| Project Objectives / Summary:
The purpose of the Wiradjuri GP / Aboriginal Health Worker Project was to identify and overcome barriers to Aboriginal peoples' access to General Practitioner services in Central Western NSW. In order to achieve such an aim, it was necessary to bring together local GPs, Aboriginal Health Workers (AHW) and members of the local Aboriginal communities.
The project's main focus was on:
- Identifying and breaking down barriers to working together;
- Providing and accessing culturally appropriate services; and
- Developing sustainable structures for the parties to work together in the long term.
The project's central strategy was to organise and convene 15 consultative meetings across Central West NSW. The five centres in which these meetings were held were Cowra, Forbes, Orange, Condobolin and Bathurst.
Project Collaboration:
The project was a partnership between the NSW Central West Division, the Midwest Wiradjura Area Health Council and the Mid Western Area Health Service (MWAHS). Groups that participated in the project include:
- GPs from all the major towns within the identified areas
- Aboriginal Health Workers from within the identified areas
- Aboriginal people living within the local communities
- Yoorana Gunya Family Violence Healing Centre, Forbes
- Weigelli A & OD Rehabilitation Centre, Woodstock
- Condobolin Aboriginal Health Service
- Other interested participants include non aboriginal community members, health service providers from other agencies, medical students, pharmacy representatives.
Project Outcomes:
- The project sought to forge strong working relationships between GPs and AHWs in order to best meet the needs of the Aboriginal community. This was achieved with both GPs and AHWs stating overwhelmingly that this has been of benefit to their individual roles.
- The Division has expressed cautious optimism about sustainability of the project outcomes. It is quite apparent that significant improvements were achieved in relation to cultural awareness and collaboration between GPs and AHW but it was also recognised that continued efforts are required.
- At the conclusion of project funding, the Division extended the services of the Project Officer by a further six months so that the developing professional relationship between GPs and Aboriginal patients and AHWs could continue to be fostered.
Recommendations:
- Ensure opportunities for GPs and AHWs to meet and interact professionally
- Provide regularly updated contact lists for GPs and AHWs to facilitate contact
- Provide Aboriginal Cultural Awareness training for GPs and their practice staff
- Display Aboriginal cultural images (art & symbols) in general practices
- Recruit and train Aboriginal personnel to work in general practices
- Bulk bill Aboriginal patients who request it
- Provide GP outreach clinics where possible, ideally at existing Aboriginal organisations
- Provide greater levels of funding for Aboriginal health, and longer funding periods
- Foster closer cooperation and coordination of health services to Aboriginal populations
- Ensure appropriate Aboriginal specific standards are developed and incorporated into the AGPAL accreditation process for general practices
- Ensure that standardised indicators are developed for Divisions in relation to Aboriginal health by the Commonwealth Department
- Dedicate a specific position within Divisions to facilitate and monitor GP / Aboriginal contact
Disseminating Project Information:
- The 3rd National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Conference, Cairns Queensland 18th-20th October 1999
- ?The Partnerships, Health and Community? General Practice and Primary Health Care in the New Millennium Conference, Hobart Tas 4 & 5 May 2000
- The National Divisions of General Practice Forum 2000, Brisbane Qld 24-26th August 2000
- 30 Project Specific news items published in the Division's weekly newsletter "Tues News and Views"
- Article submitted to the Australian Journal of Rural Health
- Contact lists of AHWs distributed among GPs in the relevant towns and AHWs given a list of GPs in region.
- Posters and pamphlets published by the Yoorana Gunya Family Violence Healing Centre.
Lessons / Assessment:
- This project has registered gains, such as outreach clinics, improved immunisation levels and new professional relationships that can be extended and developed.
- Importantly, the project has fostered a general optimism and commitment by GPs and Aboriginal Health personnel to work more closely to achieve common goals.
- There was excellent GP representation during the project. Therefore it is appropriate to say the Project Officer's means of engaging GPs was successful.
- This was a well-conducted project. The Division appears to have had a good understanding of the range of issues involved, particularly the need for wide involvement of both GPs and AHWs. It has established a solid base for continuing work in this field and the challenge for it is to maintain the momentum.
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