Health Consumers Queensland is undertaking a project on behalf of the Queensland Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Division supporting consultation with community for participating Hospitals and Health Services.
To date, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health consumers have hosted yarning circles with their community members in Townsville, Mackay, Metro South, West Moreton, Gold Coast and for Children’s Health Queensland. Through the yarning circles, community members are able to share their stories and recommendations to inform their local HHS Health Equity Strategies.
What is a Health Equity Strategy?
The health equity agenda is the legislative requirement passed by the Queensland Parliament in 2020 for Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) to co-develop and co-implement Health Equity Strategies.
These strategies will outline:
- the achievement of health equity and the improvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes
- the elimination of institutional racism from the public health sector, and
- improvements in power sharing arrangements with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
You can learn more about the purpose of the Health Equity Strategies on the Queensland Health: Making Tracks Together website.
To assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities to have a say in their local Health Equity Strategy, Health Consumers Queensland has been engaged by Queensland Health’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Division to support six Hospital and Health Services with their community consultations.
One yarning circle participant told us, “The Yarning Circle was effective because we got to share food and experiences which is something that has been lost in our culture and we need to do more of it.”
We still have opportunities for consumers to host yarning circles to inform HHS Health Equity Strategies so please check our Consumer Opportunities page for the latest details.