NATIONAL Reconciliation Week (NRW) runs from May 27 to June 3 and is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements. This year’s theme – Be Brave. Make Change – challenges us all to tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation.
The Yoorrook Justice Commission, which began work on April 26, is Australia’s first formal truth telling process. With the powers of a Royal Commission, it will help us create a new shared understanding of our history and a clearer view of the way forward.
Swan Hill District Health is committed to listening to the voices of the Aboriginal people and working harder to make our services welcoming and culturally safe.
There are some great online resources available to the community.
For more information about how you can make a change, head to nrw.reconciliation.org.au/2022-actions-to-make-change/.
For further information about Reconciliation Week, go to nrw.reconciliation.org.au/about-nrw/.
Or you can read more about the Yoorrook Justice Commission at yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au/.
The SHDH Aboriginal health unit offers support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people throughout their healthcare journey.
The unit is run by two staff members, Deb Chaplin and Michelle Gadbsy.
Deb, the Aboriginal liaison, will be celebrating her 10-year anniversary with SHDH in September and is very familiar to both the community and SHDH staff within her role. Michelle is the Aboriginal health manager, a recent addition to the Aboriginal health unit and commenced in her role early May this year.
The SHDH Aboriginal liaison service can:
· Provide you and your family with cultural and social support;
· Support you with talking to your doctors and nurses upon request;
· Help with things you may need for your stay in hospital such as toiletries;
· Assist with any concerns you may have and provide you with other options where necessary;
· Help to connect you with other services in the community;
· Arrange services you may require prior to your discharge from health services;
· Help to understand any information you are unsure of, and;
· Help you to attend appointments both as an in-patient and following discharge.
There’s a lot to look forward to for the Aboriginal health unit, including the exciting development of a new Aboriginal health unit; upcoming community survey/feedback about what the Aboriginal health unit needs to look like to greater meet community need, and; development of an Aboriginal reference/advisory committee to increase flow of information from and to SHDH from community.
Other initiatives include art commission from local artists for branding of the new Aboriginal health unit and throughout SHDH and its services and the Aboriginal health unit’s relocation offsite and out into community whilst redevelopment of some of the existing SHDH site takes place.
Stay tuned for updates on the unit and its services.
If you would like to get in contact with the friendly Aboriginal health unit team, contact them on 5033 9323.
