New IHLO Sam Tochterman-Talbott with TPCH’s new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander phone booth which has recently been installed in the emergency department.

Sam Tochterman-Talbott has a passion for helping people.

A proud Gamilaraay/Gomeroi and Bigambul man, and the eldest of seven children, Sam is a natural caretaker of those closest to him, a quality that will serve him well in his new role as Indigenous Health Liaison Officer (IHLO).

As a member of TPCH’s Indigenous Hospital Liaison team, Sam’s role is to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients throughout and beyond their hospital stay. He visits patients in the wards and the emergency department, where he helps them understand and navigate their hospital journey, and also connects them with other services that may assist them when they leave hospital.

Having worked in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community sector for almost a decade, Sam is very familiar with the challenges commonly faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients when accessing healthcare services.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients generally do not like hospitals because of what it represent – sickness and death,” Sam said.

“Having someone like myself, who shares and understands their cultural ideas and beliefs, helps the patient generally feel more at ease with being in hospital.

“Language barriers can also be problematic for our patients when interacting with clinical staff as they can have different dialects depending on where they come from, particularly those patients from rural and remote areas.

“These barriers which can lead to the patient not understanding their planned medical care, resulting in worry and stress. My role is to act as a liaison point between the patient and staff members, so the patient understands and feels comfortable with their care.”

Educating staff about the special needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients is also a part of Sam’s role. He works with staff to ensure they have the knowledge to provide effective, safe and culturally appropriate care to patients.

“We find that staff who have never provided cared to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patient are often unaware of the many cultural sensitivities that exist. This can make their job much harder when it comes to delivering care as patients can often be unresponsive or not engaged,” Sam said.

“My role is support staff and give them the right tools so they can provide culturally safe and appropriate care, and get the best health outcomes possible for the patient.”

To contact TPCH’s Indigenous Hospital Liaison team phone 3139 5156.