Agenda
Day 1, December 5
8:30
Welcome to Country
8:50
Chairperson's Opening Address
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Jenny Ockwell, Chief Executive Officer, Dandenong and District Cooperative Ltd
RESPONDING TO AND INFLUENCING POLICY
9:00
Applying for grants and influencing policy – communicating community concerns and values to government and policy makers
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Translating First Nations concepts of value into a mainstream policy context
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Increasing your organisation’s chances of being successful in grant applications
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Identifying opportunities for government and policy makers to rethink concepts of value in relation to First Nations-led community health initiatives
Aunty Kerrie Doyle, Research Lead, Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Clinical Academic Group, Maridulu Budyari Gumal (Sydney Partnership for Health Education, Research & Enterprise) (VIRTUAL PRESENTATION)
9:30
Closing the cancer gap: VACCHO’s Victorian Cancer Journey Strategy 2023-2028
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Outlining VACCHO’s strategy to improve cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
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Highlighting the need for self-determination, a strong Aboriginal health workforce, cultural connection and a culturally safe and responsive health system in closing the cancer gap
Abe Ropitini, Executive Director Population Health, VACCHO
10:00
Morning Tea
10:45
Panel: Building partnerships between ACCHOs and PHNs that are genuinely conducive to improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes
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Identifying what genuine partnerships with ACCHOs and Indigenous communities look like
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Rethinking how PHNs can constructively support ACCHOs in light of recommendations by peak bodies that funding is reallocated to ACCHOs
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Empowering ACCHOs to connect with stakeholders that can facilitate and resource community-led solutions
Sharlene McKenzie, Managing Director, Allawaw Aboriginal Corporation
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Vickie Parry, Executive Director, Barang Regional Alliance
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Nathalie Hansen, Chief Executive Officer, Central and Eastern Sydney PHN
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Maaike Wallace, Lead, Aboriginal Health, North Western Melbourne PHN
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Tamara Lovett, Team Leader, Balit Djerring "Stronger Together" Program, Victorian Aboriginal Health Service
INDIGENOUS WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, & PLANNING
11:45
Improving recruitment and retention of Indigenous health workers and practitioners within mainstream service providers
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Creating sustainable collaboration between AMS’s and mainstream health services to improve knowledge and practice around creating culturally safe workplaces for Aboriginal health workers without draining the resources of AMS’s
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Implementing culturally appropriate mentoring systems for Aboriginal health workers and medical professionals
Belinda Cashman, Director of Aboriginal Health Strategy, Western Sydney Local Health District (VIRTUAL PRESENTATION)
12:15
Lunch
1:30
Panel: Building capacity amongst Aboriginal doctors through specialty medical colleges
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Facilitating opportunities for Aboriginal health workers to acquire higher education and other qualifications
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Building career pathways and workforce development opportunities for Aboriginal medical professionals
Nadene Edmonds, First Nations Advisor, The Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators
Abe Ropitini, Executive Director Population Health, VACCHO
Gabrielle Ebsworth, Project Lead, Indigenous Health, Australasian College for Emergency Medicine
2:15
Yarning Circles
Delegates will have the opportunity to join 1 x 45 minute yarning circle to have a facilitated discussion on their topic of choice
Yarning Circle A: Improving aged care for Indigenous populations
Suzanne Naden, Chief Executive Officer, Bungree
Yarning Circle B: Improving nutrition and exercise in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Trent Lyon, Exercise Physiologist/Credentialed Diabetes Educator, Diabetes Australia - Queensland
Yarning Circle C: De-stigmatising sexual health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Shania Eddy, Aboriginal educator, Sexual Health Quarters
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Yarning Circle D: Is it possible to provide fly-in, fly-out services that don’t leave people behind?
David Doyle, Aboriginal Health Practitioner, Royal Flying Doctor Service
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Yarning Circle E: Improving cultural safety in mainstream health services to support better health outcomes and self-determination
Dr. Christopher Robinson, Chief Medical Officer, Medibank
3:00
Delegates to reconvene to share key yarning circle discussion point with the plenary group
3:30
Afternoon Tea
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
4:00
Navigating the impact of the rising cost of living on the delivery of health services
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Coping with increased rates of homelessness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
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Allocating funding and resources within an inflationary environment, particularly when dealing with administrative costs
Suzanne Naden, Chief Executive Officer, Bungree
4:30
What role does racism and injustice play in alcohol consumption during pregnancy and FASD among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
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Highlighting how the legacies of colonisation have laid the foundations for alcohol consumption in pregnancy and continues to compound inequities across all social and cultural determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing, particularly in rates of child protection, incarceration and suicide.
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The critical importance of implementing a strengths-based and healing-informed approach to reduce impacts of FASD at the grass roots.
Nicole Hewlett, Researcher, FASD Collaborative, Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland
5:00
Addressing the social determinants that lead to smoking and vaping in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to improve health outcomes
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Addressing the rise of vaping and the use of e-cigarettes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
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Developing evidence-based resources to address Indigenous smoking across Australia
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Equipping ACCHOs with resources to reduce rates of smoking within their communities
Eileen Van Iersel, National Program Manager, National Best Practice Unit, Tackling Indigenous Smoking, Ninti One Ltd
Maxine Turner, Senior Project Officer, National Best Practice Unit, Tackling Indigenous Smoking, Ninti One Ltd
5:30
Chairperson's Closing Address and End of Day One
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Jenny Ockwell, Chief Executive Officer, Dandenong and District Aborigines Cooperative Ltd.
Day 2, December 6
9:00
Chairperson's Opening Address
Mathew Gardiner, Cultural Mentor, Dandenong and District Aborigines Cooperative Ltd.
TELEHEALTH AND DIGITAL HEALTH SOLUTIONS
9:10
Case Study: Uncle Jimmy Thumbs Up foundation - Addressing poor nutrition and rates of diabetes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
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Collaborating with local stores in remote and rural Australia to display nutritional information and empower people to make healthier food choices
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Designing the Thumbs Up! app to generate awareness and make it easier to make better food and lifestyle choices to reduce rates of diabetes and pre-diabetes
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Engaging Western Sydney youth through music and school-based programs to increase awareness about nutrition and healthy eating
Graham “Buzz” Bidstrup, Chief Executive Officer, Uncle Jimmy Thumbs Up!
9:40
Panel: Discussing the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities when implementing and designing digital and virtual healthcare solutions
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Identifying needs-based and place-based opportunities for digital healthcare solutions providers
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Sharing the successes and shortcomings of digital healthcare solutions within diverse Indigenous communities
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Identifying resourcing, funding, staffing and training requirements involved in implementing new digital solutions for consideration by digital and virtual software companies
Dr. Jason King, Director of Clinical Services, Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services Aboriginal Corporation
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Jenny Ockwell, Chief Executive Officer, Dandenong & Districts Aborigines Co-Operative Limited
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Paula Morgan, Chief Executive Officer, Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association
10:25
Morning Tea
10:55
Case Study: Goondir's VHS Program - Designing fit-for-purpose Virtual Health Services
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Ensuring quality improvement of the VHS program through research and evaluation and team structure changes
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Upskilling and recruiting support staff to engage clients in using Virtual Health Services
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Establishing the need for and designing a roadmap to service autonomy through government funding, assessing costs and accessibility and improving the VHS data pool
Dr. Bushra Nasir, Research Fellow, Rural Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland (On behalf of Goondir Health Services)
AGED CARE AND DISABILITY SUPPORT FOR FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES
11:25
Building the capacity of aged care service providers to improve aged care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
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How can aged care service providers ensure their services are accessed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
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Improving cultural safety within aged care facilities to improve uptake of aged care services by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
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Building a skilled, culturally aware aged care workforce to improve outcomes for Elders across Australia
Lesley Nelson, Chief Executive Officer, South West Aboriginal Medical Service
11:55
Defining aged and disability services through a First Nations cultural lens
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Highlighting the complexities of the NDIS and barriers to access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
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Identifying where gaps in funding and service provision of aged and disability services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people exist and what is needed to address these gaps
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Outlining the aged and disability services that Mallee District Aboriginal Services is funded to deliver and the impacts these services have on local community members
Darlene Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Mallee District Aboriginal Services
CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION
12:25
Lunch
1:30
Case Study: Working with rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to spread awareness and education of preventable diseases
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Building trust and partnerships within communities to increase the effectiveness of healthcare delivery and education
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Effectively engaging with communities as a mainstream health organisation
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Creating culturally appropriate and place-based health education and awareness resources
Mark Trebley, NSW Ambulance Clinical Training Officer, Ambulance Service of NSW
2:00
Yarning Circles
Yarning Circle A: Improving aged care for Indigenous populations
Suzanne Naden, Chief Executive Officer, Bungree
Yarning Circle B: Improving nutrition and exercise in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Trent Lyon, Exercise Physiologist/Credentialed Diabetes Educator, Diabetes Australia - Queensland
Yarning Circle C: De-stigmatising sexual health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Shania Eddy, Aboriginal educator, Sexual Health Quarters
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Yarning Circle D: Is it possible to provide fly-in, fly-out services that don’t leave people behind?
David Doyle, Aboriginal Health Practitioner, Royal Flying Doctor Service
2:45
Delegates to reconvene to discuss yarning circle findings with the plenary group
3:15
Afternoon Tea
3:45
Interactive Yarn: Identifying outcomes and learnings from the forum
Mathew Gardiner, Cultural Mentor, Dandenong and District Aborigines Cooperative Ltd.
4:15
End of Day Two