CPMC National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical ...

The Royal Australian and New Zealand Collegeof Ophthalmologists (RANZCO)Indigenous and Rural Health Committee ActivitiesThe Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologistsestablished an Indigenous and Rural Health Committee in 1995 whosemain purpose is to improve Indigenous eye health in rural and remotepopulations. This committee is made up of thirteen members fromdifferent States and Territories.Part of the focus of theCommittee has been toprovide an opportunityfor dialogue between Collegemembers and other stake holdersabout clinical, administrative, andpolitical concerns that may bearon the provision of Indigenouseye care to rural and remoteareas. This has been achieved byattendance at various meetingsand through extensive emailinterchanges which have oftenculminated in a policy change orformal correspondence with therelevant organisation on behalf ofRANZCO.Recently the Committee has beenactively involved in evaluatingrelevant content that wouldsupport the College’s Indigenousand rural health on-line resources.“Over thirty one linkshave been placed onthe RANZCO websiteand these includeculturalawareness courses forboth Australian andNew Zealand Fellowsand trainees”.As part of the RANZCO annualscientific congress in Hobartin November, the Indigenousand Rural Health Committee isplanning to organise a speakerto address cultural awareness forour trainees. This will promoteawareness of and an outline ofstrategies to overcome culturalbarriers in the provision ofquality eye care to Indigenouspopulations. In addition to thisthere will be a series of talksfrom interested parties who willoutline the status of Indigenouseye health from different regionsaround Australia.On the National Close the GapDay (21st March), RANZCOstaff members showed theircommitment to reconciliationand achieving equity in healthoutcomes by signing the Closethe Gap pledge. There was alsothe opportunity to correspondwith the State Premier using asupplied template and requestingthem to publicly commit torenewing investment in Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander healthequality. As a follow up to this theFederal Government made anannouncement that there wouldbe ongoing funding to help Closethe Gap. The College is planninga similar day of activities forNational Reconciliation Week.CPMC NATSIMSFP Newsletter | July 2013 | Page 11