Acknowledgement of Country
Murrumbidgee LHD acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we live and work. We pay our respect to past and present Elders of this land - the Wiradjuri, Yorta Yorta, Barababaraba, Wemba-Wemba, and Nari Nari people.
Aboriginal health services
In addition to providing a service to inpatients and clients individually, we offer several programs and services that Aboriginal Health staff within the Murrumbidgee LHD are trained in and responsible for implementing.
For more information, contact the Aboriginal Health Office at MLHD-AboriginalHealth@health.nsw.gov.au (Monday to Friday).
The AMIHS is a service for Aboriginal women and women with Aboriginal children.
The service delivered by an Aboriginal health worker and a midwife working together to deliver care before and after you have your baby.
We empower women through education, building skills and sharing knowledge to help you have a healthy pregnancy and a strong baby.
Services provided will vary between communities, but include:
- a culturally responsive, flexible, community-based service during your pregnancy and birth
- hospital bookings
- support through labour and birth
- before and after birth checks
- home visits
- helping to organise GP and specialist care and link to other support services.
The Aunty Jeans program is a community-focused program to support Aboriginal people with/or at risk of chronic illness.
The program caters for all levels of ability and ages and combines:
- health promotion and assessments
- information and education
- exercise sessions
- healthy eating and fun activities.
A diverse range of health service providers from Murrumbidgee LHD support participants to reach their goals. The team include health professionals and other government and non-government agencies, including:
- Aboriginal health workers
- diabetes educators
- physiotherapists
- occupational therapists
- respiratory services staff.
The sessions are informal, and participants will have an opportunity to help shape the program's activities.
The BSF is a free service providing culturally safe, early childhood health services for Aboriginal children from birth through to school age and their families.
This service is offered in Griffith, Narrandera and Lake Cargelligo.
The aim of the service is to support families by providing a nurturing environment for children to develop optimal physical, social, emotional and cultural wellbeing and be prepared for a great start to school.
The service is delivered by a Child and Family Health Nurse and an Aboriginal Health Worker - who work together to support the health, growth and development of Aboriginal children.
Services offered:
- child development health checks as per My Personal Health Record (Blue Book)
- immunisation
- early identification of families' needs
- referral to other services
- health promotion, education, support for parents, carers and community development.
Referrals:
Parents and/or carers can self-refer to the BSF service or can consent for referrals from other services and agencies like:
- Aboriginal Maternal Infant Health Service (AMIHS)
- Aboriginal medical services
- child and family health nurses
- childcare centres
- general practitioners
- maternity services.
Otitis Media (OM) is the medical term for all forms of inflammation and infection of the middle ear. It is also referred to as 'middle ear infection', 'ear disease', or 'glue ear'.
Causes of Otitis Media
Otitis Media (OM) can be caused by a bacterial and/or viral infection. It is the most common cause of hearing loss in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children tend to experience earlier, more frequent and severe Otitis Media than other children in Australia.
If children cannot hear they cannot learn. Middle ear infections can impact their self-esteem, learning ability, speech, language development, sleep, behaviour, relationships with family and friends and their grades in school.
How to access the OM screening service
A simple screening process can easily diagnose and detect OM.
Aboriginal Health staff attend schools and pre-schools to screen for OM and/or conduct educational sessions. They can provide referrals to other relevant services once screening is complete.
The screening service includes:
- otoscopy (examining the inner ear using an otoscope)
- tympanometry (tests the movement of the eardrum)
- audiogram (tests hearing sensitivity and measures levels of hearing loss).
Contact the Aboriginal Health Unit for more information.
Palliative care is specialist approach to care that assists people who are facing problems associated with life-limiting illnesses, and their families to improve their quality of life.
Palliative care can be delivered in your home, at the hospital or in residential care or a palliative care unit.
How we can help
Our palliative care team are specially trained to work in this area of care by:
- providing support for emotional, social and spiritual concerns
- supporting relief of pain and other distressing symptoms
- providing resources like equipment or aid care in your home
- making your journey as comfortable as possible, based on your needs
- supporting you where you want to be cared for and your family and/or carers when needed
- helping families come together to talk about sensitive issues.
The team will always be supported by an Aboriginal Health worker to provide a culturally safe service and when planning your current and future health care needs.
The Aboriginal Health worker can also support you with information and referrals for other important decisions, like legal and personal arrangements, advance care directives, your will, and funeral arrangements.
How to access this service
To arrange a referral, contact our Community Care Intake Service at 1800 654 324 or email MLHD-CCIS@health.nsw.gov.au from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.
You can also call the After-Hours Palliative Care helpline at 1800 548 225.
In an emergency, always call 000 (triple zero).
Aboriginal patient experience
Aboriginal adults admitted to hospital will have the opportunity to provide feedback on their hospital experience.
If you are admitted to hospital, you may receive a copy of the survey in the mail after the end of your hospital stay.
This is your chance to tell us how we can make hospital care better for you. We want to hear about your experiences. Are there areas that you think need improving? Did something impress you?
Your responses will be combined with all others and the results will be sent to the Local Health Districts that run our hospitals, including the local Aboriginal Health Unit, so that improvements can be made, and they can learn from the things that worked well.
All information you provide will be completely confidential and your personal information will not go back to your hospital, Aboriginal Medical Service or your GP.
This is part of a state-wide program to improve the quality of care and hospital safety for Aboriginal patients.
If you are sent a survey by the Bureau of Health Information (BHI), please fill it in. If you would like more information on the survey, visit the BHI website.
You can also:
- ask an Aboriginal Health Worker
- contact the local Aboriginal Health Unit at MLHD-AboriginalHealth@health.nsw.gov.au
Find an Aboriginal health service
Use our Service Directory to find a health service near you.
Virtual care appointments
Virtual care (telehealth) uses technology to offer patients and consumers an easy way to connect with health professionals. It offers many benefits for patients, carers, and health professionals. Learn more about virtual care.