As an organisation we recognise that “Reconciliation” is not just a word – it is a process that requires change and positive action. It is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, famil ies, commun ities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our organisation has a strong history of collaborating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities within our region. Over the past two years our RAP has reinforced this, and has formalised our ongoing commitment to continue to work together to build communities of healthcare practice that support and empower Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples. Read about some of the achievements of our Aboriginal Health programs in 2019-2020.
Aboriginal Liaison Officer
Our Aboriginal Liaison Officer provides support and cultural guidance to general practices across the region including:
Practice Support visits and cultural safety education;
Information exchange on available referral options for Aboriginal patients;
Support and guidance related to accessing the Integrated Team Care Program (CTG);
Identifying barriers for Aboriginal people in accessing health services and working with practices to address these barriers;
Cultural Competency Training for practices and staff aligning with the RACGP requirements.
To order these resources and for more information, including an interview with Dr Mark Wenitong, visit the Department of Health website.
Health Services
A range of health services specifically developed to assist the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples in our region are available. These include:
Closing the Gap: we commission Nepean Community & Neighbourhood Services to provide this program. Contact them on 4706 0299 or visit the NCNS website. Referral forms are available to the right of this page.
Breath of Fresh Air was a smoking cessation campaign, funded by Cancer Institute NSW, which was designed to create opportunities for change in Aboriginal communities around tobacco use. Breath of Fresh air was co-designed with Aboriginal people in our region and drew upon the links between mind, body, spirit and culture - as opposed to a negative or fear-based campaign. We partnered with Aboriginal companies 33 Creative and Blacklock Media to develop a campaign which used storytelling and art-based visual messaging. Adopting the tag line ‘I Choose Fresh Air’, the campaign used holistic wellbeing, culture and connection to country as the motivation to reduce smoking.
In September 2020 our Breath of Fresh Air initiative was named as a finalist in the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence (WSABE) Arts and Culture category. This campaign is an example of what can be accomplished through community partnerships and our commitment to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
