The evening was attended by representatives from THHS, Charters Towers Regional Council, and Charters Towers healthcare providers and community members commemorating the momentous milestone.

Good cultural relationships are being established with community members

With more than five years’ experience as a health worker within the Yarrabah community, Belita Kynuna of Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services Aboriginal Corporation has seen her fair share of changes and improvements in the health practices and outcomes in her community.

Perhaps the greatest and most recent change will deliver real and lasting results for her people by developing good relationships within the community and ensuring people engage with the health service to receive advice and treatment.

Ms Kynuna is one of a dozen or more Indigenous Health Care Workers and nurses working within the Community Care Coordination Team delivering the Integrated Team Care (ITC) Program in Yarrabah.

ITC is a Health Worker-led program linking community-based clients with clinicians (nurses and doctors). It is funded by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN).

The ITC program in Yarrabah has been particularly successful in building the relationship between the community and the health care provider, Gurriny Yealamucka.

“We have seen an increase in the willingness of many of our clients to seek assistance early from our Health Care Workers,” Ms Kynuna said.

“The regular and culturally respectful contact we have is producing great results.”

Earlier this month Ms Kynuna and her team, another Indigenous Health Care Worker (IHCW), and an Endorsed Enrolled Nurse (EEN) reached out to a young Yarrabah woman previously diagnosed with Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), but unfortunately had disengaged with the service in the past 12 months.

The regular contact over the past year, along with a focus upon culturally safe care, led the young woman to recommence her Bicillin injection course again.

Young Yarrabah community member Tshahna Sands-Sexton was diagnosed with RHD at the age of 16 and underwent surgery two years later.  It was not the best news to hear as a young adult.

“It really shook me up. It was a very scary time, especially around the time of the surgery,” Ms Sands-Sexton said.

“The past few years have been difficult. I thought as an RHD sufferer the injections were going to have a bad effect on my body. It was my mind playing games with me.

“The Care Coordination Team (CCT) kept following me up, trying to get me back on track. I’m glad they did, I need the regular reminder and support. RHD is not easy to live with or manage, but these guys help me so much.”

RHD is not hereditary. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are more at risk due to many of the common issues they confront every day. It is a disease of poverty and disadvantage.

Sub-standard housing combined with overcrowding, poor facilities like non-functioning showers, inadequate hot water and a lack of good clothes washing facilities, put Yarrabah community members at risk from RHD.

Yarrabah has one of the highest instances of RHD in Australia with more than 200 registered living within the community.

The diagnoses and management of RHD and many of the more common ailments such as diabetes and kidney disease drive the CCT program delivery in Yarrabah. 

Yarrabah is divided into three zones with a separate CCT responsible for managing the health care outreach for all residents within their geographical zone.

“This zoned approach allows us to build stronger and better relationships with our clients. We get to know them better, understand their health needs as well as understanding better many of the issues that do impact upon their health and their willingness to seek help,” Ms Kynuna said.

“It’s all about building trust, they have to trust us and trust that we will always be strong advocates for their health issues.”