“Better Health on Buderim” Acknowledge our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community

Better Health on Buderim for our Indigenous Community

My dear friend who works at this Practice asked me to come in for an hour and speak to her colleagues about engaging with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and how they can best support the health needs of these Indigenous patients.  My friend or should I say family member (as I have known her for 22 years) has been a keen supporter of my work, joined me on the Ration Shed Tours and always asked questions without fear of ‘getting it wrong’.  Being in a position to influence how they did business, she asked me to share my story and how I as a non-Indigenous person, with 15 years of working with the Indigenous community, could offer advice to their non-Indigenous workers on Closing the Gap.

Covering the basics and ensuring that they knew who their Indigenous service providers and local health partners were, I am excited about what has occurred post our 1 hour yarn up in the lunch room at Better Health on Buderim. Since then, staff have sat in on my lectures at the University of the Sunshine Coast, a sign has gone up at the front door, acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of Buderim and welcoming Indigenous clients to this culturally safe environment.  And from today, their monthly newsletter will too acknowledge and welcome the Indigenous community to Better Health.  I hear also that when patients (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) were asked as to what attracted them to the newsletter, they said it was the flags!!  A great story about Closing the Gap and walking with Indigenous people to support better life expectancy outcomes.  I know that a lot more has been done preluding this and will continue to occur at this practice.