A program designed to address Indigenous health disadvantage created by The University of Queensland and the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) was commended at the Business Higher Education Round Table (BHERT) Awards.
UQ’s Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences and Faculty of Medicine partnered with academic staff from the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (ATSIS) Unit and the IUIH, to develop and deliver culturally-safe and strengths-based medicine, nursing, allied health and public health programs.
UQ Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Executive Dean, Professor Bruce Abernethy congratulated the team on their significant contributions that have made the program such a success.
“The partnership between UQ and IUIH has provided research, workforce development and outreach opportunities to ultimately improve health outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Professor Abernethy said.
“By placing staff and students in Indigenous health care facilities, the program gives future health professionals first-hand experience and the knowledge and skills to work in Indigenous health.”
As part of the partnership UQ and IUIH worked closely together on several engagement activities throughout the year to promote health and education messages to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families including the annual Inspire U camps and the Deadly Choices Junior Murri Carnival.
The BHERT Awards recognise outstanding collaboration among Australian universities and the industry sector, and act as a barometer of industry-university collaboration.
BHERT CEO Dr Peter Binks praised the UQ-IUIH Program.
“Our judging panel singled out the UQ-IUIH partnership for its impressive, well-integrated educational experience, building the types of placements that change student and patient lives, and its extraordinary impact,” Dr Binks said.
“The working relationship between the University and the Institute, and the focus on the needs of the community, is outstanding.”
The UQ-IUIH partnership has been expanded with philanthropic support from Greg Poche and Kay van Norton Poche through the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health.
Annual student placements have grown from 30 students across 3 disciplines to over 350 students across 20 disciplines in 2017.
IUIH is the largest Aboriginal community-controlled, health organisation in Australia and is the largest employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in South East Queensland.
