Our People to Live Stronger & Longer

Month: September 2024

Let’s Yarn About Cogenital Syphilis

Posted on by Ashleigh Brissett

Come and have a yarn about strategies to prevent cogenital syphilis. Infectious syphilis cases have surged in the last decade, with a six-fold increase in females nationally and a rise in cogenital syphilis cases.

In New South Wales, rates of cogenital syphilis have steadily increased, with 12 cases reported between 2017-2022, all of which could have been avoided with treatment of the mother during pregnancy.

Project Overview

The Kirby Institute, in partnership with the Centre for Social Research in Health at UNSW Sydney and NSW Ministry of Health, is leading a crucial initiative to address this issue. They are organising co-design workshops across NSW aimed at developing frameworks for cogenital syphilis prevention. These workshops will employ a strength-based approach and involve representatives from the Aboriginal Community Controlled sector, Local Health Districts, maternal and reproductive health services, drug and alcohol services, and other relevant providers.

Coffs Harbour | Tuesday 24 September 
9:00am – 3:30pm
631 Hogbin Drive Toormina NSW 2456

Sydney | Wednesday 25 September 
9:00am – 3:30pm
180 George Street Redfern NSW 2026

Dubbo | Thursday 26 September:
9:00am – 3:30pm
76 Wingewarra Street Dubbo NSW 2830

Please register for the workshop for catering purposes and special diet requirements to melinda.walker@kirby.unsw.edu.au

 

Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum Highlights

Posted on by Ashleigh Brissett
The Aboriginal Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Forum is an annual event organised by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with local health districts, specialty health networks, and the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council. This forum serves as a crucial platform for the Aboriginal mental health workforce, providing opportunities for information sharing, professional development, and networking. It plays a key role in enhancing the skills and knowledge of those dedicated to improving mental health and wellbeing within Aboriginal communities.
The 2024 Forum, hosted by the Mental Health Branch, took place on the 5th and 6th of June at the Fullerton Hotel Sydney. This year’s event was particularly special as it celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Djirruwang Program, a pioneering initiative in Aboriginal mental health education and workforce development. The forum brought together a diverse group of professionals, including mental health workers, educators, policymakers, and community leaders, to reflect on the progress made over the past three decades and to discuss future directions in Aboriginal mental health.

The celebration finished off with a Gala event held at the Ivy Ballroom on the evening of 6 June. The Gala was a soaring success, honouring the achievements of the Djirruwang Program and its graduates, while also recognising the contributions of those who have been instrumental in advancing Aboriginal mental health and wellbeing. The evening featured inspiring speeches, cultural performances, and the presentation of awards to individuals and teams who have made significant impacts in the field. This milestone event not only highlighted the importance of the Djirruwang Program but also reinforced the ongoing commitment to strengthening the Aboriginal mental health workforce for the future.

Watch the highlights video below:

Culture Care Connect Summit

Posted on by Ashleigh Brissett

We recently gathered for the Culture Care Connect Summit on the lands of Gimuy (Cairns), an event that brought together key stakeholders and leaders dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal communities. As the jurisdictional coordinators, the AH&MRC, in collaboration with the teams from Waminda and Orange Aboriginal Medical Service, played a central role in facilitating this important gathering.

The summit was an invaluable opportunity for us to meet and engage in critical discussions around suicide prevention in our states and territories. At the summit, we shared insights, strategies, and best practices, drawing on the collective wisdom of our communities and the expertise of those working on the front lines of mental health and wellbeing.

Our discussions were grounded in a deep respect for the cultural context and the unique challenges faced by Aboriginal people across different regions. By bringing together diverse voices and perspectives, we aimed to develop more effective, culturally safe approaches to suicide prevention that truly meet the needs of our communities.

The Culture Care Connect Summit was not just about exchanging ideas; it was also about strengthening our connections, reaffirming our commitment to each other, and building a united front in the fight against suicide. Together, we are working to create a future where every Aboriginal person has the support and care they need to thrive, and where no one has to face the pain of losing a loved one to suicide.

This summit marks an important step forward, but it’s only the beginning. We will continue to work together, across states and territories, to ensure that the strategies and solutions we discussed are implemented effectively and that they make a real difference in the lives of our people.

Online Survey for Australian Medical Research and Innovation Practices

Posted on by Ashleigh Brissett

The on-line survey on the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities 2024-2026 and MRFF Act Review is now open [Consultation on the MRFF Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities and the MRFF Act Review – Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care – Citizen Space].

For those who are also attending the related 6 September roundtable discussion, you are welcome to complete the survey to provide additional feedback not covered in the roundtable discussion.

We encourage you to take a few minutes to complete the survey before 13 September 2024 and share your thoughts. Your engagement in this process would be greatly valued.

Health InfoNet Videos

Posted on by Ashleigh Brissett

We have produced a series of short informative videos to let your staff and members know about how to make the most of each of our health topic portals.

These short video’s are all under 4 minutes and can be added to your staff intranet, played at staff meetings or sent to your team.

Access the complete series as a collection here.

You’ll also find them individually on each topic page and on our YouTube channel.

These short ‘take a tour’ video’s ensure your team can maximize the best use of their time to get straight to the evidenced based resources they need to support them in their work.

Help improve Australia’s Health Services

Posted on by Ashleigh Brissett

Help us to improve Australia’s health services! Share your thoughts and feedback on health resources that are available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Take the quick survey here.

Closing the Gap Priority Reform 4 Community Workshop

Posted on by Ashleigh Brissett

The PR4 Team are excited to announce the next round of Community Engagements for Aboriginal Data Sovereignty & Governance coming to your region.

Join them in powerful and informative discussions about how local Aboriginal communities can exercise ownership, control, and protection over Aboriginal data.

For more information, please contact AboriginalDataSovereignty@alc.org.au

Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week

Posted on by Ashleigh Brissett

Join us in celebrating Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week 2024, Australia’s largest event dedicated to the health and wellbeing of women, girls, and gender-diverse people.

Every September, over 200,000 individuals come together in boardrooms, tearooms, and community centers across the nation to access and share vital, up-to-date health information.

Let’s take this opportunity to prioritise our health and support one another on the journey to wellness!

Indigenous Literacy Day

Posted on by Ashleigh Brissett
Join us in celebrating Indigenous Literacy Day 2024, a day dedicated to honouring and promoting the rich storytelling traditions and diverse languages of Australia’s First Nations peoples.
This day is more than just a celebration; it’s an opportunity to recognise the vital role that literacy plays in preserving and sharing the unique cultures, histories, and knowledge of Indigenous communities across Australia.

Indigenous Literacy Day raises awareness about the critical need for equal access to literacy resources in remote communities. For many First Nations children and families, access to culturally relevant books and educational materials can be limited. By focusing on this issue, we not only highlight the disparities that exist but also work towards creating a future where every Indigenous child has the opportunity to read, learn, and thrive in their own language and culture.

This day is also a celebration of the incredible strength of Indigenous cultures, which have been passed down through generations via oral traditions, stories, and language. These stories are the foundation of Australia’s cultural heritage, and they deserve to be celebrated, preserved, and shared widely.

NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024‑​2034

Posted on by Ashleigh Brissett

The NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024-2034 marks a significant step towards reforming health systems to provide culturally safe, holistic and high-quality care for all Aboriginal people in NSW.

The purpose of this plan is to drive change by:

  • guiding how health systems are planned, delivered, and monitored
  • elevating the focus on Aboriginal expertise to drive shared decision-making and innovative collaborations
  • influencing the redesign of health services to achieve health equity
  • providing direction for the elimination of racism in all aspects of health care.

The vision of this plan is ‘Sharing power in system reform to achieve the highest levels of health and wellbeing for Aboriginal people’. By sharing decision-making power with Aboriginal people we can challenge the status quo, we can do things differently and we can achieve different outcomes.

Read the NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024-2034 and learn how you can make a difference.

The development of the statewide implementation plan and a monitoring and measurement framework will commence following the release of this plan, allowing sufficient time for stakeholders to consider opportunities for action.