Aboriginal Health Unit
Our Aboriginal Health Unit provides support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, as well as their families and carers. We provide practical, social and wellbeing support, as well as support to seek accommodation for patients and families from regional, rural and remote areas.
The Aboriginal Health team works closely with all clinical, allied health and integrated care teams to support Aboriginal and Torres Islander patients with their individual needs.
Coming to Hospital
St Vincent's is a safe place to identify. When coming to St Vincent’s for treatment, we encourage all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people tell us of your Aboriginality. This will ensure our Aboriginal Health team can meet with you soon after arrival to understand your personal needs and preferences during your stay with us.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Chronic Care Service
The St Vincent's Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Chronic Care Coordinator (CCC) is dedicated to working specifically with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in-patients living with chronic issues including cardiac disease, cancer, renal disease, diabetes and lung disease. Additionally, our CCC will work with patients with other complex conditions affecting their health including mental health, substance use and homelessness. For more information, please click here.
Aboriginal Heart Health
We know that Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is a major cause of illness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Because of that, we’ve created an online resource specifically for First Nations people, to understand heart health, provide practical tips and real life stories and explanations from Aboriginal people we’ve cared for. Click here for more information.
Coming to Emergency
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients who present to our Emergency Department will be seen as a priority. We understand that waiting to be seen can be both confronting and uncomfortable, please tell our staff if you plan to leave for a quick coffee or a yarn outside so that we know you’re still waiting. Watch this video for more information.
Cultural Safety
All of our staff undertake mandatory ‘Respecting the Difference’ training to ensure that First Nation's patients and guests are welcomed to a culturally respectful environment. St Vincent’s has a strong commitment to increasing employment opportunities for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander People, so you’ll see a lot of Aboriginal faces around our hospital in many roles from doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, patient transport, wardspersons, pathologists, social work, counsellors and in our executive leadership team – so you’ll be amongst good company.
For information on employment opportunities, please click here
We also offer a private Gadigal Room for quiet time and family conferences.
Our commitment
Our Aboriginal Health team are here to advocate for you and make sure you receive the best care for your individual circumstances. They will visit you daily to ensure your health care needs are being met to the best of our ability.
NSW Health Apology to the Stolen Generation
On Sorry Day 2022, NSW Health Secretary, Susan Pearce made a formal apology on behalf of the NSW Health system to survivors of the Stolen Generations and acknowledged the many Aboriginal children who were admitted to our hospitals and never returned to their families and communities.
Click here to watch.
St Vincent's Health Network Sydney Aboriginal Health Plan 2017-2020
This plan outlines six strategic outcomes St Vincent's has committed to achieving in our efforts to improve the health outcomes for our First Australians. Please click here.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that the following stories may contain images and voices of deceased persons
Deadly Yarn'n
Deadly Yarn'n is the annual St Vincent's Health Network's Aboriginal Health newsletter. It provides an overview of the achievements, programs and initiatives undertaken in Aboriginal Health at St Vincent’s.
To download Deadly Yarn'n, please click on the below links:
2016 edition click here
2017 edition, click here
2018 edition, click here
2021 edition, click here
Contact
Tel: 02 8382 2213
Employment Opportunities
For information on employment opportunities for our Nation's First Peoples, please click here
We live and work on Aboriginal Land. We pay our respect to the elders, both past and present and acknowledge the traditional owners of this Land.