Video - Torres Strait Model of Care

Manager of Corporate Services Marita: We are so fortunate in the Torres Strait having a Model of Care that is led by our Indigenous health worker cohort and it strengthens the way that we engage with our community, and we can have that culturally safe service delivery. So, as a clinician coming into our region, it's really important to make sure that you acknowledge that this model is in place for a reason. It's for the care and the safety of our community.

Clinical Midwife Hannah: Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal people are incredibly rich and diverse in culture. They are one of the oldest cultural groups globally, who still have huge connections to water and their land, and we are incredibly lucky to be able to work with them up here.

Registered Nurse Tessa: It's about putting the locals first and the community first and working in with them in providing health in a way that aligns with the cultural values of them. So, it's working within the community rather than alongside.

Director of Primary Healthcare Charlotte: When they come to work for us we'd like them to be part of our community and as our family.

Healthcare worker Phyllis: and we're here to help them and they are here to help us.

Clinical Midwife Hannah: I think it's incredibly important for me to understand their story, where they come from and help bring back some of their health care to country, giving them ownership and allowing them to be self-determining in their health care and their health outcomes.

Cluster Coordinator Aggie: It's also about Indigenous leadership in communities too as well. Like having First Nations people managing the clinics and also providing that advocate service between community and all the service providers.

Director of Primary Healthcare Charlotte: Where we have clinical nurse consultants, we have Indigenous health workers that work alongside with them in the clinic and also outside in the community when we're doing home visits.

Cluster Coordinator Aggie: I think the Indigenous workforce is a very important factor of the Model of Care because we act as an interpretive service between our communities and other service providers. Mabuiag Health Centre.

Manager Norma: We know our people, and it's our community and they know us.

Healthcare worker Phyllis: Here as an Indigenous health worker to protect the nurses that come out here.

Assistant Director of Nursing Bernard: working closely with your Indigenous health workers and your health centre managers is key to actually closing the gap.

Manager of Corporate Services Marita: When you're coming in, it's not about coming in to change things, it's coming in to observe first, understand, realise that there are some gaps in the way that health is delivered and entered into for different communities.

Clinical Nurse Kylah: This is your privileged opportunity to work in a community like this and be accepted as part of the community. So, really there's no place to come in and try and change the world. You just run with it and support the the policies and procedures that are already in place.

Manager of Corporate Services Marita: So, you've got to come in with a learning mindset, not with a change mindset, so that you can work collaboratively with the patients and the organisations that are around you in your department to make sure that we're delivering the service that the community wants.

Clinical Midwife Hannah: Making sure that we're delivering health care appropriately and timely, non-judgmental spaces, connecting with their culture and their spirituality and ensuring that we're also recognising their responsibilities to their community.

Aunty Margie: They teach us and we teach them back our culture. They teach us their way, because when they come, they bring their culture with them and the two cultures are mixed, it's beautiful.

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