TUH forum helping First Nations healthcare workers overcome adversity

The Townsville Hospital and Health Service (HHS) held its second Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander all staff forum themed “Keeping the passion when working in adversity.”

Townsville is the only HHS in Queensland to offer a forum of this kind to identify the complexities that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples working in health face.

Executive director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Amanda Cooms said the gathering was about getting staff together to share experiences, build resilience, and validate feelings within the community.

“Understanding each other’s experiences within the health system inspires us all to look toward our own journeys and contributions,” Ms Cooms said.

“Many staff express a renewed sense of safety and empowerment following on from the forums because they get to hear from those that have come before them and their strategies to overcome adversity.

“By sharing experiences and connecting with each other, the forum builds a culture of resilience that ultimately benefits the communities we serve.”

“We don’t want to just grow our health worker workforce, we want to inspire our community members and young people so that we have more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals joining the workforce.”

The forum featured speakers including Indigenous mental health worker Aunty Dawn Charteris and Joyce Palmer Health Service senior medical officer Dr Robert Blackley.

Dr Blackley shared his experience growing up and working on Palm Island and across Australia on programs to improve health outcomes for Indigenous communities.

“We don't know the profound impact that we have on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that come through the health service,” he said.

“It's a little smile that could make all the difference in someone feeling like they're not lost in the system.

“Health is complicated, and it's scary, and every little bit helps.

Whether it's through administration, helping with travel, health leaders and officers, nurses and health professionals, everybody around the health service doing a little bit makes a difference to patient outcomes.”

Dr Blackley explained to attendees the importance of selfcare when working in health.

“You can’t help anyone become well unless you’re well,” he said.

“Reflect on your own mental and physical health, check in on yourself and others, and take breaks when you need too.”

Townsville HHS continues to coordinate these forums to raise the voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and recognise the unique challenges they overcome to support the community.