Wartaka meeting highlights success of First Nations health program in Bendigo
A special Wartaka meeting was held at Bridgewater on Gunbungwerro (Loddon River) to yarn about what final year medical students have experienced in the hospital, and achievements from Monash Rural Health’s First Nations health program in Bendigo in its first year.
The Wartaka event, which means ‘come together with purpose’ in Djaara language, brought together representatives from Djaara, Bendigo Health, Monash Rural Health and Monash medical students who spoke about how the First Nations health program has supported a greater understanding of culturally appropriate care in the program's first year.
The First Nations health program provides access for final year medicine students to First Nations health training courses, and the opportunity to complete research projects in First Nations health. Students also participate in truth-telling sessions and also engage with Aboriginal Health Liaison Officers and other First Nation health workers to improve their cross-cultural communication skills, supporting improved health outcomes for First Nations people.
Final year medical student Daniel Lee, reflected on the integration of First Nations health education into his training.
“In all parts of our medical school training, we are able to learn about becoming culturally enriched in Indigenous health to make sure that we become culturally sensitive health practitioners in the future, and I think that’s really important. So well done.”
The Wartaka meeting enabled an opportunity to reflect on issues in First Nations health and explore practical solutions to address them, by giving future doctors a greater awareness of culturally safe approaches. Final year medical student Mitch Roberts stressed the importance of the Wartaka meeting.
“It’s really special to be able to come out here in Djaara country in Bridgewater and yarn in a circle about various issues and what we can do to play our part in helping to address them.”
Daniel also reflected on how the event helped him to connect with First Nations leaders.
“Today was very invaluable in terms of being in Country, connecting with First Nations people, making sure that we’re applying what we’ve learnt in theory into practice.”
Djaara and Bangerang man Paul Phillips from Djarra led a Welcome to Country at the event and was happy with the positive progress of the program and the discussions on the day.
“I felt a unified approach to making change around the way the health system services, reviews, handles and cares for mob. Really happy with the discussions that were held and the ideas that were floated and the progress made this year as well. So there’s been a lot of change already, and looking forward to more action on the ideas that have taken shape today.”
Dr Cameron Knott, ICU Consultant who championed the introduction of First Nations health competency as part of the Final Year Student ICU rotation at Bendigo Health spoke on the importance of working together to find solutions.
“I’m hoping that from today we’ve got an opportunity to have regular yarning circles in Country and also locally in the hospital precinct, to work on problems together to find solutions that cut through the usual hierarchies and siloes and structures that we have and find better ways of doing it.”
The First Nations health program is part of the Monash Rural Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Framework 2021-2030, which is led by Aboriginal Community Engagement Lead, David Byrnes, who is excited to see the progress of the First Nations health program.
“This program is really giving our medical students a deeper understanding of delivering culturally appropriate care which will have a positive impact on First Nations health in the future.”