institute’s 3rd International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference on the tropical lands of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji and Yirrganydjii peoples (Cairns). Image source: Melbourne Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, University of Melbourne Twitter post, 11.20 am Wednesday 14 June 2023.

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

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

International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference

An important conference is taking place on the lands of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji and Yirrganydji peoples, in Cairns. The Lowitja Institute’s 3rd International Health and Wellbeing Conference began earlier today, Wednesday 14 June, with around 1,200 attendees. During the three-day conference there will be more than 250 presentations.

The conference brings together people from across the country and around the world, to share knowledge for the health and wellbeing of First Nations peoples and communities. Community leaders and representatives, researchers, health professionals and practitioners, policy makers, government representatives, and international First Nations leaders are expected to attend.

Proud Narrunga Kaurna woman, Adjunct Professor and CEO of the Lowitja Institute, Janine Mohamed, said “we’ve been really overwhelmed by the interest in the conference – it’s been sold out for a month…It shows that there is such an appetite for sharing innovative ideas and transformational community-led research that is grounded in our ways of knowing, being and doing – knowledge that disrupts Western research narratives.”

To view the Croakey Health Media article Sharing, learning, celebrating and more at the 3rd International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference in full click here. For more information about the conference, including the program click here to access the Lowitja Conference website. You can also listen to Adjunct Professor Janine Mohamed speaking earlier this afternoon on NITV Radio about the conference here.

Lack of investment creates ‘sickcare’ system

Australia’s struggling healthcare system will remain a ‘sickcare’ system until governments see investing in health not as a cost, but as an investment that improves the wellbeing of Australians and pays economic dividends well into the future. In a report being launched today at the National Press Club by Australian Medical Association (AMA) President Professor Steve Robson, the AMA says Australia’s lack of investment in health, particularly in prevention and early intervention, is making health care more costly and challenging.

The Health is the best investment: Shifting from a sickcare system to a healthcare system report, available here, highlights the growing rate of chronic disease, with almost half the population having one or more chronic diseases and an ageing population that is putting the health care system under increasing pressure.

“Our current approach to investing in and managing health is focused very much on treating poor health outcomes not preventing them, which leads to a sickcare rather than healthcare system,” Professor Robson said.  “We need to reframe our thinking and focus more on how the money we invest in healthcare can improve health outcomes and support economic growth because the evidence is clear — keeping people healthy reduces the costs and burden on our healthcare system and drives economic growth and productivity. And while we are wealthy nation, our spend on health as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product is modest when compared to OECD countries like the UK. We have room for investment.”

To view the AMA’s media release Lack of investment and innovative thinking creates a ‘sickcare’ system in full click here.

AMA President Professor Steve Robson speaking at the National Press Club

AMA President Professor Steve Robson speaking at the National Press Club earlier this afternoon. Image source: AMA Media Twitter post 12:41 PM 14 June 2023.

Little progress in gynaecological cancer outcomes for mob

The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet’s latest review of gynaecological cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, available here, shows that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are still disproportionately burdened by gynaecological cancers, impacted by increased exposure to risk factors as a direct result of colonisation. Senior author, Associate Professor Lisa Whop, says that “Providing effective cancer prevention by risk reduction and participation in cancer screening programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people requires improved access to both high quality primary health care services and tertiary specialist services. This will also enable earlier diagnosis, management, and care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women at all stages.”

Culturally safe, accessible and patient centred care are seen as key components to decreasing the burden of gynaecological cancers on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their communities. Without equitable resourcing to implement effective prevention, management and care of gynaecological cancers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women will continue to suffer. While national strategies and policies have highlighted the need to improve awareness of cancer prevention and early detection through the provision of culturally safe and high-quality care, little progress has been made and the disparities in gynaecological cancer outcomes persist.

Rigorous research is the urgent need to focus on implementation, monitoring and evaluation of strategies which hold the health system accountable to providing culturally safe care free of racism that is patient centred. With the Australian cancer plan, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer plan and the National Strategy to Eliminate Cervical Cancer under development, their implementation is critical as is their subsequent monitoring, and evaluation to ensure tangible outcomes in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women with gynaecological cancer.

VIC mental health system: racism, violence, sexual assault

Indigenous people in Victoria are subject to violent acts of seclusion and restraint in the mental health system at greater rates than non-Aboriginal people, a damning report has found. The special report found mental health patients who had their human rights violated under Victoria’s flawed health system are owed public apologies and compensation from the state government.

A number of mental health patients were allegedly subjected to traumatic incidents while undergoing mandatory treatment including seclusion and restraint, and coercive treatment such as the use of induced comas. The report, released yesterday, was commissioned by the state’s health department, and called for a truth-telling process to hear and document cases it says are unresolved. “On average, those within Victoria’s mental health system may lose 30 years of life due to the medications they are forced to take,” the report said. Incidents of racism, sexual assault and violence were also reported. Families, carers and supporters have also been mistreated and neglected by the system, with a lack of information about treatment, care and support options.

While systemic flaws were highlighted during a 2021 mental health royal commission, the report found truth-telling and acknowledging harms were not the focus. Human rights consultant Simon Katterl, who led the project, said the purpose of the report was to force the government to acknowledge harm, “Let there be no doubt that there are gross human rights violations being committed within the mental health system on a daily basis and we really need to, as a matter of urgency, start acting on this.”

To view the National Indigenous Times article Calls for justice after report finds racism, violence and sexual assault in Victoria’s mental health system in full click here.

side view of man's nose, mouth, cheek, rest of face obscured by black hoodie

Some people who received mental health treatment were subjected to compulsory treatment that sometimes included the use of induced comas. Photo: Chris Gillette, ABC News.

GRAMS launches Stopping Family Violence program

Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Centre (GRAMS) has launched a new program to assist men in Carnarvon improve their relationships and reduce family and domestic violence in the community. The Department of Communities-funded We Can Together program is focused on empowering Carnarvon men to challenge and transform their behaviours.

Through a partnership between GRAMS and Stopping Family Violence (SFV), the program aims to address family and domestic violence and create a positive pathway for change. The well-rounded, culturally sensitive and tailored program will be led by GRAMS men’s intervention co-ordinator David Batty with support from SFV project manager Kyalie Moore.

“Family violence has a profound impact on children, shaping their lives in ways we cannot underestimate. Through training, education, and unwavering support, we can empower our community to grow and heal,” Mr Batty said. “It’s crucial to address the barriers that men face in seeking support, challenging the misconception that seeking help is a sign of weakness.” Ms Moore said by working together, the organisations could pave the way for change and create availability for services. “Addressing family domestic violence within Aboriginal communities requires a collaborative approach, with a strong focus on investing in and supporting our ACCHOs,” she said.

To view Midwest Times article Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service launches Stopping Family Violence program in Carnarvon in full here. You can also view the GRAMS media release GRAMS and Stopping Family Violence partner for “We Can Together” project here.

L-R: David Batty, Kyalie Moore and Damian Green

L-R: David Batty, Kyalie Moore and Damian Green. Image source: GRAMS website.

Sector Jobs

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

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

Key Date – Men’s Health Week 12–18 June 2023

International Men’s Health Week (IMHW) is celebrated around the world in the middle of June every year. It’s a reminder to support and promote the health and wellbeing of men across the globe. The week focuses on physical health, mental health, emotional wellbeing, and community connection – and it’s a good prompt to consider men’s use of alcohol and other drugs.

When it comes to alcohol and other drug use, research has shown that compared to women, men:

  • are more likely to engage in illicit drug use
  • begin using alcohol and other drugs at an earlier age
  • have higher rates of substance dependence1, 2
  • often drink more than the recommended guidelines in one sitting3
  • have higher rates of unintentional drug-induced overdoses.4

Higher rates of alcohol and other drug use mean that men often experience more associated harms. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation webpage Men’s Health Week – time for healthy habits here provides information about how to build healthier habits, the signs to check if you need support, how to talk to a mate about their alcohol and other drug use, and find out where to get support. You can also watch the Queensland Reds rugby union players(L-R) Zane Nonggorr, Jock Campbell and Harry Wilson dispel some men’s health myths in the video below.

May 8 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Meaningful steps needed to reduce poverty

feature tile Mon 8 .5.23, image of ATSI boy reading a book; text 'If POVERTY is not reduced the impact of investment in health reform will be GREATLY UNDERMINED'

The image in the feature tile is from What is poverty? webpage of The Smith Family website.

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

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

Meaningful steps needed to reduce poverty

If the Federal Government does not take meaningful steps to reduce poverty in Australia, then the impact and value of its investment in health reform and suicide prevention will be greatly undermined. That is a clear inference from the interim report, available here, of a Senate inquiry into the extent and nature of poverty in Australia, whose release last week was perfectly timed to influence debate around the Federal Budget.

The inquiry considered submissions from many health and medical organisations including the NACCHO and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations, cohealth, National Rural Health Alliance, Public Health Association of Australia, and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

The report illustrates many ways that poverty undermines physical and mental health and wellbeing, including through its impact on the determinants of health and access to healthcare. People are missing healthcare appointments and not accessing essential medicines, unable to afford healthy foods, and experiencing chronic stress, depression, anxiety, and suicidality as a result of poverty, the report found. Children’s physical health and development is being affected, as are family relationships.

A Salvation Army spokesman told the inquiry that “the best clinical care in the world won’t make a difference if you’re sending them out to sleep in their car afterwards”. Lifeline Australia told the inquiry that socioeconomic status has reliably been identified as a factor which impacts suicide risk. It noted that over the past decade, age-standardised suicide rates in Australia were highest for those living in the lowest socioeconomic areas.

To view the Croakey Health Media article Will the Federal Budget deliver for these key health issues? in full click here.

exterior of poor conditions of remote housing

Overcrowding in remote housing is regarded as a primary cause of rheumatic heart disease. Photo: Lucy Marks. Image source: ABC News.

BRAMS CEO wins 40under40 Award

Last Friday night at a gala dinner at Crown Perth, Cassie Atchison, CEO of Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (BRAMS) was announced a winner in this year’s Business News Annual 40under40 Awards for her outstanding work in WA.

Business News senior journalist and chief judge Mark Pownall said, “Judges were looking for the entrepreneurs, the people who were willing to take a risk rather than follow the safe path, those who have stepped outside their comfort zone.”

Pat Turner, CEO of NACCHO was very proud to attend the event and said, “It was so good to see one of the CEOs from our sector receive such a prestigious award.”

Mitchell Matera, managing director of Maali Group, was announced as First Amongst Equals at the 40under40 Awards for 2023, taking the top spot ahead of a varied cohort of WA’s young business and community leaders. The proud Noongar man also won the Indigenous Business Category for his electrical, mechanical and civil contracting company, Maali Group. Mr Matera said “As a young Aboriginal apprentice, I saw that while some resource sector companies celebrated diversity, there was no real on-site support or sustainable career pathways for Indigenous apprentices. Unable to find businesses genuinely committed to employment, upskilling and career diversity for Indigenous people in the sector, I started one myself.”

View the Business News article Matera wins first place at 40u40 awards.

Cassie Atchinson, CEO BRAMS, holding 40under40 award & group photo including NACCHO CEO Pat Turner & Cassie Atchinson

40under40 award winner Cassie Atchinson, CEO BRAMS and NACCHO CEO Pat Turner (second from left in group photo) joining in the celebrations. Images from Business News.

First Nations women to speak at historic forum

150 young First Nations women will gather in Canberra tomorrow to help set an agenda for change in relation to the rights, health, safety, wellbeing and prosperity of young Indigenous women and girls. The Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) Youth Forum is a precursor to the landmark Wiyi Yani U Thangani National Summit (9–11 May), Australia’s most significant gathering ever of First Nations women which will be attended by over 900 women from across Australia (90% First Nations women). The 150 young First Nations women attending the Forum will also attend the Summit.

The Forum and the Summit are designed to help First Nations women and girls reshape many of the policies and programs which impact on their lives and the lives of their families and communities. The Summit is designed for First Nations women to speak on their own terms to government, policymakers and service providers about addressing issues affecting First Nations women and girls. The Summit is the climax of the five-year Wiyi Yani U Thangani systemic change project led by the Commission’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO. Leading First Nations women’s rights advocate Michelle Deshong is co-hosting the Summit.

Commissioner Oscar said: “These young women are the next generation of First Nations female leaders. Indeed, many of them are already providing vital leadership across their communities and countries. “Around half of all First Nations people are under 25 years of age so it’s very important that we engage productively and respectfully with our young people and ensure their voices are heard and acted on.”

To view the Australian Human Rights Commission article Young First Nations women to raise their voices at historic forum in full click here.

Push to reduce stigma around FASD

As a little boy, Jazpa Pinnell was so hyperactive he’d run up and down the balconies at school, was unable to concentrate in class, and his meltdowns were so bad friends and family would tell his mum he needed a “belting”. “I was thinking I was a bad parent,” mum Sam Pinnell said. But her fears were allayed, and the Queensland teenager’s life changed for the better at age seven when he was diagnosed with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). These days, with help from psychologists, physiotherapy, occupational therapy – and an understanding of his diagnosis – the Year 11 student is described as well-mannered and respectful.

Jazpa was one of the first children diagnosed with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder at the Gold Coast University Hospital’s FASD clinic, Queensland’s first dedicated clinic for the condition, which opened in 2014. It remains one of the few clinics in Australia. Ms Pinnell is Jazpa’s biological aunt and the woman he calls mum, having cared for him since birth. “So many times they’re put into the too-hard basket or they’re expelled, they’re suspended, because the teachers do not understand that they’re not naughty, they’re not playing up, they’re just struggling to learn,” said Ms Pinnell, who founded a FASD support group. The group has a “no blame, no shame and no judging” motto.

Gold Coast FASD clinic director Doug Shelton said the issue was one for society to address, not just individual women, particularly given Australia’s drinking culture. Dr Shelton, a paediatrician, said the recommendation was for women to drink no alcohol during pregnancy to avoid FASD, but acknowledged about half of pregnancies were not planned. “If you had a precisely badly timed binge in the first few weeks of pregnancy, even if that was just one binge, and there was nothing else, that could be sufficient to cause lifelong problems with that baby,” he said. People with the disorder can also experience problems in school, getting a job, with relationships and some come into contact with the justice system.

To view the ABC News article Gold Coast family push to reduce stigma around foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in full click here.

woman's hands resting on top & base of pregnant belly

The exact number of FASD cases in Australian is unknown. Photo: Tracy Nearmy, AAP. Image source: ABC News.

National Tobacco Strategy 2023–2030 launch

Among all the talk last week about a crackdown on vaping – the most significant robacco control reforms in a decade – has been the roll-out of another major document – the launch of the National Tobacco Strategy 2023–2030, available here. A key priority of the strategy is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking and Closing the Gap. The Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) program would be extended and widened – with $141m funding – to reduce both vaping and smoking among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This is urgently needed  – tobacco legally kills over 57 Australians a day. That’s equivalent to extinguishing an entire country town of 21,000 every year.

It’s still the single biggest preventable risk factor for disease and premature death. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, more than a third of all deaths are caused by tobacco. Over the past decade we have lost more than 10,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lives due to smoking. Multiple policy failures beyond health – from poverty, education, employment, housing, family removals, dislocation and the systematic embedding of tobacco as rations in lieu of wages – mean Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately impacted by the harms of Big Tobacco.

There have been huge achievements in reducing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking. In 2018–19, 40% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults smoked daily, down from 50% in 2004-05. A target of 27% is achievable. But to get there we need something “extra” to accelerate those reductions. So the funding to expand the TIS program is urgently needed to have no more than 27% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking by 2030 (5% of all Australians).

To view The National Tribune article New funds will tackle Indigenous smoking. But here’s what else we know works for quit campaigns in full click here.

cover of the National Tobacco Strategy 2023-2030

Scathing report over Doomadgee woman’s death

The Queensland Health Ombudsman has released a scathing report into the preventable death of a First Nations woman at Doomadgee Rural Hospital in the state’s north-west, describing poor record-keeping, “completely unacceptable” follow-up in care and racial stereotyping. Adele Sandy, 37, a mother of four children who had been diagnosed with life-threatening rheumatic heart disease since she was a child, died at the remote hospital after previous presentations to the emergency department, only to be sent home with Panadol.

The Queensland Health Ombudsman’s report followed a Four Corners investigation last year, Heart Failure, into the deaths of not just Ms Sandy, but also her teenage niece, Shakaya George and Shakaya’s best friend, Betty Booth, who also had rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and had been turned away with Panadol from Doomadgee Hospital. Two months before Ms Sandy died, in March 2020, Queensland Health completed a review, Betty’s Story, into the failures of care for Betty Booth before she died, finding clinical risk and poor governance.

The Ombudsman’s report into Ms Sandy’s death said it was “concerned with the lack of progress” since Betty’s Story was delivered. “The tragic loss of Miss Sandy is an ongoing source of grief for the Doomadgee community which is deepened with the knowledge that many of the issues identified in the ‘Betty’s Story’ report are replicated in Miss Sandy’s care,” the report said.

To view the ABC News article Scathing report into Doomadgee Rural Hospital following First Nations woman’s death reveals clinical failures in full click here.

sign at entrance to Doomadgee Hospital, Queensland Government logo & words

Multiple women died after seeking treatment at Doomadgee Hospital, in remote north-west Queensland. Photo: Louie Eroglu, Four Corners. Image source: ABC News.

Sector Jobs

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

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

Mar 15 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Genuine engagement needed over consultation

feature tile text 'NACCHO Chairperson tells conference that Governments need to recognise they do not have the answers; image of Donnella Mills

The image in the feature tile has been extracted from a YouTube video of NACCHO Chair Donnella Mills sharing her message on COIVD-19 and the vaccines in early 2021.

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

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

Genuine engagement needed over consultation

The Australia and NZ School of Government’s (ANZSOG’s) 2023 First Nations Public Administration Conference, held earlier this month, focused on the importance of genuine engagement rather than consultation. Delegates supported a strengths-based approach to policy and programs which recognised First Nations knowledge and culture. The conference was divided into four sessions based around the priority reforms of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. These were: formal partnerships and shared decision-making; building the First Nations community-controlled sector; transforming Government organisations, and shared data and access to information.

Chair of the NACCHO, Donnella Mills told the conference that Governments needed to recognise they did not have the answers, and that Indigenous people would “work harder than anyone else to take care of our people”. She said structural reform was needed to change the way power was distributed. “If the National Agreement on Closing the Gap isn’t on your desk; if you can’t rattle off the priority reforms, if your Agency hasn’t resourced it — you need to lean in, and quickly. We are now in a new way of operating,” Ms Mills said.

The conference featured more than 20 First Nations speakers who discussed the transformation that was happening in First Nations policy. They outlined how approaches that included First Nations knowledge, perspectives and values could serve the wider public and First Nations interests — and how Governments needed to change to better serve First Nations communities.

To view the PS News article ANZSOC conference backs PS Indigenous in full click here.

portrait shots of John Paterson, AMSANT CEO & Robert Skeen, AH&MRC CEO

AMSANT CEO John Paterson and AH&MRC CEO Robert Skeen, were both speakers on Day Two of the conference. Image sources: ANZSOG website and AH&MRC website.

$32m+ for First Nations health research projects

Through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), nearly 200 ground-breaking medical research projects will share in more than $382m in grants, including more than $32m to improve First Nations health. The projects will help Australia’s outstanding medical researchers, including clinician researchers, discover new ways to diagnose, treat and care for people with a variety of health conditions. They will also support early and mid-career researchers and give more Australians access to clinical trials.

Research projects on cardiovascular disease, primary and preventive health care, respiratory diseases, maternal health, mental health and First Nations health, will receive funding to progress important work.

Two innovative First Nations-led projects to receive funding are:

University of Newcastle – $2m – Gulibaa (Coolamon) Project
This will be a co-designed model of care supporting Aboriginal mothers across NSW to be smoke-free in pregnancy and beyond. The project will co-design, embed in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, and evaluate a group-based smoking cessation program.

The Sax Institute – $1.5m – Healthy Ageing for Aboriginal people
This project will evaluate the implementation and uptake of prevention programs to support healthy ageing amongst Aboriginal people. The Institute will collaborate with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services which run holistic and culturally safe preventive healthy ageing programs for their communities.

Of the 193 projects funded, 19 grants worth more than $32.3m are related to First Nations health and a further 13 grants worth more than $16.9m are related to mental health.

To view the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care’s media release Nearly $400 million for exceptional medical research projects including projects to improve First Nations health in full click here.

Aboriginal woman's hands on pregnant belly; male & 2 female ATSAI Elders, MRFF logo

Image sources: SBS; Aged Care Online website; Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

Program to help teens get a good night’s sleep

Karen Chong is the world’s first Indigenous sleep coach. “We are the people of the Dreamtime with the oldest continuing culture shaped by dreams, which is why I became a sleep coach and I want to train others,” she said. Mother of seven and grandmother of 10 Ms Chong, a Waanyi Garawa Gangalida woman, knows all too well how much harder parenting can be if your kids aren’t sleeping properly. “If they weren’t having a proper night’s sleep, they were waking up cranky and moody and it affects their eating too,” she said. “The biggest issue I’ve had with my two girls is that they want to stay up all night on their phones – if you’re a parent you’ll know what kids are like.”

The University of Queensland and Beyond Blue have partnered to deliver culturally responsive sleep health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents in Queensland. Project lead Associate Professor Yaqoot Fatima from UQ’s Poche Centre for Indigenous Health said Indigenous teens experience up to twice the rates of poor sleep as other adolescents. “Poor sleep can be caused by medical conditions like sleep apnoea and restless leg syndrome, or behavioural issues such as an irregular bedtime, late nights, and not getting enough sleep,” she said.

“Indigenous adolescents sleep better when they feel connected to their culture, which is why this program is important.” The 10-week Sleep for Strong Souls program is holding workshops with more than a hundred 12-18-year-olds in north and western Queensland communities.

To view the Kyabram Free Press article Indigenous sleep coach wants a score of 40 winks all in full click here.

ATSI teenage school kids looking at table of Sleep for Strong Souls program resources with coach

The Sleep for Strong Souls program is aiming to help Indigenous teenagers get a good night’s sleep. Image source: Kyabram Free Press.

Conference to examine rural health challenges

The challenges facing the rural health system are well-documented and well-known: difficulty attracting and retaining staff, fewer resources, lack of access to services, and building capacity and resilience in times of disaster and emergency. The 2023 Shoalhaven Rural Health Research Conference aims to unpack many of these issues, and more, while focusing on how to improve rural health services through collaboration, research and innovation.

The inaugural, nation-wide conference will be held at the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) Shoalhaven Campus on Saturday 18 March 2023 with a theme of Connection and Capacity Building. Associate Professor Marlene Longbottom ,a proud Yuin woman from Roseby Park (Jerrinja) Mission in the Shoalhaven, will deliver the keynote address, titled ‘Connection and Country’.

As Principal Research Fellow at the Ngarruwan Ngadju First Peoples Health and Wellbeing Research Centre at UOW, Associate Professor Longbottom has worked extensively in the health and human services sector with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from urban, regional and remote areas of New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. The keynote address will be followed by a series of workshops on the rural health and research landscape, hosted by UOW academics and primary healthcare professional across the fields of dietetics and nutrition, nursing, medicine and Indigenous health.

To view the University of Wollongong Australia article Inaugural conference to examine acute challenges facing rural health system in full click here.

portrait of Associate Professor Marlene Longbottom, University of Wollongong

Associate Professor Marlene Longbottom. Image source: LinkedIn.

Scholarship opportunities for First Nations nurses

As part of the Australian College of Nursing’s (ACN) commitment to advancing the nursing profession, the ACN Foundation has just released scholarships, grants and awards exclusively available to First Nations nurses to advance their nursing careers. Applications for the below scholarships are now open:

Graduate Certificate Nursing Scholarship, Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies – 20 scholarships are available for registered nurses to undertake selected ACN Graduate Certificate courses including Cancer Nursing, Community and Primary Health Care Nursing, Critical Care Nursing, Digital Health, Leadership and Management, Orthopaedic Nursing or Perioperative Nursing. Of the twenty available, five scholarships will be allocated to First Nations nurses and five will be allocated to nurses working in rural and remote areas of Australia.

Graduate Certificate Scholarships for First Nations nurses, Sponsored by HESTA – two scholarships are available for First Nations registered nurses to complete an ACN Graduate Certificate course of their choice out of ACN’s Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management, Aged Care Nursing, Perioperative Nursing, Critical Care Nursing or Community and Primary Health Care Nursing, commencing in July 2023.

If you are not at a career stage to apply for a postgraduate nursing scholarship, discover ACN’s scholarships for undergraduates, nursing leadership courses, research and more on their website here.

Applications close 11:59 PM AEDT – Monday 3 April 2023. To apply click here.

Australian College of Nursing Foundation Grants and Awards, HESTA tile; text 'Graduate Certificate Scholarships for First Nations Nurses; photo of ATSI female student

Sector Jobs

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

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

National Close the Gap Day

National Close the Gap Day is being held tomorrow, Thursday 16 March 2023, to raise community awareness about health inequalities facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In the SBS News – News in Depth broadcast Health differences for First Nations people targets on Close the Gap Day,available here, Karl Briscoe, CEO of the National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP) said “we believe the Close the Gap campaign priority reform areas are the biggest areas that will get the better gains that are required to close the gap”. Mr Briscoe said First Nations people must have access to appropriate housing, he said that with “Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) a fix that can be done straight away is adequate housing, we know that overcrowding is a huge component of RHD being prevalent within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and it is really quite solvable by having adequate housing.”

In this broadcast, Dr Thalia Anthony, University of Sydney Law Professor commented on the National Agreement on Closing the Gap target of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and young people not being overrepresented in the criminal justice system.

banner SBS News, News in Depth, text: Health differences for First Nations people targeted on Close the Gap Day; image of Uni of Sydney Law Professor Thalia Anthony

University of Sydney Law Professor Thalia Anthony. Image source: SBS News.

Mar 14 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Closing the gap in preterm birth rates

feature tile ATSI mum looking down on premature twin babies on her chest; text: preterm birth prevention program hopes to provide a roadmap for improved outcomes

The image in the feature tile is from an article GLU test expands to benefit Aboriginal mothers published on the Women & Infants Research Foundation website.

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

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly. The content included in these new stories are not necessarily NACCHO endorsed.

Closing the gap in preterm birth rates

Rates of early birth continue to disproportionately impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women and their newborns. Recent Closing the Gap data showed that the official target for healthy birthweights for babies has gone from being “on track” to “not on track”. Now, an innovative preterm birth prevention program led out of the NT is taking aim at this unacceptable disparity and the hope is that it will provide “a roadmap for improved outcomes” for all First Nations women and their children. Dr Kiarna Brown, Jess Murray and Marisa Smiler-Cairns are a team based in Garramilla (Darwin), on Larrakia Country, that make up the Top End chapter of the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance.

They note that preterm birth remains the leading cause of death in children up to five years of age. “The national average rate of preterm birth in Australia has remained relatively constant over the last 10 years (between 8.1 and 8.7%). Many of these babies lose their fight for life,” the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance noted in a statement. “In 2018, there were twice as many preterm live born babies born to First Nations mothers (17%) than to non-Aboriginal mothers (8%).” The biggest discrepancy is in the extremely preterm gestational age. First Nations women in the NT are four times more likely to lose a baby between 20 and 23 weeks gestational age: before the baby even gets a chance to survive.

Pregnancy can be a particularly vulnerable time for First Nations women, especially for those with pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes and cardiac conditions like Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD). Dr Kiarna Brown said there have been some key improvements in outcomes for First Nations women over the past decade. There has been a notable increase in the proportion of First Nations mothers attending an antenatal visit in the first trimester (from 49% in 2012 to 70% in 2020).”

To view the National Indigenous News article The First Nations health experts working to give Indigenous babies the best possible start in life in full click here.

Top End Alliance: Jessica Murray, Marisa Smiler-Cairns, and Dr Kiarna Brown

Top End Alliance: Jessica Murray, Marisa Smiler-Cairns, and Dr Kiarna Brown. Image source: National Indigenous Times.

Karlie one of growing number of Aboriginal doctors

For most of Karlie James’s life, studying medicine was a “pipedream”. Then she grew up, started working full time and had kids of her own, and she felt that dream slipping away. “Part of the reason why I wanted to become a doctor when I was little was that my passion was science and learning and wanting to help people,” she said. Then, around the time the Gunaikurnai, Yorta Yorta and Kuku Djungan woman turned 30 and had her third son, she reached a turning point. Growing up between Darwin and Katherine in the NT, she realised becoming a doctor was something she had to do.

“It became more apparent as I got older in the workforce, how much of an impact it would [have] to create more Indigenous doctors, especially in the community,” she said. “And that was one of my driving motivators to pursue medicine.” Having graduated from the Flinders University NT medicine program late last year, Dr James is now among the 0.5% of doctors in Australia who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. But that figure, which is recorded each year by the Australian Health Practitioners Agency (AHPRA), is slowly shifting and is up from 0.3% in 2016.

Also shifting is the understanding that in order to close the gap in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, Australia needs more First Nations doctors.

To view the ABC News article Karlie James is among the growing number of First Nations doctors working to tackle the health care gap in full click here.

Dr Karlie James walking with her 4 sons

Dr James completed her degree while caring for her four sons, as well as her nephews and nieces. Photo: Dane Hirst, ABC News.

Healing walk to honour those lost to suicide

This week, for the very first time, a group of First Nations and non-Indigenous people will take a walk along the Murrumbidgee River in memory of loved ones they have lost to suicide. The walk has been called Murra Yarra, which means ‘Speak Out, Speak Loud’ in Wiradjuri language. Organiser Jasmine Williams hopes it gives families with the chance to think of the good memories with those who have passed away.

“It’s the first time anything like this has ever been done in this community,” the Wiradjuri and Wolgalu woman said. “It’s an opportunity to have a positive spin on our grief and be able to really focus on the goodness, and the good memories of their lives instead of focusing on the way they passed.” Ms Williams is hosting Murra Yarra through the youth suicide prevention community action group Yamandhu Marang (‘Are You Well’), after Wiradjuri Elder Uncle Hewitt Whyman came to her with the idea. He said he had a vision of people coming together in their grief, and encouraged everyone experiencing similar losses to share with others in their sorrow.

When they heard about the walk Riverina Medical and Dental Aboriginal Corporation got involved and decided to sponsor the event. Practice manage Jane Kearnes said they’ve helped organise a barbecue at the end of the walk at the Wiradjuri Reserve, as well as bucket hats and water stations along the track. “I applaud Jasmine and the other committees for getting this up and running,” she said. “Something like this might encourage others to speak out more and not be silent.” According to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Indigenous suicide were more than double that of non-Indigenous suicides in 2021.

For more information on the walk you can access the Yamandhu Marang Facebook page here.

Jasmine Williams, sitting on rock under tree on bank of river

Murra Yarra organiser Jasmine Williams says the healing walk is a chance for those grieving to remember their loved ones. Photo: Madeline Begley. Image source: The Daily Advertiser.

Healthy food in remote NT a priority

The NT government has a long way to go in their efforts to address obesity and create healthier food environments, according to the latest scorecard of government performance on food policy. The Food Policy Index, first developed and implemented in 2017, benchmarks Australian governments on their implementation of globally recommended policies to improve population diets. Professor Gary Sacks from Deakin University’s Institute for Health Transformation who compiled the most recent report said greater policy action was required by the NT government.

“Supporting efforts to establish a licensing and accreditation scheme for healthy food retail in remote Indigenous communities needs to be one of the top priorities for the NT government.” Professor Sacks said a key recommendation from the 2020 Parliamentary Inquiry into Food Pricing and Food Security in Remote Indigenous Communities was the need for a licensing and inspection scheme for all remote stores. “The Healthy Stores 2020 study showed that restrictions on price promotion and product placement of unhealthy foods and drinks resulted in 1.8 tonnes less sugar being sold from 10 stores over 12 weeks while not impacting store profits,” Professor Sacks said.

“If this was extrapolated out across all remote stores over a year, the reduction could be as much as 90 tonnes a year, which equates to the weight of 60 medium sized family cars. Modelling suggests that this reduction in sugar could result in a 10% risk reduction in mortality from cardiovascular disease.”

To view the Deakin University media release Healthy food retail in remote NT communities identified as top priority click here and the Joint Policy Statement of The Coalition for Healthy Remote Stores on the NT Government’s Community Stores Licensing program here.

inside Peppimenarti grocery store, NT

Peppimenarti store, NT. Image source: C&I Media.

AMA urges action to save patients on PBS medicines

The AMA has urged all members of the Federal Parliament to support the AMA’s campaign to bring down out-of-pocket costs of medicines for patients and relieve cost of living pressures. It says implementation of a five-year-old recommendation of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) would save patients up to $180 a year on selected PBS medicines.

AMA President Professor Steve Robson has written to all MPs and Senators, calling on their support for the Federal Government to immediately implement a recommendation from the independent PBAC to increase the maximum dispensed quantities of selected PBS items from one month’s supply to two months’ supply per dispensing. This would also allow up to 12 months’ supply in total from a single script, saving patients an extra trip to their doctor.

Professor Robson said increasing out-of-pocket costs of medicines was a key reason many Australians delayed or failed to fill prescriptions. He said although the Government’s recent policy to lower co-payments for patients to $30 was a good move, many patients still faced significant costs and more needed to be done to lower PBS medicine costs for patients. “Pensioners and concession card holders would be among those to benefit, recognising the recent reduction in the PBS co-payment to $30 did not apply to them. It would free-up GP consultations with the possibility for GPs to write what is effectively a 12-month prescription for these particular medications. This is time GPs could spend with other patients who, we know, can benefit from the preventative health care GPs provide.”

To view the AMA’s media release AMA urges immediate action to save patients on PBS medicines in full click here.

AMA President Professor Steve Robson

AMA President Professor Steve Robson. Image source: The Age.

Breakthrough partnership to benefit remote communities

A breakthrough partnership between Hoops 4 Health and the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport will see some of the NT’s most remote communities benefit from access to trauma-informed and culturally-informed and healing-centred training. Founder of Hoops4Health, Timmy Duggan OAM, is the man behind the vision to re-empower young people and communities to improved their quality of life.

Mr Duggan has maternal ties with Tennant Creek mob from Warramungu and paternal ties to the Nykinya people of the Kimberley, and has been working with communities across the NT for two decades. He said the move to combine First Nations-led healing with trauma-informed care emerged through Hoops 4 Health staff receiving training under Dr Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Network model.

“We have partnered with The Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport (CHJS) who offers training to help folks understand the impact of overwhelming stress, or trauma, on young people and equips them with skills to take action to support these young people,” Mr Duggan said. “This partnership just really solidifies that sometimes you’ve got to bring in an expert you know, we’ve got the First Nations knowledge. Blend that with the science around the neuroscience to address trauma in our communities and the places we work and we think we’ve got something pretty unique.”

To view the National Indigenous Times article Hoops 4 Health and The Center for Healing and Justice through Sport form partnership in full click here.

basketball star Nate Jawai with a young rising star shooting for goal

Basketball star Nate Jawai with a young rising star. Image source: National Indigenous Times.

Sector Jobs

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

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

Feb 28 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: ARF and RHD resources available on NACCHO website

 

feature tile NACCHO ARF RHD logo and text 'ARF and RHD resources now available on the NACCHO website'

The image in the feature tile is the NACCHO designed ARF and RHD logo.

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

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly. The content included in these new stories are not necessarily NACCHO endorsed.

ARF and RHD resources available on NACCHO website

NACCHO now has an Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) webpage. The webpage includes general information about ARF and RHD including:

  • Why are ARF and RHD an important priority for NACCHO?
  • What is ARF?
  • What is RHD?
  • Would you like to learn more about ARF and RHD?

In addition, the webpage includes links to a range of resources tailored for community and professionals including: guidelines and report; visual resources; eLearning modules, apps and videos (such as the one below).

To access the NACCHO webpage Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease click here.

Small amounts of drinking may change baby’s face

It is well known that heavy drinking while pregnant has a range of negative effects on an unborn child, and can disrupt development of the brain and other organs. What is less well known is the effects, if any, of drinking a glass of wine here or there throughout pregnancy. As facial features are determined by brain development during the first trimester, the way a child looks can also be affected along with motor skills, behaviour and learning.

A new study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, sought to understand whether low doses of alcohol during pregnancy changed children’s faces as they can be a reflection of overall health and development. They found that drinking the equivalent of one glass of wine a week during pregnancy may make a difference to the way a child looks.

For the study, researchers from Erasmus University in Rotterdam asked women about their drinking habits in the three months before becoming pregnant, whether they drank alcohol during the pregnancy and, if so, the quantity and for how much of the pregnancy they drank.

To read The Age article Can drinking small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy change a baby’s face? in full click here.

torso of pregnant Aboriginal woman with hands resting above and below pregnant belly

Image source: Gomeroi Gaaynggal Study website.

PIP-IHI updated and improved

Medical clinics have been encouraged to provide better, ongoing care to Indigenous Australians following the revamp of an incentive program designed to achieve better, long-term health outcomes. The Practice Incentives Program – Indigenous Health Initiative (PIP-IHI) has been updated and improved and will boost quality of care and outcomes for Indigenous people living with chronic health and mental health conditions.

The PIP-IHI pays medical practices to sign up to the program when a patient is registered and when certain patient outcomes are reached. A 2019 review of the initiative found that while many practices signed on and registered patients, there were low numbers of payments based on outcomes. This showed the program wasn’t doing what it was designed for – achieving continuity of care for patients with high needs.

To remedy these shortcomings and ensure efficiency, changes to the PIP-IHI include:

  • making some GP Mental Health Care Plan Medicare items eligible for outcome payments
  • shifting payment amounts to incentivise follow up care for patients, rather than registration
  • making patients under the age of 15 eligible for outcome payments
  • giving GP practices a 12-month rolling window to provide the required number of services.

Initial changes began earlier this year, with the updated payment structure transitioning in 2023 and 2024 to give practices time to adjust to the changes.

To view Senator Malarndirri McCarthy’s media release Strengthening GP care for Indigenous Australians in full click here.

orange Aboriginal body paint art on dark blue background and words in white font 'Practice Incentives Program Indigneous Health Incentive'

Image source: Department of Health and Aged Care’s Changes to the Practice Incentives Program Indigenous Health Incentive webpage.

VACCHO “deeply disturbed” by latest suicide report

The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and the Balit Durn Durn Centre have expressed deep sadness at the findings of new report, Suicides of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, by the Coroners Court of Victoria which reveals an “alarmingly high” suicide rate among Indigenous people, three times higher than that of the non-Indigenous population

In a statement VACCHO said “Of particular concern in the Coroners Court Of Victoria report are the stressors that were identified among the suicides of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria. Breakdowns in interpersonal relationships, experiences of family violence, experiences of abuse, and substance abuse left untreated were all noted as stressors and factors that significantly contributed to losses of life. Alarmingly, over one third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who passed by suicide reported childhood exposure to family violence, and nearly 50% had experienced separation from parents.”

VACCHO noted the report revealed more than 80% of people who passed by suicide had been diagnosed with a mental health issue, such as depression, anxiety and/or mood disorders, “suggesting if services were responsive and able to meet the needs of Aboriginal people, these deaths could have been prevented. These stressors highlight the failings of fragmented mental health and child protection systems that do not provide people with culturally safe, holistic health and wellbeing services that they need.”

To view the National Indigenous Times article Victoria’s peak Aboriginal health body “deeply disturbed” by latest report on suicide in full click here.

external view of VACCHO building with mural, VACCHO logo & name VACCHO

Image source: VACCHO website.

New Lowitja Journal invites submissions

Lowitja Institute and Elsevier are pleased to announce the launch of a new international journal in 2023. This community-controlled journal aims to uphold Indigenous rights to sovereignty and self-determination within research practice. The first issue, entitled First Nations Health and Wellbeing – The Lowitja Journal, is scheduled to be published in line with Lowitja Institute’s 3rd International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference 2023 from 14–16 June 2023.

The First Nations Health and Wellbeing – The Lowitja Journal invites submissions in a range of formats, including original research, reviews, case studies perspectives and commentaries. You can submit your next research article to this important new journal via  the First Nations Health and Wellbeing – The Lowitja Journal online portal here.

Papers should reflect the values and principles of Lowitja Institute and adhere to the policies outlined in the journal guide for authors, available here. There is also a requirement that the first, second or senior author are First Nations peoples. All articles in the first issue will be published open access with no article processing fee.

Submissions for this inaugural issue are due on or before Friday 10 March 2023 for peer review.

Submit your paper via the online submission system here or email any questions to Editor using this email link.

cover of First National Health and Wellbeing: The Lowitja Journal

Image source: First National Health and Wellbeing – The Lowitja Journal portal.

Mental health support for Northern Rivers mob

Northern Rivers residents are being reminded that free mental health support is only a phone call or web chat away, with in-person counseling also available. Healthy North Coast Chief Executive, Monika Wheeler, said that these next few weeks could be particularly challenging for Northern Rivers residents and urged locals to prioritise their mental health.

Ms Wheeler said “Looking out for each other is what has got our community through the past 12 months. There are many things about our current situation that we cannot change, but we can all take steps to look after our heads and hearts. If you or someone you know is struggling or could simply benefit from a friendly and supportive chat, I urge you to reach out. Healthy North Coast offers a range of free and after-hours services to support mental health and wellbeing for all ages, with a number of them made available through Australian Government and NSW Government flood recovery. There’s no shame in saying you’re feeling overwhelmed or just want to talk things through. I encourage all community members, including our hardworking primary care professionals, to prioritise their mental health care over the coming weeks.”

One of the services offered is the The Strong Community Program which provides free specialist mental health support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Rivers, age 12 years and over. Mental health and wellbeing supports include in-person counselling, mental health promotion in schools and outreach to communities in Cabbage Tree Island, Wardell, Ballina, Box Ridge, Woodburn, Lismore and neighbouring areas.

To view the Echo article Free mental health support for Northern Rivers communities in full click here.

backs of 4 young ATSI adults, sunset in the background

Image source: The Strong Community Program webpage of the Lives Lived Well website.

Sector Jobs

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

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

Dec 12 2022

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: RACGP calls for QLD government to come clean

The image in the feature tile is from an RACGP newsGP article ‘Very disappointing’: UTI pharmacy prescribing pilot extended indefinitely published on 4 July 2022.

RACGP calls for QLD government to come clean

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has called on the Queensland Government to come clean on the North Queensland Retail Pharmacy Scope of Practice Pilot. It comes following the RACGP lodging a Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI Act) request to the Queensland Health Department on 28 March this year – 256 days ago. So far, no information has been forthcoming. The application sought access to meeting agendas, meeting papers (including notes and briefing papers), minutes, correspondence, budget documents and briefings relating to the pilot.

The college has previously cautioned that the pilot will fragment care and put patient safety and wellbeing at risk. In October this year, the RACGP doubled down on warnings that the experiment will result in poorer health outcomes for patients and much higher healthcare costs. Since then, several jurisdictions including Victoria and NSW, have forged ahead with their own pharmacy prescribing plans.

RACGP President and Mackay-based GP Dr Nicole Higgins said that scrutiny of the pilot was needed more than ever. “This is not rocket science, if due process has been followed then these documents exist, and it is in the public’s interest to know what they contain, especially as this pilot is the product of an election promise rather than responding to a demonstrable public need,” she said.

To view the RACGP media release What is the Queensland Government hiding on the controversial pharmacy prescribing pilot? in full click here.

Image source: The Conversation.

Concerns mob missing out on eating disorder treatment

To view the ABC News article Concerns Indigenous Australians missing out on eating disorder treatment in full click here.

Wiradjuri and Wotjobulak man AJ Williams battled bulimia for three years. Image source: ABC News.

Remote housing: holding government to account

Royal Darwin Hospital’s Dr Nerida Moore and paediatric registrar Dr Tasmyn Soller have co-authored an article about how overcrowding and poor-quality housing are significant driving forces of death and disease in remote communities of the NT, saying “As health care workers, we bear witness to the devastating impact that overcrowding and grossly substandard infrastructure brings. We see mothers who are desperate to find solutions to enable them to wash their children’s clothes, limited by access to washing machines, power and water. Likewise, we see families advocating to reduce overcrowding in their community who are told to wait patiently for nearly a decade for a new house to be built.”

Inadequate housing and overcrowding are at crisis level in many parts of the NT – a fact that has been established over many decades. In Australia, the highest levels of overcrowding occur in very remote communities. In 2019, it was estimated that 51% of Indigenous Australians living in very remote communities resided in overcrowded homes. Estimates suggest an extra 5,000 homes are needed by 2028 to reduce levels of overcrowding to an acceptable level.

It is therefore unsurprising that remote communities experience some of the highest rates of devastating and preventable diseases such as acute rheumatic fever (ARF), rheumatic heart disease (RHD), acute post streptococcal glomerulonephritis, chronic suppurative lung disease, skin infections and otitis media. These diseases, even though they have different pathophysiology, all have common links to the social determinants of health. This is further highlighted by the steep decline of these diseases globally as living conditions have gradually improved across the world.

To view the InSight article Remote community housing: holding government to account in full click here.

Gloria Chula lives in a three-bedroom house of 16 people in Wadeye, one of the Northern Territory’s poorest and most troubled Indigenous communities. Image source: The Islander.

Nine-year-old ‘doctors’ set to graduate

A group of primary school-aged “doctors” are set to graduate in Melbourne’s north and become life-long health ambassadors for themselves and their communities. The 30-odd students in grades three and four at Reservoir East Primary School are graduating from the 15-week Malpa Young Doctors for Life program this week.

The program is culturally derived and teaches both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children traditional ways of healing, along with modern ways of keeping communities healthy. Interstate, nine South Australian schools signed up in 2022, and three schools are also part of the program in NSW in Dubbo South, and in Smithtown and Kempsey West in the Mid North Coast region.

The program “equips them with Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge which they end up sharing with others – I believe they are closing the gap for themselves,” Malpa leader Mel Harrison said. “At Reservoir, one of the main benefits is that it has dramatically improved school attendance. “The way the program is designed means that every child feels some form of success in Malpa.”

To view the Milton Ulladulla Times article Nine-year-old ‘doctors’ set to graduate in full click here.

Students from a primary school in Melbourne took part in the Malpa Young Doctors for Life program. Image source: Milton Ulladulla Times.

NT facing COVID-19 spike

COVID-19 cases have doubled in the NT in the past week, rising faster than anywhere else in the country. The NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles says the NT has moved out of the COVID-19 emergency phase but Aboriginal health care providers say that call is premature. Angus Randall reports that health services are very worried about a Christmas peak. The NT recently recorded a worrying COVID milestone, 100,000 cases since the start of the pandemic. Experts say that is likely an undercount, but the trend in the official numbers shows a steeper rise in the NT right now than anywhere else in Australia.

John Paterson the CEO, of the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT (AMSANT) said “Up until this year we’ve had 40 Aboriginal deaths in the NT, it’s killing Aboriginal people at younger ages, with the highest numbers of deaths in the 60-69 age group then the 50-59 age group compared to over 80 for the non-Aboriginal population, so you can see the Aboriginal population is at most risk.”

Mr Paterson is concerned about what will happen over the coming weeks as those in remote communities travel to the more populated centres during the Christmas season. “It is unfortunate and I think premature that governments are taking their foot off the pedal and not giving this issue the attention it deserves given we are now seeing a rise in COVID-19 numbers again. Our advice would have been to wait until after the Christmas New Year period to see what the numbers are like and reconsider any other public measures we might need to take during that period.”

You can listen to The World Today ABC broadcast NT facing COVID-19 spike in full here.

Photo: Steven Schubert, ABC News. Image source: ABC News – The World Today.

Australia’s annual sexual health check up

New data released last week by the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney reveals how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted testing and diagnoses of sexually transmissible infections (STI) in Australia. The report titled HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections in Australia: Annual surveillance report shows that in 2021 there were 86,916 diagnoses* of chlamydia, 26,577 of gonorrhoea and 5,570 of infectious syphilis in Australia.

“Prior to the pandemic we were seeing increases in chlamydia and gonorrhoea, but in 2021 we recorded a small decline. We believe this reduction is a consequence of both reduced testing and reduced sexual activity with new or casual partners, due to social restrictions and lockdowns during 2020 and 2021,” says Dr Skye McGregor from the Kirby Institute, one of the report’s authors. “On the other hand, syphilis has been steadily increasing among women of reproductive age, gay and bisexual men and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This reflects sustained and ongoing transmission across Australia, which is extremely concerning.”

To view the scimex article Australia’s Annual Sexual Health Check Up: STIs are mostly down, but reductions in testing could be the cause in full click here.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) webpage of 1800 My Options website.

Sector Jobs

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

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

Dec 6 2022

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: NACCHO Deputy CEO talks about HIV

The image in the feature tile is of NACCHO Deputy CEO Dr Dawn Casey PSM.

NACCHO Deputy CEO talks about HIV

Yesterday NACCHO Deputy CEO Dr Dawn Casey spoke to Lola Forester on Blackchat, Koori Radio 93.7 FM about positive actions being taken to get the right information out to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities about HIV. Dr Casey said the community is tracking pretty well in terms of the numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people contracting HIV and cases being reported. She said there’s been a massive program, funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, over the last couple of years where many of the ACCHOs are involved in running programs for overall blood borne viruses (BBV) and STIs. Communities have made significant headway in terms of creating awareness about BBVs and STIs and prevention. Stigma and shame around HIV however continues to be a problem.

Dr Casey said so much more awareness needs to happen so people understand HIV is not threatening like it was many years ago. An issue that needs to be improved considerably is partner notification and contract tracing. ACCHOs are doing an incredible job with prevention programs and awareness campaigns, in language where required, around BBVs, STIs and HIV. Dr Casey and Lola reflected on the very inventive and funny ways ACCHOs have been getting the message out about safe sex, including condom trees.

You can listen to the 10-minute Koori Radio Blackchat radio interview in full by clicking here.

Koori Radio 93.7 FM Blackchat presenter Lola Forester.

Calls to stop ‘pipeline’ of shattered children

The Yoorrook Justice Commission has called for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised from 10 to at least 14, to help stop vulnerable Indigenous children getting “lost in the pipeline” of child protection and criminal justice systems. The Standing Council of Attorneys-General – a group of attorneys-general from federal, state and territory governments that focuses on best practices in law reform – will review the age of criminal responsibility when it meets later this week.

Counsel assisting the Yoorrook Justice Commission Fiona McLeod, SC, urged the council to consider First Nations people, “the many, many reports into this issue” and the testimonies that would be heard at the commission’s public hearings this week. McLeod said the number of First Nations children in out-of-home care in Victoria was “heading in the wrong direction” and contributing to a high incarceration rate among First Nations people. “It appears the current system is failing in its fundamental object of child protection,” she said. “It appears it is broken. It is fuelling a pipeline of shattered children straight to our health services and our criminal justice system.”

To view the WAtoday article Call to raise age of criminal responsibility and stop ‘pipeline of shattered Indigenous children’ in full click here.

Kutcha Edwards and niece Eva Jo Edwards are survivors of the stolen generations. Photo: Simon Schluter. Image source: WAtoday.

Kids face higher rates of skin infections

Bacterial skin infections and atopic dermatitis may be underdiagnosed among urban Indigenous children, says a WA dermatologist and researcher. A systematic review, published in Pediatric Dermatology, assessed the burden of atopic dermatitis and bacterial skin conditions in Indigenous children and young people living in urban environments in high-income countries.

Researchers included 16 papers from Australia, NZ, Canada and Greenland spanning 26 years. “Atopic dermatitis is common among urban-living Indigenous children in high-income countries with current symptoms and current severe symptoms higher than their non-Indigenous peers,” the researchers wrote. “This may suggest under-treatment of atopic dermatitis, reflecting the socioeconomic disadvantage that disproportionately affects Indigenous people, creating financial barriers to primary and dermatologic care, prescription treatments, and costly skin care regimens.”

The researchers said S.aureus colonised the skin in atopic dermatitis, exacerbating the disease and increasing the risk of bacterial skin infections. “Untreated bacterial skin infections can lead to serious complications including sepsis, post-infectious glomerulonephritis, and rheumatic heart disease,” they wrote. Urban-living Indigenous children in Australia and other high-income countries shared a history of colonisation, displacement and negative impacts on health, said lead author and dermatologist, Dr Bernadette Ricciardo from the University of WA and the Telethon Kids Institute.

To read the Medical Republic article Kids face higher rates of infections click here.

Image source: Medical Republic.

Healthy Skin Week in Maningrida

Mala’la Health Service recently coordinated Healthy Skin Week to promote early identification and treatment of skin infections in a bid to lower long term health conditions such as Acute Rheumatic Fever, Rheumatic Heart and Kidney Disease. Over five days, the dedicated crew of Aboriginal Community Health Workers, Nurses and Volunteer Doctors assessed and treated more than 1,200 people in Maningrida and outstations. Outreach clinics through late night shops, child and family centre and public spaces around the community provided extra points of access for the community.

Natasha Bond was involved in leading the community response with home-to-home visits and workshops to provide health information and support. “Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) is a huge concern for our mob, we have the highest rates of RHD in the world. We want to encourage everyone to work on this together, get treatment straight away and stop further health complications”.

In the lead up to Healthy Skin Week, West Arnhem Regional Council coordinated hard-rubbish collections with Stedman’s also coming on board to provide Skip Bins at various sites. Maningrida College hosted multiple workshops with the school students from kindy to seniors’ cohorts. These Workshops were delivered by the Mala’la team of Aboriginal Health Workers in-training, Natasha Bond and Eileen Gunabarra alongside Jennifer Damsey in Burarra and English languages.

To view the West Arnhem Regional Council article Healthy Skin Week in Maningrida in full click here.

Image source: West Arnhem Land Regional Council website.

Informing National Health and Climate Strategy

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and leadership will inform climate health policy and action at all levels under a discussion paper that is being circulated for feedback to inform development of a National Health and Climate Strategy. This is the first of six principles informing the paper, and “recognises the role of First Nations people in protecting and caring for Country, that Indigenous ecological knowledge should be considered in policy development, and that First Nations’ engagement will lead to better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples”.

Other principles informing the paper are that:

  • a more sustainable healthcare system will improve public health outcomes
  • all Australians have equal access to a strong and climate-resilient health system, both now and in the future
  • evidence underpins strategies and actions
  • all levels of government and stakeholders work in partnership to implement agreed focus areas and actions
  • a health lens is applied to climate change policy.

The paper asks readers to consider whether other principles should be considered. “For example, should transparency, reporting and accountability also be included as a key principle underpinning the Strategy?” While the paper “acknowledges that some populations, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, rural and remote communities, elderly Australians and Australians from lower socio-economic backgrounds, are more vulnerable to poorer health outcomes from the impacts of climate change”, it does not mention the term ‘health equity’. Nor does ‘climate justice’ rate a mention.

To read the Croakey Health Media article On the National Health and Climate Strategy, how’s it shaping up? in full click here.

Raylene Lenmardi and Sumayah Surprise, Ngurrara Rangers. Image source: WWF Australia.

Winnunga Nimmityjah health centre opens

The Winnunga Nimmityjah health centre opened in a formal ceremony on Saturday 3 December 2022 is the first purpose-built facility of its type in the ACT. CEO Julie Tongs said “This building is a huge game-changer in many ways and is a true testament to Aboriginal self-determination.” She said it was needed because the life expectancy of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait islanders was still far behind that of the wider community.

The elegant purpose-built building in Narrabundah will serve about 5,000 people a year in about 60,000 visits. “We’ve got so many people who are vulnerable,” she said. “Here, in Canberra, people think it’s the land of milk and honey but it’s not for a lot of people.”

At a cost of $20 million, it will provide a wide range of medical facilities for Aboriginal people in the territory. There are six GPs, three nurse practitioners and 14 nurses. Physical and mental health will be dealt with at the centre. Julie Tongs is clearly very proud. “This is a huge deal because it’s what our community deserves,” she said.

To read The Canberra Times article Winnunga Nimmityjah health centre, the ACT’s first Aboriginal-run health centre, to open in full click here.

Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services chief executive Julie Tongs at the new centre. Photo: Keegan Carroll. Image source: The Canberra Times.

Sector Jobs

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

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

Nov 30 2022

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: ‘Mixed progress’ calls for better collaboration

The image in the feature tile is Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, yesterday Tuesday 29 November 2022. Photo: Mick Tsikas, AAP Image. The image is from the SBS NITV article Closing the Gap targets widening in serious areas including incarceration and children in out-of-home care published today.

‘Mixed progress’ calls for better collaboration

Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will present the findings of the 2022 Closing the Gap report to parliament today. The report shows signs of mixed progress on Closing the Gap targets, with the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians widening in some of the most serious areas:

While some targets are improving or “on track”:

  • Babies born with a healthy birthweight (89.5%)
  • Children enrolled in preschool (96.7%)

other targets are worsening or “not on track”:

  • Children being school ready (34.3%)
  • Adults in prison (2,222 per 100,000)
  • Children in out-of-home care (57.6 per 1,000)

This is the first Commonwealth Closing the Gap Annual Report since the launch of the 2020 National Agreement and Commonwealth Closing the Gap Implementation Plan released in August 2021. In 2020, an agreement between the federal government, the Coalition of Peaks, all state and territory governments and the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) was struck, aiming to renew ways of working together to improve outcomes for Indigenous Australians. The groups agreed to improve 18 socio-economic outcomes across health, education, employment, housing, justice, safety, land and waters, culture, language and connectivity.

Minister Burney said the latest annual report told a story of mixed progress, and that it is disappointing to see a lack of progress in a number of areas. “The Closing the Gap architecture can only work when all parties are invested and there is a coordinated effort from all jurisdictions in partnership with First Nations peoples,” she said. “We have to work more closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make real and much-needed progress.”

To view the SBS NITV article Closing the Gap targets widening in serious areas including incarceration and children in out-of-home care in full click here. You can access the report here and also view the Minister Burney and Senator McCarthy joint media release 2022 Closing the Gap Annual Report here.

Churchill Fellows offer policy insights

NACCHO representatives were in attendance earlier today at Australian Parliament House for the launch Policy Futures: A Reform Agenda. This is the flagship publication of the Policy Impact Program, a partnership between The University of Queensland and The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

The publication includes articles from ten Policy Impact Program Fellows 2022, including the below four with specific relevance to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector:

  • Belinda Cook: First Nations First: Targeted investment to grow a dynamic and sustainable First Nations fashion sector
  • Dr Niroshini Kenney: Safe, Healthy & Thriving: How culturally safe health care can close the gap for Aboriginal children in care
  • Clement Ng: It’s Time to Treat Sick Kids, Not Punish Them
  • Maida Stewart: Healthy Housing Programs: For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities with high rates of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease

To more information about the launch you can access the Winston Churchill Trust website here.

Clockwise: Belinda Cook, Dr Niroshini Kennedy, Clement Ng and Maida Stewart. Image source: Winston Churchill Trust website.

Holistic approach to child health and education

A community-based preschool in regional NSW is now a hub for the health of its community. Jumbunna Community Preschool and Early Intervention Centre, in Casino, NSW, is now an inclusive, holistic environment where families can access support and therapy for children with additional needs, along with accessing a preschool program. Jumbunna’s growth is proof of how needed its services have been in the regional community of Casino.

It became an early intervention centre in 1992 after originally starting as a community-based preschool. Jumbunna provides early intervention for around 130 children each year, including children with disabilities, delays in development or those who are at risk of delays for environmental or biological reasons. It serves many families from vulnerable backgrounds.

Jumbunna has now grown to include supported playgroups, mobile preschools that visit nearby remote communities, and parenting support. The centre is also an NDIS provider. Some service providers travel to attend the centre and hold clinics, including a paediatrician who comes over from Lismore. This is useful for families that aren’t able to access paediatricians, whether for financial reasons, difficulty accessing transport, or inability to get a referral.

Staff at Jumbunna have embedded themselves in the community to learn more about what services are needed, and its commitment to the health and wellbeing of children has travelled by word of mouth to more families. They’ve also developed relationships with local health services and the Aboriginal Medical Service. To better support local First Nations children, Jumbunna hosts the Happy Program which checks hearing and vision.

To read the Australia ProBono News article Jumbunna grows with community in full click here.

Jumbunna Community Preschool and Early Intervention Centre staff. Image source: Pro Bono News.

Arthritis, one of the most prevalent, costly diseases

Despite arthritis being one of our most prevalent and expensive diseases, impacting over 3.6m Australians (or 1 in 7) and costing $14b per year, a new report has identified major gaps in research, and confirmed the condition has one of the lowest levels of research funding of all chronic health conditions – keeping Australia dangerously ‘in the dark’ on this health priority.

The Arthritis Australia Impactful Arthritis Research report calls for an urgent focus on arthritis research. Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions account for 13% of the country’s total disease burden, on par with cardiovascular disease (13%), mental health (13%) and cancer (18%). But just 1% of the Medical Research Future Fund has been on arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions.

Arthritis is a leading cause of disability in Australia, affecting people of all ages with the number diagnosed with arthritis set to rise to 5.4m by 2030. Yet it remains poorly understood by the community, often trivialised and firmly focussed on the bones and joints, ignoring the significant broader health and life impacts on those living with the condition. The costs are extraordinary with over $2.3b a year spent currently on hip and knee replacements for osteoarthritis. This is anticipated to more than double to $5.3 billion per year by 2030.

The report outlines urgent research priorities with an emphasis on improved care, research across the multiple types of arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, and the needs of communities and priority populations – including children, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, those living in rural and remote areas, and people with disabilities.

To read the Mirage article Australians ‘in dark’ with arthritis: one of our most prevalent and costly diseases in full click here.

Image source: Tristate Arthritis & Rheumatology website.

Crucial turning points for CTG intervention

A multi-disciplinary team of researchers will use more than 40 years of data to pinpoint crucial areas that could be “turning points” in development where intervention could contribute to closing the gap in Aboriginal health in Australia. The team, led by Telethon Kids Institute and The University of WA researcher, Associate Professor Francis Mitrou, has been awarded a prestigious Synergy Grant by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

The five-year study, in partnership with Aboriginal communities, will use data from the West Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey (WAACHS) of more than 5,000 Aboriginal children and their families collected between 2000 and 2002, and which has been linked to administrative datasets from WA Government, some stretching back more than 40 years.

The milestone study is one of the most significant studies of its kind examining the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal children, conducted under the principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty.

To view The University of WA article Rich data to highlight crucial turning points for intervention to close the gap in Aboriginal health in full click here.

ACT prison an overcrowded powderkeg

The ACT’s prison is no longer able to cope with the rising number of detainees and conditions inside the wire continue to deteriorate, with boredom and lack of education and training opportunities chronic issues feeding unrest, a new report says. The ACT Inspector of Correctional Services’ latest health check of the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) paints a damning picture of an overcrowded facility where women detainees feel unsafe, Indigenous detainees are subject to harsher discipline and cut off from family and culture, and a lack of meaningful activity generally leads to outbreaks of violence.

The Healthy Prison Review is only the second report since the first in 2019 and says the past three years have been challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted AMC operations with fewer staff due to illness, detainees spending more time in their cells and a reduction in programs and visits but it alone cannot account for the deteriorating situation.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees are overrepresented in higher security classifications, uses of force, strip searches and as subjects of segregation orders, and feel their cultural and health needs are not being met. “Not being able to see family, attend Sorry Business, or practice cultural responsibilities causes significant harm for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and compounds dislocation from community,” the report says. “Disconnection from culture/family also increases the difficulty in re-engaging with community upon release.”

Aboriginal community controlled health service Winnunga Nimmityjah is making a difference at the AMC providing primary care but only about 30% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees are able to access this service at any one time. The report makes 29 recommendations including expanding the health centre and other facilities, increasing women’s accommodation, exploring the feasibility of a multi-purpose industries building, and creating a senior Aboriginal-identified position to find ways to reduce the disadvantages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees.

To view the Riotact article ACT’s prison an overcrowded powderkeg past its use by date, says report in full click here. You can also access a related statement Review of ACT Prison Reveals Serious Concerns by from ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) here.

Alexander Maconochie Centre. Photo: Ian Cutmore, ABC News.

Sector Jobs

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

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