Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services

Acknowledgment of Country

We pay our deepest respects and acknowledge the Traditional and Sovereign Owners, and the Mother lands, waterways, skies, wind and communities where we provide care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The location of TPCH and KSHC are on the lands of the Turrbal and Kabi Kabi peoples.

We are committed to continuing to work with their Elders, communities and consumers to ensure we deliver culturally safe and holistic care.

About Us

At the Prince Charles Hospital we have identified positions across the hospital campus, consisting of a Director, Nurse Navigators, Indigenous Hospital Liaison Officers, Senior Health Workers, Cultural Capability Officer, Community Engagement Officers and Administration Officers. Our services are dedicated to ensuring all Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients, families and carers feel culturally safe and supported while using our hospital services.

Our team provides culturally safe, supportive and responsive care and assistance to patients, families, carers, community and staff across the health campus. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services drive system change that is supported by co-design with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander needs. Support will be provided to you, your family and carers with  your journey to the hospital, during your admission and discharge planning. Our team provide culturally safe care and connection to services, as well as a space for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander consumers, their family and carers in our Community Hub located near the Gathering Garden.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services available at The Prince Charles Hospital are:

Indigenous Hospital Liaison Officer (IHLO).

We provide culturally appropriate support, advocacy and advice to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients and their families, who reside in South East Queensland and support their return to community through:

• Cultural support
• Men’s/Women’s business
• Bedside visits to yarn about the hospital system
• Work collaboratively with you to complete the Message Stick cultural yarning tool
• Yarn with clinical staff to help your care
• Social & emotional wellbeing support
• Support with connecting care from hospital to home
• After hours services until 8pm
• Transport (if you are eligible)

Nurse Navigators

We provide clinically safe care to help Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients journey through the health systems. The Nurse Navigator service works to help patients, their families and carers to better understand their health and talk with all the services that will help:

• Provide support to build strong relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients, families and their health care team.
• Break down health information to the patient and families understanding.
• Help with discharging from hospital to community.
• Support to get easier access to health care.
• Support patients and family who need step by step support to work through the hospital services.
• Clinical care coordination and support
  Providing advanced clinical leadership and culturally informed care coordination for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients

Cultural Capability Officer

The Cultural Capability Officer (CCO) plays a leadership role in building a culturally capable, responsive, and safe workforce across TPCH and Metro North, through cultural capability maybe education, strategic advice, staff support and partnership development. The CCO strengthens relationships with Traditional Owners, consumers, families and community organisations to elevate community voice and support service improvement.

• Deliver mandatory cultural education, including the 4‑hour Cultural Practice Program and 1‑hour Indigenous Identification training.
• Build staff cultural capability through mentoring, coaching, workshops, and targeted education.
• Provide cultural leadership and advice to support culturally safe practice and service delivery.
• Facilitate community engagement to build relationships, elevate community voices, and inform service improvement.
• Assist departments to implement cultural audit recommendations, including improvements to environments, signage, communication, and practice.
• Guide teams and research projects in culturally appropriate engagement and co‑design with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers, families, and communities.
• Strengthen cultural visibility by coordinating NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week activities and advising on Welcome to Country and Acknowledgment protocols.
• Mentor and support the identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce, including graduates, cadets, and Deadly Start participants.
• Promote the Health Equity Strategy, Anti‑Racism Policy, and related organisational initiatives.
• Facilitate community engagement opportunities to elevate community voices and inform service improvement.
• Support staff to plan and deliver culturally respectful services that reflect community needs and perspectives.

Connecting Care to Country

Connecting Care to Country aims to raise awareness of cardiac and respiratory diseases through community engagement, education, partnerships with local health providers, training, and research.

IROC (Indigenous Respiratory Outreach Care) provides a culturally safe specialist respiratory outreach service which includes:

• lung health checks
• point-of-care chronic lung disease management
• treatment
• referrals to other health providers
• education.

ICOP (Indigenous Cardiology Outreach Program) provides a culturally safe specialist cardiac outreach service which includes:

• point-of-care chronic cardiac disease management
• treatment
• Echocardiogram (ECHO) & Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• referrals to other health providers
• education.

HOPE (Heart Outreach Program for health Equity) and UROC (Urban Respiratory Outreach Clinic)

• Provides specialist cardiac and respiratory care to patients in urban settings
• The programs operate through a partnership between Metro North Health and the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH).
• Cardiology and respiratory teams provide outreach clinics at locations across Metro North.
• Provides cardiac and respiratory support and education to patients, their families and carers

How to access this service

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can get support by contacting our team. Service providers can also refer a person using the contact details below.

Indigenous Hospital Liaison Service

Phone: (07) 3139 5165
Team Leader phone: 04366 90306
Email: TPCH-IHLO@health.qld.gov.au
Open: Monday and Friday 8.00am – 8.30pm, Tuesday to Thursday 8.00am – 5.00pm, Saturday and Sunday 10.00am – 6.30pm

Cultural Capability Officer

Phone: 3139 6623

Mobile: 0499941978

Email: culturalcapabilityofficertpch@health.qld.gov.au

Request for Cultural Capability Officer training – TPCH

Monday to Friday 7.30-4pm

Nurse Navigators

Email: NurseNavigator-ATSI-TPCH@health.qld.gov.au

Hours: Monday to Friday 7:30am – 4:00pm

Connecting Care to Country – ICOP and IROC

Phone: 31396372

Fax: 31396768

Email: CCtC@health.qld.gov.au

7:30am – 4:30pm Criteria to access to access the service

HOPE and UROC

Email: HOPEmnhhs@health.qld.gov.au

UROC@health.qld.gov.au