I am pleased to present the following report on WAGPET’s training in Indigenous health. The report was commissioned by the WAGPET Board and conducted by an independent consultancy firm, PDT Consultancy, under the leadership of PDT Director, Faye Harris.

As a state-wide organisation, WAGPET has been particularly concerned to ensure access to quality Indigenous health training across all our regions. We have long recognised that high quality education, training and support for Doctors in Training is a critical means of improving the health of our communities and of enhancing recruitment and retention of GPs in Indigenous communities across metropolitan, outer metropolitan, rural and remote areas. At the same time, we have been mindful of the equitable and sustainable use of our resources to achieve this.

In order to address these issues proactively, we needed to know, from the local health service providers, professional stakeholders and the Indigenous communities, what was working well, what was not, and how WAGPET could move forward in very practical ways. To this end, we asked for a free and frank review uncluttered by political correctness or tempered by existing agendas in Indigenous health.

The review was carried out over four months, and included an academic research and a fieldwork component. There are twenty-one recommendations contained in this report. They are underpinned by evidence of the effectiveness of WAGPET’s current Indigenous Health Training initiatives and include pragmatic advice on improvements and opportunities for the future. The recommendations include cultural safety training that delivers on pragmatic issues affecting health care delivery and outcomes; education services and supervision standards in training that are more flexible, innovative and relevant to Indigenous health settings; and the need to ensure each region is supported to develop their own Indigenous health training plan contributing to "closing the gap".

In 2010 we have committed to following up the report with further regional consultations* to activate the recommended changes. I look forward to your response to the study and, during this next phase in the first half of 2010, your involvement in getting the implementation plan right for the sake of the profession and the health of our communities.

Adjunct Professor Peter F Wallace OAM FRACGP FACRRM

Chair, WAGPET Board

To download a copy of the report please click here.

* Proposed regional meetings 2010

  February

  23 February: Mid West (Mid West Division of General Pratice, Geraldton)

 March

 4 March: Great Southern; Great Southern Division of General Practice, Albany

 22 March:  Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service, Kununurra

 22 March:  Broome (Venue to be confirmed)

May

3 May:  Goldfields, Kalgoorlie (Rydges Hotel)

10 May: Pilbara (Mawarnkarra Health Service, Roebourne)

8 May:  South West (Greater Bunbury Division of General Practice, Bunbury)

20 May: Perth Metropolitan (WAGPET Offices, Bentley)

For registration or further details contact: Maryanne Coombs, Senior Manager, WAGPET; Tel 9473 8200, email maryanne.coombs@wagpet.com.au