September 24, 2024Last week, our Aboriginal Support Unit hosted Northern Health’s very first Aboriginal Study Day.
The day was a comprehensive training program aimed at providing Northern Health staff with a holistic understanding of the challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. The program covered a range of topics, including Aboriginal history and social determinants of health, common barriers, communication tips, and the internal and external services available to support this patient population.
Attendees were treated to lived experience presentations from Sharna Brown and Uncle Owen Butler, and a panel discussion facilitated by Northern Health’s A/Prof Jason Cirone, Chief Allied Health Officer. The panel included external speakers Uncle Noel King, Andrew Morrison, Jay Hamann and Marissa Mulcahy. Attendees also enjoyed a Didgeridoo performance by Matthew Weeberg.
“The Study Day is something the Narrun Wilip-giin Aboriginal Support Unit really wanted to be able to offer our staff. The team worked together for the last 12 months in planning this day down to the minor details, including a display of possum skins, boomerangs, clapsticks, books and gums leaves to add to the atmosphere,” said Stefania Zen, Education and Engagement Manager, TALS and Narrun Wilip-giin Aboriginal Support Unit.
“I think the result was a resounding success, with the presentations equipping our staff with essential knowledge and skills to provide culturally safe and appropriate care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.”
“The day offered a platform for Aboriginal people to passionately share their culture and experience with others, fostering greater understanding and respect.”
Dr Rachael Coutts, Director of Medical Education and Emergency Physician, reflected on the day and how “powerful” the event was.
“I felt like I was being told a story – one of trauma and adversity, from a lived experience, but one that then showed me strength and resilience where advocacy, persistence, determination, autonomy and voice is being used across many programs to make a difference in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients outcomes and lives,” she said.
“It also showed me how I could make a difference through person-centred holistic care, partnership and allyship. I now have a lot more insight into how these programs are woven into our health service, how I can support patient access to them. Thank you for sharing this story.”
Tony McGillion, Divisional Director of Education, said he was glad he invested time into the, “fantastic study day.”
“The Northern Health Reconciliation Action Plan sees cultural safety as an ‘ongoing learning journey’ which nestles with my own learning philosophy. The planning and structure of the day enabled engagement, where discussion was inclusive and bi-directional. The importance of relationships was the overarching learning for me and I feel we can extrapolate this to so many other aspects of our lives.”
Christine Gerbert, Registered Nurse, Transit Lounge, said, “The personal story of Merrilyn Duff had me in tears. It portrayed a different picture to what is usually perceived by the general public as a result of the mainstream media representation. I thoroughly enjoyed the Aboriginal Study Day. It was very rewarding and I was pleased to see the increased visibility of our Aboriginal people.”
Feedback received following the day via an evaluation was overwhelmingly positive, with 100 percent of all respondents indicating that the information provided was relevant to their work and that they now have a better understanding of the topics in questions.
Some of the comments from consumers and staff received via this survey included:
“This was truly outstanding. Over the last 12 months I’ve done a half day Aboriginal cultural awareness organ through the Royal Children’s Hospital and another through VACCHO and this was the most personal and engaging, and gave the most that I could take away to my clinical practice.”
“It was invaluable to have so many different speakers from community, sharing their lived experience, their perspectives and advice. The panel was incredible, having so many different perspectives was just brilliant. Thank you all so much!”
“Lived experiences and Panel discussion with opportunity to ask questions were the best parts of the day.”
Featured image: ASU members at the Aboriginal Study Day.
