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(07) 3105 7800
Turrbal and Jagera Country
Level 4, 348 Edward Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ access to quality primary health care workforce
At Health Workforce Queensland (HWQ), we are committed to closing the health workforce gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by fostering meaningful partnerships, cultural respect, and targeted support programs. This year, our journey took a significant step forward with the launch of our first Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). In parallel, we continued initiatives that strengthen maternal and child health, provide scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals, and strengthen the First Nations workforce pipeline from student through to employment as a health professional.
Reconciliation Action Plan
It was a privilege this year to launch our first Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). As an agency, we are proud to demonstrate to our staff, stakeholders, and communities our genuine commitment to reconciliation. The RAP not only focuses our efforts and activities to monitor progress but has also driven us to ensure reconciliation is embraced across the entire agency, led and governed by our Board and Leadership Team.
A highlight this year has been engaging our two Cultural Advisors - Randall Ross, a proud Yuru/Juru and Bindal man with connections to Umpila (Lochart River, Cape York), Erub (Torres Strait Islands), and Tanna Island (Australian South Sea Islands), and Dani Beezley, a proud Wulli Wulli woman from central Queensland. Learning from their wisdom has been both heartwarming and inspiring. Dani travelled to Brisbane to join us for the RAP launch (pictured below), while Randall is set to lead a cultural education workshop for our staff and young families.
Pictured, left to right: Michelle Sodziak, Dani Beezley, Nicole O'Donohue, Aunty Kathy Fisher and Jo Symons at HWQ's RAP Launch
Perhaps the most inspiring story is the creative design of our RAP by ingeous Studios and Indigenous Design Labs. Leigh Harris led a talented team of young digital creatives who brought their artistic interpretation of HWQ’s work to life, making it the centrepiece of our RAP. You can learn more about their work on the first page of the RAP and read the document below.
Programs
Maternal and Child Health Uplift Program
In the 2024–2025 financial year, the Maternal and Child Health Uplift Program (MCHUP), funded by Northern Queensland PHN (NQPHN), continued to play a vital role in strengthening maternal and child health care across Northern Queensland. Through providing funding for upskilling opportunities for local primary care providers, this program directly supports better outcomes for mothers, fathers and children, particularly within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, where access to culturally safe care is critical.
The program funded professionals from seven Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) and Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) in the Northern Queensland region, including Mookai Rosie, a long-standing health service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children travelling to attend medical treatment in Cairns.
The support from NQPHN has provided for this direct investment in local workforces and contributed to increased access to quality services for First Nations communities, with outcomes for mums and bubs in their first 1,000 days of life.
For more information on the MCHUP and Mookai Rosie and the First Nations Doula Workforce click the button below.
Health Workforce Scholarship Program
Under the Health Workforce Scholarship Program (HWSP), we prioritise scholarships and bursaries for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals and health professionals working in ACCHSs or AMSs. In the 2024-2025 financial year 16% of scholarships and bursaries were provided to health professionals providing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and funding was provided to 26 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health professionals.
You can read more about the HWSP via the button below.
Health Workforce Stakeholder Group
Our partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professional peak bodies continues to grow, with these stakeholders included as members of our Health Workforce Stakeholder Group. Alongside our relationship with QAIHC, we aim to ensure that the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals are represented at the highest level in discussions on primary care workforce issues across Queensland.
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