NSW Health WSLHD Safety & Quality Account 2020-21

Launch of theWSLHD Aboriginal Workforce Plan On 27 June 2022, WSLHD launched the Plan with esteemed Journalist and Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi man, Stan Grant, leading the discussions about howWSLHD will increase our representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in WSLHD.

Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD)

Aboriginal Workforce Plan

BUILDING A STRONGER HEALTH SYSTEM INWSLHD – 2022-2026

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This event opened the conversation in WSLHD about how the organisation will build lasting relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and create opportunities for people to enter the workforce, stay in the organisation and to have those pathways to feel safe, heard and valued. “If you don’t hear the voices, if you don’t know who you’re talking to, you can’t possibly devise a strategy to meet their needs” –Stan Grant, Australian Journalist Launch of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nursing and Midwifery Networking Forum In 2023, WSLHD established the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nursing and Midwifery Networking Forum. This new monthly event brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives to foster collaboration, highlight opportunities, and address the unique challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives. The introduction of this forum is based on the valuable feedback WSLHD received from our staff at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Forum. This feedback was heard, and WSLHD’s Nursing & Midwifery Executive is committed to creating a culturally safe environment that nurtures the growth and professional development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives.

L-R: Michelle Ashworth, WSLHD Training and Development Manager, Stan Grant, Australian Journalist, Belinda Cashman, Acting Director, WSLHD Aboriginal Health Strategy.

Supporting Western Sydney Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mums-To-Be The WSLHD Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mums and Bubs Program Steering Committee is working with communities to develop programs to break down the barriers to accessing antenatal care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mums- to-be and their families in Western Sydney. This Committee is made up of more than 30 representatives across WSLHD, with 40% identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. One example of an initiative developed by this Committee is the Westmead Dragonfly Midwifery program which offers culturally safe midwifery care for women from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families with a service that runs 24/7 during pregnancies and up to six weeks following birth. The Dragonfly group provide antenatal, neonatal, and postnatal support, organise transport and doctor appointments at the Dragonfly clinic, liaison and advocate for parents at their appointments, help with housing issues, and create fun activities such as belly-casting, painting and cooking to ensure a positive and supportive experience.

The first mother through the WSLHD Dragonfly Midwifery Clinic Joelle Harland-Sykes with her twins Jacob and Zakariya.

Safety & Quality Account 2022-2023 Western Sydney Local Health District

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