Northern Sydney Aboriginal Social Plan

At present, specialist Aboriginal services are provided
through the Northern Sydney and Central Coast Area
Health Service Aboriginal Unit based at the Royal
North Shore Hospital. The unit is staffed by two
workers, a manager who is responsible for Northern
Sydney and the Central Coast, and a hospital liaison
offi cer.
The Aboriginal Unit covers a wide geographic area
and a broad cross-section of health-related issues.
The main role of the workers is to refer Aboriginal
clients to appropriate services including family
support services, mental health services, drug and
alcohol services, and post-natal care professionals.
Raising awareness among mainstream health
providers of the specifi c needs of Aboriginal clients
and the importance of referring Aboriginal clients to
Aboriginal support services is a key aim.
There is sometimes a misconception that Aboriginal
people that are in need of health services are
only those in remote areas (National Aboriginal
Community Controlled Health Organisation, 1999,
p2). Aboriginal people in Northern Sydney have
traditionally faced signifi cant gaps in health services
which specifi c government departments and services
are now starting to address. For example, The
Northern Sydney Area Health Needs Analysis (2001)
focuses on the health needs of Aboriginal people and
the ways to deal with these needs.
The importance of encouraging Aboriginal people
to use NSW Health facilities at an earlier stage of
their health problem is also noted. There has been
little promotion of mainstream health services to the
Aboriginal community and there is no local Aboriginal
Medical Service within the Northern Sydney region.
Consultations indicated that local people sometimes
travel out of the area to attend an Aboriginal Medical
Service and have a low level of awareness of
culturally responsive mainstream services in the
region.
Mental Health
Mental health is a major issue within the Northern
Sydney region. An area of urgent need identifi ed
in social planning consultations is the need for an
Aboriginal clinician specialising in mental illness and
drug and alcohol issues for clients of the Aboriginal
Health Unit. This specialist would require access to
hospitals and effective clinical support (City of Ryde,
2004).
For Aboriginal people mental health problems are
likely to be compounded by the impact of historical
policies of removing children from their families, and
stresses arising from social disadvantage, poor social
connections and alienation from mainstream society.
Aboriginal people also reported feelings of isolation
after moving from country areas to the city and the
Northern Sydney region. Many Aboriginal people
faced with these problems use alcohol, tobacco and
other substances as a means of coping with the
additional stress.
The previous Aboriginal Social Plan 2000-2004
highlighted the signifi cant and deeply felt impacts of
the Policy of Removing Children today known as the
Stolen Generation. There have been generations
of trauma for Aboriginal families affected, who as a
result have lost their languages, cultures, their rights
to land and their identities (Australian Human Rights
and Equal Opportunity Commission, 2005).
One recommendation from the previous plan
requiring further action is to address the need for a
counseling service for Aboriginal people of the Stolen
Generations. There is a need to gather research data
in the Northern Sydney region to ascertain the extent
of mental health concerns and issues experienced
by Aboriginal peoples. In particular, the mental health
and wellbeing issues experienced by members of
the Stolen Generations need to be investigated in
order to generate appropriate solutions in line with
community needs (Northern Sydney Social Plan,
2000).
A partnership between local governments, health
and related service providers and local Aboriginal
communities is the approach most likely to
improve health outcomes for Aboriginal families
and communities in Northern Sydney. Outreach
workers are required to coordinate the provision
of mainstream services such as mental health and
drug and alcohol services. In addition to traditional
therapeutic solutions, the Aboriginal community
must be given the opportunity to work with health
page 30
Northern Sydney Aboriginal Social Plan 2007-2011