Projects of Interest
Welcome to the Project of Interests page. If you have a project that is related to Indigenous medical education or Indigenous health education please share it on LIME Network website by emailing us at lime-network@unimelb.edu.au.
AIDA and Medical DeansIndigenous Health Projects Two significant and exciting Medical Deans and AIDA projects have recently been granted funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. The first involves a joint review of implementation of the CDAMS Indigenous Health Curriculum Framework and Healthy Futures Report across all medical schools in Australia. The second involves holding a national forum in early 2011 to develop strategies and pathways for Indigenous medical academic leadership. Medical schools are currently assessed on Indigenous Health curricula and recruitment and retention practices for Indigenous medical students through accreditation process conducted by the Australian Medical Council and the Critical Reflection Tool provides schools with a framework for internal reflection and review. The Medical Deans–AIDA Review will assess implementation of the Curriculum Framework and Healthy Futures across all medical schools using the original documents as baselines, thereby giving a snapshot in time of current practices as well as an indication of progress over the last five years. The Review will include site visits to all medical schools, interviews with staff and students, as well as secondary research and analyses of findings. Significant contributions will be made by the LIME Network through the LIME A discussion paper for the forum is currently being developed, outlining existing capacitybuilding initiatives, profiles of Indigenous medical academic leaders, and potential strategies. The forum itself seeks to bring together stakeholders and More Information: Please see Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand and AIDA for more details. |
Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH) & Latrobe University (Administering Organisation)Improving the Culture of Hospitals for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people The ICHP was funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, now known as the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health CRCATSIH), project managed by the Australian Institute for Primary Care, La Trobe University along with partner organisations The University of Melbourne (Onemda, Vichealth Koori Health Unit) and the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia. The project has been guided by an Advisory Committee consisting of representatives from the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia, The University of Melbourne, St.Vincent’s Hospital (Melbourne), La Trobe University, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Government of South Australia (Department of Health), Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services. Project Aims The aim of this project was to examine successful Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs undertaken by hospitals, within a quality improvement framework. This information was used, as well as the experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to explore what would support replicating and sustaining this type of work across a wide range of hospital environments. The project developed a Framework and Toolkit to assist in facilitating the organisational cultural change required to undertake this work effectively. Conclusions The ICHP has provided hospitals with a culturally appropriate quality improvement process along with a set of evidence-based tools and guidelines to facilitate a sustainable approach to Aboriginal health. The capacity of hospitals to respond more effectively to Aboriginal patients is increased by making Aboriginal health a quality issue. This will not only build the capacity of hospitals to improve their response to Aboriginal communities but also improve their Clearly the Framework, Toolkit and Training Program for Aboriginal staff has been found to be essential, important, credible, practical, useful, and timely. The capacity of Aboriginal staff and communities to engage in a meaningful and effective way with hospital reform has been increased by this process. The ICHP has increased the involvement and effectiveness of non-Aboriginal clinical staff by engaging them in projects that require them to work alongside Aboriginal staff and Aboriginal communities to improve hospital service delivery to Aboriginal patients. The potential to establish a process for continuous quality improvement for cultural reform in hospitals has been increased by the ICHP, which provides a systematic approach for local communities to develop strategies in partnership with the hospital in their area. This process will take time but will build the capacity and sustainability of both hospitals and their local communities to make a difference in Aboriginal health. In conclusion, hospitals need senior management to support this work as a priority and to ensure Aboriginal staff are trained to facilitate the process. It is recommended that further longitudinal research is undertaken to look at hospitals over the long term to build evidence that supports the involvement of quality and safety units in cultural sensitivity improvements. Finally, the inclusion of Aboriginal-specific standards in the ACHS EQuIP accreditation system, informed by Aboriginal key stakeholder organisations, is seen as a key driver to assist this change, and a much welcomed development. Team Members: Related Documents: More Information: Updated:23 July 2010 |
Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC)First Nations, Inuit, Métis Health Core Competencies Framework for Undergraduate Medical Education AFMC & IPAC partnership released a First Nations, Inuit, Métis Health Core Competencies Framework for Undergraduate Medical Education on September 2, 2008. This was developed through a broad consultation process with many partner stakeholders, the intent of these core competencies is to provide undergraduate medical educators with broad thematic domains around First Nations, Inuit, Métis health knowledge, skills and attitudes to engage in both patient and community-centered approaches to health care delivery with and for Indigenous peoples in Canada. Implementation of these core competencies will help increase cultural competency and safety between Indigenous and non-Indigenous medical learners/ faculty and between physicians and Indigenous peoples/communities. More Information: |
James Cook UniversityIndigenous Health Careers Access Program (IHCAP) IHCAP is designed to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success in pursuing a health career. This program is the only one of its kind in Australia and offers a free one-month orientation course that is held on JCU’s Townsville campus in January of each year. In that month, students will complete the subject English for Academic Purposes as an intensive subject. The program then continues to provide students enrolled in a health degree with the practical skills and the knowledge to better cope with demands of university study. The program focuses on: More information: |
The University of AucklandVision 20:20 is the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences’ commitment to increasing the number of Māori and Pacific health professionals to 10 percent of the health workforce by the year 2020. Project Information: Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS) Hikitia te Ora - Certificate in Health Sciences (CertHSc) Whakapiki Ake Project (WAP) More information: Vision 20:20 Senior Administrator Project last updated: 28 June 2010 |
The University of New South Wales Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit & The University of New South Wales School of Public Health and Community MedicineInnovative scenario-based learning tool: ‘Ending Indigenous health inequalities within our lifetime’ DVD Over the past twelve month's, Muru Marri's Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver and Sally Fitzpatrick collaborated with Lois Meyer from the SPHCM postgraduate team to produce a short documentary 'Ending Indigenous health inequalities within our lifetime' (recently presented at the 2009 LIME Connection III). This documentary presents the perspectives of a number of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community leaders and health experts from urban and remote Australia on how to approach the current health disadvantage faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The DVD is inspired by the Close the Gap campaign for Indigenous health equality, including the signing of the Close the Gap Statements of Intent across the country, and the commitment of substantial funds towards this end by the Council of Australian Governments. The DVD is designed to be used as a scenario building tool in either face-to-face and via online workshop delivery and is currently being implemented in group assignment work within the elective PHCM9630 "Indigenous Health in Australia". The DVD resource has been funded through a Learning and Teaching Grant won by Lois Meyer and collegues from the university and is part of a larger project they are undertaking in developing scenario based learning strategies within the SPHCM postgraduate programs. More Information: Project last updated: 28 June 2010 |
Rural Health Education FoundationLive Strong: Closing the Gap on Chronic Disease DVD Live Strong is the latest of the half hour documentary style programs in the Rural Health Education Foundation’s Strong Series. It is presented by Daniel Browning of ABC Radio National’s Awaye! It emphasises the need for a comprehensive approach to the prevention, treatment and management of chronic disease. It also looks at Indigenous concepts of health and explores how these might shape more effective intervention programs. The program showcases some of the particular projects that are making a difference: The Family Wellbeing Program at Yarrabah in Queensland; The Healthy Lifestyle Awareness Outreach Program, run by the Dharah Gibinj Aboriginal Medical Service in Casino NSW; and The Improved Primary Health Care Initiative at Mossman, Gorge Aboriginal Community in Queensland More information: To order your free DVD visit the Rural Health Education Foundation or contact the Foundation on 02 62325480 or at support@rhef.com.au. |
Victorian Department of HealthImproving Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patients (ICAP) The Improving Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patients program builds on the work done by KHLOs across Victoria to improve the access of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria to mainstream health services. Project Information: Both the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) agree on the need for a new approach to ensuring accurate identification of, and quality care for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in Victorian health services. Commencing in the 2004-05 financial year, this approach is underpinned by amalgamating previously separate funding: the KHLO program and the WIES supplement. This provides a single coherent funding stream proportional to the health service's Aboriginal patient numbers. The WIES supplement for Aboriginal patients has been increased from 10% to 30%. ICAP encourages: The ICAP Resource Kit is a compendium of best practice ideas and useful information to assist health services meet the requirements set out in the ICAP Guidelines. The Kit is updated as new practice examples emerge and new information becomes available. More Information: |
Australian Learning and Teaching CouncilCreating Cultural Empathy and Challenging Attitudes through Indigenous Narratives project The Creating Cultural Empathy and Challenging Attitudes through Indigenous Narratives is a two-year project which commenced in May 2010. This project is supported by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council which is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Professor Cobie Rudd, Professor Colleen Hayward, Associate Professor Moira Sim and Ms Toni Wain from Edith Cowan University lead the project, in collaboration with The Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health, Curtin University of Technology, The University of Notre Dame, The University of Western Australia and Health Consumers’ Council (WA). However, the success of the project will depend on the enthusiasm and involvement of health educators through Australia. The project has two primary aims: The project activities include: The National Network is the powerhouse of the project. It is a web-based community of self-identified health educators with a shared commitment to respond to the national priority of “Closing the Gap” between the health outcomes of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people through challenging attitudes and developing empathy to positively influence future health graduates. The library of stories will be available to everyone in the Network for the development of learning materials and activities. Collaboration between Network members will be encouraged and all contributions will be acknowledged. We expect the early stories to be available on the website in November this year. We encourage Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators from all health disciples to register as Network members. For more information: |
Combined Universities Centre for Rural HealthOnline Aboriginal Cultural Orientation program According to the literature, many health professionals have little or no knowledge of the post-colonial legacies and cultural values of Aboriginal people, yet the impact of poor understanding undermines respect and compounds communication barriers. In recognition of this and the importance of two-way communication in health care, the Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health developed an Online Aboriginal Cultural Orientation program! The online program, inclusive of information, videos, activities and links to further resources, consists of five self directed learning modules that promotes the professional responsibility of each participant to develop or enhance the skills they need to become effective independent learners in developing their own ongoing cultural competency, initially by gaining an understanding of: The free on-line program aims to improve timely access to generic cultural orientation for health professionals and students; prior to clinical placements or on recruitment, or soon after commencing employment. It does not replace local cultural orientation, where information about local protocols, language groups, mentors and Aboriginal networks and services should be accessed to facilitate ongoing learning, which is essential for health professionals to develop a deeper understanding of Aboriginal cultural values and practices at a local level. The online Aboriginal cultural orientation program takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete (depending on time spent following links provided to further education) and it can be done over 120 days without loss of completed assessments. It has been endorsed by the Royal College of Nursing Australia (attracting 3CPD points). Since its launch in mid December 2009, there are over 1,700 registered users across Australia and 210 completed online feedback surveys indicating a high level of support. For more information contact: Project last updated: 30 June 2010 |
University of QueenslandUQ-UNMDG Project The UQ-UNMDG Project is a joint venture of the UQ School of Medicine and the UQ Medical Society (UQMS). It brings a substantial focus on Global Health to all students of the UQ Medical Program. Its impetus originates from the Head of UQ School of Medicine’s attendance at the 2007 Universitas 21 (U21) Annual Meeting. At that meeting, Professor David Wilkinson offered UQ’s commitment to a new U21 Health Sciences Project that is currently being developed. The U21 Project aims to address the 8 Millennium Development Goals by designing a relevant training module, to be incorporated into the curricula of health science training institutions around the world. The expectation is that each academic institution would tailor the training module according to their course requirements. While proudly linked to the U21 initiative, the UQ-UNMDG Project retains its independence – illustrated by the dual focus on Developing World Health and Australian Indigenous Health. It will deliver teaching and training, assist medical students to have relevant clinical experiences, offer extracurricular activities and raise awareness of these issues. Shaped by consultation with over 250 expert academics, clinicians, technical staff and students, and the structure of the project is demonstrated below.
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