Indigenous hospital liaison officer Vera Havili will support patients at Thursday Island Hospital. Photo: TCHHS.
New Indigenous hospital liaison officers (IHLO) have started work at Thursday Island, Bamaga and Weipa hospitals.
The three Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service (TCHHS) members enhance cultural safety support and help First Nations patients navigate their health journey.
Thursday Island-based IHLO Vera Havili, from the Torres Strait, said she saw her position as a vital link between patients and clinicians.
“As part of my role I will visit patients at their bedside to help explain the hospital system, to help them understand the treatment they are getting and how to navigate the health service,” she said.
“Often there is also a language barrier, especially for those from the outer Torres Strait Islands, so I can act as a translator between the patient and their clinical team.
“We also have a lot of patients receiving long-term care in Cairns or other larger centres, so as part of my role I make an effort to check in on them and ensure they feel supported even when they’re away from home.”
The new roles add to the two IHLOs already based at Cooktown Hospital and one at Weipa.
TCHHS executive general manager North Marita Sagigi said significant community feedback and stakeholder engagement had helped add the three new IHLO roles.
She said the facilities had already received positive community feedback about the new positions.
“These roles were designed to be that conduit between patients and clinicians because we know how overwhelming a hospital visit can be for some people,” she said.
“Our new IHLOs assist with the patient journey to help them feel more comfortable in the hospital setting.
“Cultural safety is always at the forefront of service delivery for TCHHS and these positions help ensure that safety through providing better ways to educate patients on the care they are receiving.”
Ms Sagigi said the IHLOs also played a key role in promoting cultural awareness among hospital staff by sharing patient experiences.
“By fostering understanding of local customs, languages and community expectations, they help build a more culturally responsive workforce and strengthen relationships between health professionals and the communities they serve.”
