FRAN KEEBLE-BUCKLE Clinical Lead—Outreach, CheckUP
Far North Queensland Ear and Hearing Health Project A targeted primary healthcare approach to improving ear and hearing health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0–4 years CheckUP is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated
world. Children in many Indigenous communities
to better health for people and communities
suffer from chronic ear disease with rates up to
in rural and remote locations, providing access
10 times those of non-Indigenous Australians.
and assistance to communities where it is most needed.
Healthcare delivery in rural and remote communities in Australia has established
In 2018 CheckUP was engaged by the North
difficulties, and in Queensland over one-third of
Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN)
the state’s population (approximately 1.8 million
to conduct a project to improve ear and hearing
people) live in regional, rural or remote locations
health in 0–4-year-old Aboriginal and Torres
with limited access to specialist health services.
Strait Islander children in Far North Queensland throughout 2018–19. Ear and hearing health are key health concerns in Australia because Aboriginal and Torres Strait
In these locations there are many challenges to health service sustainability, including poor patient attendance and difficulty recruiting and retaining a high quality and capable health workforce.
Islander children currently have one of the highest
Trying to encourage staff and community
rates of otitis media—or middle ear disease—in the
members to detect and manage ear health
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The Health Advocate • FEBRUARY 2020
