(L-R): Jackie Hanson, Metro North Health Chief Executive, Gloria Rankine, Koobara Kindy Co-Director and Sherry Holzapfel, Metro North Health Executive Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health pictured with signed Letter of Intent.

Working together for our jarjums

Metro North Health has partnered with Koobara Kindergarten and Pre-prep Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation to provide opportunistic healthcare access that encompasses holistic wellbeing for jarjums (children) and their families.

The formalised partnership agreement outlines the commitment between Metro North Health and Koobara Kindy on the delivery of health prevention and early intervention programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Amendments to the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 and the Hospital and Health Boards Regulation 2012 have created the strongest public health system legislation ever enacted in Queensland Health’s history by requiring Hospital and Health Services to partner with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations to design, deliver and monitor the delivery of healthcare in Queensland. In 2022 Metro North Health were the first hospital and health service to release their Health Equity Strategy 2022 – 2025 that outlines their pledge to increase access to healthcare services and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities, and organisations to deliver health services that reflect the voices of their community. Metro North Health Chief Executive, Jackie Hanson, Executive Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Sherry Holzapfel, and Koobara Kindy Co-Director, Gloria Rankine met earlier this year to do an official signing of the Letter of Intent agreement. The Letter of Intent highlights both organisations commitment to work together and contribute positively to early health outcomes, reducing the burden of disease, reducing risk factors, and managing chronic disease in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community. “It is important that Metro North Health continues to build and establish partnerships between community led organisations and community to deliver opportunistic health outreach services and collaboration opportunities. This is one of the key ways we can achieve health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” Ms Holzapfel said. “I am proud of the progress we continue to make as an organisation in building and strengthening relationships with our community partners and working towards improving health outcomes for our mob,” she said. As a lead driver of the collaboration between Metro North Health and Koobara Kindy, the hospital and health service Strong Start to Life Team are eager to build strong and lasting relationships, and work with community and families to co-design services that improve continuity of care models, supporting timely interventions for women, babies and children, that reinforces cultural knowledge and provide improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, children, and their families. Clinical Nurse Consultant and Manager of the Strong Start to Life Team Tara Denaro said the team were excited about the partnership. “Kindy provides a culturally responsive space for our families to grow together in their child’s learning, and this partnership will provide health promotion and screening opportunities to ensure our kids have a strong start in their education journey,” she said. As a result of the recently formed alliance, Metro North Health Deadly Smiles Team, Strong Start to Life Team and Better Together Health Van recently attended Koobara Kindy during Dental Health Week (5-11 August) to provide oral health screening and health promotion activities with jarjums in the Kindy classes and playgroup.