Moving Forward Together in Aboriginal Women's Health: - Theses ...

Moving Forward TogetherJanet Kellythat look good on the surface, may not be. We usually don’t send peopleto places we don’t know. We sus it out first, it is terrible to send someoneto somewhere where they don’t get good service. Sometimes people’slives are just chaotic and that is what prevents them from meeting theappointment. We often have Aboriginal Health Workers pick them up andtake them if they have had repeat non attendances. I think it is importantto recognise that people have a lot of fears and anxieties about accessingsome of the things we are talking about, and also other priorities thatcome up. Chaotic priorities like where they are going to get a meal fromthat day, or they just cant do it, or the kids get into trouble, or somethinghappens, or it is just too much because they have so many other stressfulthings happening. Soit is not just a matter of transport, it is other levelsof support.I sometimes think it is almost like there are two completely differentsystems, there is the really structured health thing and then there is thescope of women’s lives which might be chaos. It is almost like there is asquare cube box and then there is this chaos (AH Hp Int.2).There were also positives in referrals as she went on to explain;Actually the appointment system and the tertiary services- usually if youring up and explain the situation the response is pretty good. They are notpunitive or nasty or anything, there is an understanding that people’slives are not always conducive to making appointments. I can’t tell youhow many times I have to do it, ring up and beg for another appointment,and there has never been any abuse hurled at me (AH Hp Int.2).This highlights the extra time and care taken to provide culturally safe care forhigh need Aboriginal clients. Taking this extra time and effort often meantlonger clinic appointments, working over hours and missing lunch breaks. Thequestion arises – how sustainable are these working practices. Another workerwho was trying to meet client needs and fill the gaps on service provision saidI think I am burning out (AH Hp Int. 1).233