AMAV VICDOC Winter 2024 - Magazine - Page 27
THERE’S A LONG HISTORY OF A LACK OF
TRUST IN THE SYSTEM FOR THE ABORIGINAL
AND FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITY.
—
This is an overlay that existed pre-COVID
and requires a lot of work to overcome.
We need to start having some honest
conversations. Getting politicians and the
people who are managing budgets to talk
with clinicians on the ground and with
the community must be a starting point.
It's been clearly identified that Aboriginal
and community health services provide a
model of care that is unique and beneficial,
especially for those who often experience
the most disadvantage and face the most
barriers in accessing healthcare.
THE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY-CONTROLLED
MODEL OF HEALTHCARE AND COMMUNITY
HEALTH TRULY GOES TO THE HEART OF
HOLISTIC SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING.
—
It's a privilege to be able to work and
learn in this space and to see resilience
and strength despite a system that has
endeavoured to destroy a culture. There is
more flexibility to take time to see patients
and address complex needs. This is not the
case for many models of general practice
care. Our model of care has been set up
in a way that I am salaried. This allows
my colleagues and I to focus on patient
wellbeing and work in a trauma-informed
and strengths-based way to care for people.
It's been clearly identified that Aboriginal and
community health services provide a model of care
that is unique and beneficial, especially for those
who often experience the most disadvantage and
face the most barriers in accessing healthcare.
—
VI CD O C WI NTER 2024
27
