HCC recognises the vital importance of prioritising the health of Aboriginal Australians. We partner with organisations to deliver Aboriginal Community Conversations as well as Aboriginal Health Rights presentations.
We also advocate for the use of the independent, transparent, live feedback mechanism, Care Opinion to raise awareness of the issues Aboriginal consumers may be facing. For people who have difficulties in writing their story, there are picture based response options, or you can call Care Opinion for them to write your story. You can call them on 1300 662 996, but please note that mobile phone charges may apply.
We work in partnership with health services in consumer evaluation of their service and to identify any barriers that if addressed can improve access and service delivery to Aboriginal consumers.
Aboriginal Patient Advocacy Project
We have partnered with the Aboriginal Health Council of WA and the National Justice Project to develop training for community members and workers who may work with Aboriginal people and want to help ensure they receive equitable health care from services. The training includes Cultural awareness and what a Culturally secure service looks like, health rights training, advocacy training, self-care and vicarious trauma. We are holding pilot training in late June and will roll out this program after that.
Use of Traditional Medicine Practices within Australia: A McCusker Centre for Citizenship at UWA internship project with Health Consumers’ Council
Both federal and state level laws, policies and policy recommendations have acknowledged the importance and need for traditional healing services, especially in the realm of mental health. At the federal level, the Australian Commonwealth Inquiry into Aboriginal Health in 1979 recommended the incorporation of Aboriginal traditional healers and therapists in healthcare service development and provision (Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1979, as cited in Dudgeon & Bray, 2017). This recommendation is expressed within West Australian law through Principle 7 of the West Australian Mental Health Act 2014, which states that mental health services must provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with access to traditional Healing services (Mental Health Commission, 2015, cited in Dudgeon & Bray, 2017). However, access to traditional healing services is uneven and limited in many areas of the state and country.
Contact us
We are based in Perth but offer a statewide phone service. If you would like to know more please contact Tania Harris on 9221 3422 or tania.harris@hconc.org.au