Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander Health Award
This award is to acknowledge outstanding service to Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander health consumers. The candidate(s) is an Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander person or organisation. They can be a health professional, consumer, other individual or organisation.
And the Winner is…
Pictured from left to right: Hon. Alanna Clohesy MLC, Sacha Andrew, Crystal Clarke and Janita Solvberg.
Aboriginal Health Liaison Office, Bentley Royal Perth Group
The Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer (AHLO) Service at Royal Perth and Bentley Hospitals (RPBG) employs six Aboriginal members of staff who provide a coordinated, culturally responsive service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients at the hospital. The team draws on their personal experience and highly developed liaison skills to connect with and support patients to manage the stresses associated with sudden or chronic illness and its impact on their daily lives.
The AHLO team’s role is to ensure patients and their families have an improved hospital experience through advocacy, linking with community services, ensuring the patient’s diverse cultural needs are met, and educating staff, patients and family. The members of the AHLO team are diverse in gender and have connections to country in varied parts of Western Australia. Officers have a range of health backgrounds, including physiotherapy, enrolled nursing and studies in Aboriginal health care.
Pictured from left to right: David Corbett, Laurel Houghton, Sacha Andrew, Janita Solvberg and Crystal Clarke. Absent: Zoe Clarke-Crook.
Highly Commended is…
From left to right: Hon. Alanna Clohesy, Torna Moya, Chistine Parry and Deborah Giles.
Boodjari Yorgas Family Care Program
Boodjari Yorgas (Noongar for Pregnant Women) is an Aboriginal specific maternity care program at Armadale Health Service. Over the past decade, it has evolved from a one day a week clinic to now 24/7 maternity care, operating as Boodjari Yorgas Maternity Group Practice. The team comprises of an Aboriginal Health Officer, 2 Aboriginal Grandmother Liaison Officers & 6 midwives. Our focus is on providing family centred maternity care which encompasses cultural, social & emotional wellbeing. One of our strengths is commitment to community connectedness & inclusion whilst providing quality holistic maternity care.
Pictured from left to right: Patricia Van Der Togt, Eunice Bynder, Christine Parry, Torna Moya, Alice Muir, Deborah Giles and Lauren Turner.
Finalists are…
Leanne Pilkington
Leanne Pilkington is a Nyoongar woman from WA. She and her husband share six children and seventeen grandchildren – so far. Family is most important to her. She is passionate about Aboriginal and Women’s health issues and has worked in Health, Aged Care and Education over the last 30 years. Leanne has presented at various State, national and international conferences and has contributed to cross-cultural awareness training programs with BSWA, Royal Perth Hospital and the Cancer Council WA.