Medical pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women on track to save lives
From left to right, Acting Administration Officer Renyce McCoy, Service Coordinator and Physiotherapist Edwina Powe, Clinical Nurse Grace Adams and Staff Specialist Gynaecologist Phillippa Sexton
A collaborative gynaecological healthcare model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women is improving access to life saving, culturally safe specialist gynaecology care, aiming to advance long-term health outcomes for the local community.
The Women’s Business Shared Pathway was developed to deliver culturally appropriate, women-centred care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, supporting care closer to home and removing barriers to healthcare appointment attendance related to all things “women’s business”.
The model is a collaboration between Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Metro North Health, and the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health.
Current data identifies that, on average, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have a life expectancy almost ten years shorter than the general Australian female population and are four times more likely to die from cervical cancer.
This is due to lack of early detection of health concerns fuelled by poor engagement with health services, limited access to transport, perceived lack of cultural safety, cost, and negative past experiences for these women.
The Women’s Business Shared Pathway provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women with a range of supports, including a partnership approach with community organisations who they know and trust, a ‘one-stop shop’ in the community for women’s related healthcare needs, transport to and from appointments, support from a culturally responsive and capable care team, and continuity of care. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women can also choose between four different clinic locations to receive care.
Since commencing in December 2020, the service has expanded to four clinic locations, increased the service offering to two days per week, established a gynaecology dietician service, and established an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker position to commence in 2024.
Edwina Powe, a proud Palawa woman, physiotherapist and coordinator of the Women’s Business Shared Pathway, said the pathway continues to build on its service offering following the success of the past few years.
“Since December 2022, we have provided more than 622 outpatient services, and upwards of 71 surgical procedures. We ensure we are guided by our community in all that we do and that our service is providing care that meets their needs,” Edwina said.
“The feedback we receive from our patients is overwhelmingly positive, with almost 90 per cent of consumers strongly agreeing that they would recommend the pathway to their family and friends in a recent survey.
“One patient stated that women in her family may have lived much longer if a pathway of this kind was available when they had their illnesses, while another stated that the staff were extremely supportive and made it easier to undergo procedures.”
The service hopes to explore opportunities for expansion to ensure equity in access across Metro North Health and beyond, working closely with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health and the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to do so.