Partnering with First Nations People
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have called for a community-led, strengths-based approach, one that values their experience. WHA is committed to supporting health services and professionals in partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Learn more about some of the ways we seek to create partnerships and share innovations to meet this goal:
WHA Acknowledgement of Country
WHA Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Maternity Care Network
One of our professional networking groups – this is a place for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal clinicians and health care professionals to discuss & share learnings about effective ways to deliver culturally safe care to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander women and babies and their families and communities.
This network was created to share culturally safe models of care and discuss issues that disproportionately impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women during pregnancy.
Sharing Information and Resources
Member services have the opportunity to connect with peers and share learning to improve their ability to deliver safe equitable healthcare for all.
Recent presentations
NOTE: These conversations and presentations are hosted in our online Members Community. These pages can only be accessed by our members when they are logged into their accounts.
Birthing in Our Community (BiOC) recognise that our current maternity services do have structural barriers in providing culturally safe maternity services and this is coming at an unacceptable cost.
The Unseen Bias: How do we move beyond racism in healthcare? - Recognising the impact of Service Institutional Racism and moving from “Safe to Brave” to become an agent for change.
Resources
WHA supports services to work together to address inequalities in our healthcare system. The following resources outline frameworks with potential to improve outcomes.
In 2019, the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations and the Council of Australian Governments signed the Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap.
“This is an unprecedented shift in the way governments have previously worked to close the gap. It acknowledges that to close the gap, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must determine, drive and own the desired outcomes, alongside all governments”.
The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
An international framework of best practice for engagement with Indigenous Peoples.
“Partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must continue during the development of policies – and the projects and programs designed to implement them – and the evaluation of outcomes.”
