“Improved cultural competence leads to more accessible healthcare”…
I hope this message finds you all in good health and spirits. My name is Ken Hayward, the Chairperson of the Wangen Murduin Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and the Cultural Connections Advisor to Arche Health Limited. I am honored to welcome you to Arche Health’s family alongside our dedicated team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health professionals that work tirelessly to enhance cultural security in accessing quality primary healthcare services.
As a proud local Noongar man, I share with you all, the deep appreciation of our cultural values, traditions, and healthcare perspectives. My role within the organisation is to provide guidance and enhance understanding of our community’s cultural awareness in relations to our modern healthcare practices, thereby ensuring that our local Aboriginal community receive the best possible care. I am excited to collaborate with our healthcare professionals at Arche Health to create an environment that respects and integrates the unique cultural identities of our Aboriginal people.
The “Closing the Gap” initiative in Australia is a commitment by the Australian Government to address the significant health and social disparities experienced by our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared to non-Indigenous Australians. One of the key strategies under this initiative involves strengthening cultural competence in our healthcare services to improve health outcomes, life expectancy and reduce the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations.
Primary healthcare is pivotal to the success of the “Closing the Gap” initiative due to its focus on prevention, early intervention, and comprehensive coordinated care. Our Wangen Murduin Aboriginal Health Services operates the National IAHP Programme collaboratively with GPs and local service partners to provide care coordination for Aboriginal clients living with complex chronic conditions. Arche Health conduct needs assessments for service recipients in partnership with clients usual GP. Once a GP Care Plan is developed that identifies the need of the individual, Arche Health can then draw on both internal and external services to create an individualised Service plan to execute what is required. These include, but are not limited to transport, timely and affordable specialist medical and social services, hospital transitional care support, population health & literacy, cultural awareness and health screening across different ages and phases of care.
Please feel free to reach out to our team at Arche Health with your healthcare care needs, suggestions, or collaboration. Let us work together to ensure that our services reflect the diversity and richness of our Aboriginal community.
Wishing you all the best, and I look forward to our shared journey while receiving care under Arche Health.
Mr Ken Hayward
BA, PGDP PHTM (James Cook University).
Cultural Connections Advisor, Chairperson Wangen Murduin Aboriginal Community Advisory Committee (CAC).
Lecturer – Kurongkurl Katitjin (Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research) Edith Cowan University.
