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New program boosts Indigenous involvement
by Nikki McGrath 28 August 2015
Y
arrabah man Paul Bounghi (pictured) has become the latest in a long line of family members to pursue a health care career thanks to a new program rolled out at Cairns Hospital. The 20-year-old is one of 13 Indigenous community members to be accepted into the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Allied Health Assistant Traineeship program which will see participants gain practical experience and formal qualifications over the next 12 weeks.
It comes as the result of collaboration between the Health Service, training organisation Envizon and Careers Australia with funding provided by the state government. “My mum is an Indigenous health worker and so are a lot of my family members,” Paul said. “I have grown up seeing how they can help people, and the Indigenous community in particular, and I have always known I wanted to do the same thing. “This placement is going to help me achieve my dream to help my peers live healthy lives and show them they can have a rewarding career in health.”
Health Minister Cameron Dick applauded the program. “I congratulate the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service for taking the lead on this important initiative,” he said. “This will go a long way to closing the gap when it comes to indigenous health outcomes and I am proud our government has committed the funding to help make this program a reality.” Envizion CEO Julie-Ann Lambourne said she had pushed hard for a health-based placement as a result of personal experience. “I know what it is like to be in the health system, as do members of my family, it is so important
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Indigenous people are represented and not just as patients,” she said. “We need to encourage more Indigenous people to pursue careers in health so they can help address the problems head on.” Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Coordinator for the Health Service Cherrie Glasson said the successful applicants had been put through a rigorous selection process. “We had to make sure they were ready to make this commitment and hit the ground running,” she said. “As a result we have a fantastic group of trainees who are very
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enthusiastic and eager to learn the ropes. “We are very proud to see this program come to fruition, it has taken many months of planning and consultation.” Executive Director of Allied Health Dr Donna Goodman said staff from six different allied health professions would be guiding the students through 150 hours of clinical placement both at Cairns Hospital and in community-based teams. “Our staff are very keen to support initiatives that encourage members of the Indigenous
community to take up careers in allied health professions, so they are very excited about the opportunity to train and support these students during their placements,” Dr Goodman said. Throughout their placement the trainees will get hands-on experience in allied health services such as physiotherapy, nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, social work and speech pathology. The program was jointly funded by the Queensland Department of Education and Training and the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.