Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network Aboriginal Health
Acknowledgment of Country
We respect and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this land and commit to building a brighter future together.
We acknowledge that ‘Aboriginal business is everyone’s business’ and we will work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to improve their health and wellbeing. We will work collectively with consumers and the community to ensure Aboriginal people get to enjoy the same, or better, health outcomes than the broader population.
Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan
Aboriginal readers are advised that the RMCLHN Reflect RAP may contain images and names of deceased persons.
The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network (RMCLHN) launched its inaugural Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) during National Reconciliation Week on Friday 3 June 2022.
Our inaugural Reflect RAP is an important part of our larger strategic vision for health services and workplaces that value and affirm the cultures, beliefs, languages and histories of Aboriginal peoples and communities. It provides direction on how we achieve long term Aboriginal health goals with targeted priorities identified and measures of success including specific Aboriginal health criteria.
RMCLHN’s vision for reconciliation is to embrace unity between Aboriginal peoples and other Australians to ensure equal health outcomes for our Aboriginal stakeholders, and an inclusive and diverse workplace that is not just culturally safe, but culturally rich and proud.
We recognise that an important aspect of working towards the goals of our RAP will be to commit to cultivating cultural safety for Aboriginal peoples and communities throughout our LHN – across our operational systems, governance structures and the environment at large.
We are committed to listening to the voices of Elders and community leaders, expanding our networks and partnerships, better understanding and implementing cultural protocols, exploring new opportunities, ensuring an organisational understanding of the context of history and to committing resources and time to achieving the goals of not only this RAP, but future ones.
Our Vision for Aboriginal Health
We will support Aboriginal people to have the best possible quality of life by providing high quality, culturally appropriate care that promotes dignity, respect, choice, independence and social connection.
Murray Bridge Hospital Aboriginal Artwork Launch
Supports and services
The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network offers a range of health supports and services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers
RMCLHN has Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers (AHLOs) based at Murray Bridge and in the Riverland (Berri, Barmera, Loxton, Renmark and Waikerie). Meningie Hospital will also have an AHLO soon.
The role of our AHLOs is to help and support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander consumers, families, community members, visitors and staff, by providing:
- Cultural, emotional, spiritual and clinical support to patients and families
- Inpatient advocacy and support at family meetings with doctors
- Education and promotion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing.
If you identify, you can request to see an AHLO at any of these hospitals. To get in touch with us please call (08) 8580 2614.
Riverland Drop-in Paediatric Clinic
If you are concerned about your child’s growth and development, we invite you to drop-in for a yarn with us and other parents – no appointment required!
Located next to Barmera Hospital at Scott Avenue Barmera in the Aboriginal Health Wellbeing Centre, this clinic supports Aboriginal children from birth to 5 years of age and their families.
Parents, grandparents and guardians are welcome to come along to yarn about any worries and discuss options with the family to address health and developmental concerns.
The clinic is a culturally safe space where we can assess your child’s needs and provide you with referrals to paediatric specialists or other health providers if needed.
The clinic is open 1:00pm-3:00pm every second Monday during Term 1 2023 as follows:
- Monday 20 February for Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
- Monday 6 March for Speech and Physiotherapy
- Monday 20 March for Dietitian and Occupational Therapy
- Monday 3 April for Speech and Physiotherapy
For more information or assistance, please call the Aboriginal Health Team in Barmera on (08) 8588 0424.
This clinic is for non-urgent health concerns. If your concern is serious or urgent, please contact your local GP or visit your nearest Emergency Department. Always call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.
Tumake Yande
Tumake Yande (Taking Care of the Old) provides support and advocacy services to Aboriginal Elders within the Ngarrindjeri Nation.
Social programs are run twice a week that provide a culturally safe space to meet, promote health services and acknowledge Aboriginal culture as an important step in improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people. The Tumake Yande team look after clients registered on the Community Home Support Program (CHSP) services, offering a range of supports. To find out more, please call the Tumake Yande team on (08) 8535 6121.
MASH Group
The MASH (Meningie Aboriginal Self Help) Group aims to deliver a collaborative, multi-agency program to the Aboriginal community of Meningie and Raukkan that offers:
- Education in health and wellbeing - enhancing Aboriginal peoples’ right to self-determination
- Social and emotional wellbeing through community connectedness
- A space for an intergenerational program to support ongoing learning of language and culture
- A safe space for advocacy.
The MASH group meets every Monday at the Meningie RSL. The group is supported by RMCLHN and Moorundi ACCHS. To find out more, please call the Tumake Yande team on (08) 8535 6121.
Murray Bridge Tumake Tinyeri Birthing Program
The Tumake Tinyeri Birthing Program aims to provide culturally competent antenatal, labour and early postnatal care for Aboriginal families.
This includes access to a trained midwife and a specialty trained Aboriginal workers during their pregnancy, supporting women to access services for social health issues, support during labour and birth and support for woman and infant care including feeding for the first 6-8 weeks after birth.
To find out more please contact the Tumake Tinyeri Birthing Program at the Murray Bridge Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital on (08) 8535 6777
Strategic Planning
Aboriginal people experience more life risk factors, poorer health and less acceptable outcomes in a range of life areas when compared to the general population. As a result of these challenges, Aboriginal people are among the most disadvantaged population groups in our community.
The RMCLHN Strategic Plan 2021-2026 provides direction on how we achieve long term Aboriginal health goals with targeted priorities identified and measures of success including specific Aboriginal health criteria.