Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, the Kabi Kabi (pronounced Gubbi Gubbi) and Jinibara peoples, on whose land we provide our services. We pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Elders, past, present and emerging.

Identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander

When you visit a health service or facility, we may ask you if you identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or both. If we don’t, please tell us if you do. This will help us to provide the best care for your needs.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health team

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health team provides varying support services to patients who are either:

  • staying in our hospital facilities
  • seeking support in the community.

The team prioritises person-centred care and focuses on improving culturally safe care for our community within our health service facilities. Achieving health equity for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living and visiting our region is the highest priority for our team.

The team helps people to be more aware of their health care needs and how they can access support. It includes hospital liaison officers, the Community Health Program and the Preventable Hospitalisation Program.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Hospital Liaison Officers

Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Liaison Service is a cultural link between health professionals, identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and their families.

Our liaison officers assist in breaking down perceived barriers of communication. This helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and their families have a better understanding of their hospitalisation and treatment.

They can:

  • visit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in hospital
  • discuss medical information
  • provide emotional, practical and cultural support
  • liaise between patients and hospital staff
  • refer patients to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support services, including social workers and the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS)
  • explain hospital services and procedures to patients
  • provide culturally appropriate information to hospital staff
  • consult with hospital staff seeking further information on patient and family history.

You can contact them on the following phone numbers, during the hours shown. If you're unable to call for any reason, please ask a hospital staff member who can contact the team on your behalf.

Liaison officers phone numbers

LocationHoursPhone

Sunshine Coast University Hospital

Monday to Friday, 8am - 4:30pm

Monday to Friday, 4:30pm - 10pm
Saturday / Sunday, 10am - 6pm

07 5202 0022

07 5202 7981

Nambour General Hospital

Monday to Friday, 8am - 10pm
Saturday / Sunday, 10am - 6pm

07 5470 5316

Caloundra Health Service Monday to Friday, 8am - 4:30pm07 5436 8720
Maleny Soldiers Memorial Hospital Monday to Friday, 8am - 4:30pm07 5436 8720
Gympie Hospital Monday to Friday, 8am - 4:30pm07 5489 8452

Programs

Community Health Program

Our Community Health Workers provide culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The program includes:

  • help with social, cultural and emotional wellbeing
  • regular contact and support to achieve goals outlined in their care plan
  • ralls risk assessment, if required
  • referral to other services to meet needs and preferences.

The workers also deliver health related programs in schools and small wellbeing groups as well as mental and sexual health services.

Find out more about the Community Health Program.

Preventable Hospitalisation Program

The program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with existing chronic health conditions who:

  • may be at risk of needing admission to hospital
  • have already been in hospital for their condition.

The program runs for up to 12 weeks and you can have support from our health workers (male and female), Clinical Nurse and Accredited Exercise Physiologist. It can also be extended to meet your clinical needs.

Find out more about the Preventable Hospitalisation Program.

Other services

Cultural Healing team

The Cultural Healing team provide mental health support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and their family members in our region.

It provides services to adults and children:

  • suffering from or at risk of a mental health issue
  • in need of social, emotional or cultural and or spiritual support.

Find out more about the Cultural Healing team.

Sunshine Coast and Gympie Jabba Jabba

We provide health and hearing checks, as well as vaccinations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. This includes:

  • home visiting service for children aged 0 to 4 years
  • baby checks—weight, feeding concerns, growth and development
  • hearing assessment
  • free home visiting vaccination program for children aged 0 to 15 years
  • flu vaccine for people aged 15 and over, and for children between 6 months to 14 years, who have medical risk factors
  • referrals to appropriate organisations, for example child health nurse, playgroups etc.

We also provide information about community services and upcoming community events relevant to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of this region.

Our team includes:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker
  • Child and family health nurse
  • Nurse immuniser.

Contact

Child Health Access on 07 5319 4824.

You can also find contact information for culturally appropriate services in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services Reference guide [PDF 1715.93 KB].

Your rights

When you visit our hospital and health services you have the right to respect, dignity and consideration for your privacy, religion and cultural background.

You have the right to appropriate and easily understood information about your health care and to participate in decisions about your health care.

Before you agree to any treatment, you have the right to:

  • know about your health condition in easy-to understand terms
  • know and understand the choices available
  • know what is recommended
  • know how this will affect you
  • be able to seek another opinion, where this is possible.

You also have the right to confidentiality.

Health Equity Strategy

Our Health Equity Strategy is an overarching blueprint to address health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Sunshine Coast area.

Find out more about our Health Equity Strategy.

How we work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

We recognise it’s important to deliver services that are safe and accessible, both clinically and culturally, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Find out more about how we work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Last updated: October 2023