Northern Health and First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partner together and strengthen cultural safety and improve access to services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
The agreement was signed on Monday, August 21, by both First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing chief executive Karinda Taylor and Northern Health chief executive Siva Sivarajah.
Both organisations welcomed the MOU, and committed to collaborate on the provision of health services to the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in a culturally safe and competent way.
Mr Sivarajah said he is happy to reinforce Northern Health’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“At Northern Health, we are committed to providing holistic and culturally appropriate services that improve health and wellbeing, and strengthens our connections to our diverse community,” he said.
“I am happy to reinforce our commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through ensuring equity in access to high quality, culturally sensitive health services.”
Ms Taylor said the MOU is a shared vision for the future.
“Both organisations have done a range of work around improving the care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, and this MOU is really about a shared vision for the future,” she said.
This partnership will focus on improved collaboration opportunities in addressing Aboriginal community health priorities and increased support to ensure the cultural safety of patients and staff.
Other priorities include a commitment to supporting First Peoples’ development of their own clinical practice and governance and assistance towards achieving each other’s respective strategies and objectives.
Mr Sivarajah said he looks forward to working together to address Aboriginal community health priorities and ensure cultural safety for staff, patients and community.
