Improving Aboriginal health through
culture and innovation
We are committed to improving the physical, cultural and spiritual wellbeing of Aboriginal people in NSW. We acknowledge and respect the Aboriginal cultural identity and seek diverse Aboriginal perspectives in all facets of our work.
Improving outcomes through shared decision making
We developed Finding Your Way with Aboriginal people to support shared decision-making between Aboriginal people and their health professionals. It describes a holistic two-way process, so mob can feel safe and trusted to make informed decisions based on their values and beliefs.
- Originally developed to support decisions about COVID-19 vaccinations, it is now being used for all health-related decision-making.
- Core components of the shared decision-making model were developed using the 8 Ways approach.
- Aboriginal artist Belinda Coe created the artwork for the model.
- Printed resources and six animated videos for clinicians and consumers are supporting use of the model.
- Finding your way was a finalist in the 2022 NSW Health Awards in the Keeping People Healthy (COVID-19) category.
Connecting to country
The ACI’s virtual care Aboriginal artwork is now recognised and used across the health system.
The Aboriginal artwork by Lizzy Stageman depicts virtual care as a way to access healthcare close to home (on Country) and getting the right care at the right time.
The artwork is being used on resources, merchandise and digital media to highlight a culturally appropriate connection for Aboriginal people engaging in virtual care.
Embedding 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning into practice
The ACI’s Aboriginal Cultural Capability Advocates (ACCA) group provided support and guidance for embedding 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning for initiatives across a variety of clinical areas, including burns, menopause, mental health, chronic wound management, and more.
We presented our experiences of using the 8 Ways approach to more than 600 health workers. This knowledge sharing across the system helps ensure we stay focused on improving health outcomes for Aboriginal communities.
Our Co-design toolkit was updated to include tools and templates that support co-design with Aboriginal communities using the 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning.
Working together with Aboriginal people in co-design, we bring Aboriginal perspectives – ways of being, knowing and doing – to the forefront of our co-design process. In this way, we can create and innovate through culture.
The ACI’s Aboriginal Chronic Conditions and Renal Networks produced a suite of resources to educate clinicians and the Aboriginal community about kidney disease; how to maintain and manage renal health; and how to be culturally competent when caring for Aboriginal people.
An Aboriginal Health Working Group was established for the Patient Reported Measures Program. It is using 8 Ways to support the cultural competency of clinicians who are seeking and responding to feedback from Aboriginal patients and their families.