This webinar will explore practical approaches to delivering culturally safe preventive healthcare in everyday general practice.
Drawing on the perspectives of senior clinicians, Aboriginal GPs Dr Janelle Trees, Kirsty Jennings and GP Dr Tim Senior, the session will focus on building trust, engagement and support in preventive healthcare conversations, recognising the strengths, cultures and experiences of Aboriginal patients and communities.
Participants will gain practical, transferable skills that increase confidence in delivering culturally safe preventative healthcare for Aboriginal patients. The focus of the session is Aboriginal health, but these communication skills and engagement strategies support culturally safe and person-centred care with people of every culture.
The webinar will also introduce referral pathways to the Get Healthy Service, Get Healthy in Pregnancy and Go4Fun. These include Aboriginal Health coaches
Learning outcomes
- Explain the role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Assessment (MBS item 715) in supporting preventive health screening in general practice.
- Identify opportunities to incorporate preventive health discussions into routine general practice consultations.
- Implement practical approaches to culturally safe engagement with Aboriginal patients.
- Describe how available referral pathways such as GHS and Go4Fun can complement clinical care.
Facilitator
Dr Tim Senior – MBBS, FRACGP
Dr Tim Senior is a GP at the Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation in South West Sydney. He is Medical Advisor to the RACGP in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and is a clinical senior lecturer in general practice and Indigenous Health at the University of Western Sydney.
Speakers
Dr Janelle Trees
GP: Albury Community Health and Clean Slate Clinic.
Dr Janelle Trees FRACGP, MBBS (Hons), BSc (Hons 1), works in Addictions Medicine. She teaches Indigenous cultures and perspectives. A former editor of the Diabetes Australia GP journal, she presents to students and colleagues, including internationally, on many topics. Interested in Indigenous Traditional Healing, she’s a founding member of End Wise, advocating for access to Psychedelic Assisted Therapy in palliative care. Currently staying with her wife in Albury NSW, she’s lived and worked in rural and remote places, particularly desert and island communities. She enjoys painting, creative writing and her electric bike.
Dr Kirsty Jennings
Kirsty is a Biripi woman from the Mid North Coast of NSW. Kirsty originally trained as a social worker through the University of Newcastle and spent several years working in community based Aboriginal Health services. She then went on to complete a Bachelor of Medicine at the University of Newcastle and went on to complete her FRACGP. Kirsty currently works in general practice in the Port Stephens area and works within the Thurru Indigenous Health unit teaching Indigenous Health into the Joint Medical Program at the University of Newcastle. Within her role at the University of Newcastle, Kirsty is the lead for the Pathways into Medicine Indigenous health program delivering Culturally safe and reflective healthcare and communication education to 4th and 5th year students.
