National Living Treasure engages with EMHS staff

Staff at East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) had the pleasure to meet and speak with one of our State’s greatest and most admired medical minds in July – Professor Fiona Stanley.

Prof Stanley – one of Australia’s most respected medical doctors – moderated a group discussion on 25 July as part of as part of EMHS’ Aboriginal Health Champions Program.

The hour-long session – chaired by EMHS Area Director of Aboriginal Health Francine Eades – gave those present a chance to speak and reflect on the impact that NAIDOC Week had had on them.

The session – rounded off by a Q&A discussion – was attended by about a dozen EMHS staff, including EMHS Director of Aboriginal Health Denese Griffin, Manager of Aboriginal Health at the Royal Perth Bentley Group (RPBG) Ken Nicholls and RPBG Executive Director Ben Noteboom.

During the session, Prof Stanley spoke about her excitement and desire for Aboriginal culture to play an even greater role in the Australian health system into the future.

“The exciting thing is that the more you can get this Aboriginal philosophy and Aboriginal control and Aboriginal culture into services, everyone likes those services,” she said during the session.

“I feel very excited by this.

“I believe the only way we are going to close the gap in Aboriginal health is to have much more Aboriginal control.”

A former Australian of the Year, Prof Stanley has long been a vocal advocate for the needs of children and their families, as well as Aboriginal people.

Her ongoing work in the field of medicine led to her being honoured as a National Living Treasure by the National Trust in 2004.

Launched in 2023, the Aboriginal Health Champions Program is open to non-Aboriginal staff members in EMHS who work with Aboriginal patients, their families, staff, or community members.

Participants are nominated for the program by an Aboriginal employee, a current Aboriginal Health Champion, an Aboriginal community member or an Area Executive Group member.

For more information about the program or to put forward a nomination, click here EMHS Aboriginal Health Champion Nomination Form.