Aboriginal Health Workers

My Story, Rachael Kelly Aboriginal Health Worker:

"I'm a proud Wiradjuri and Gamilaroi woman born and raised on Gadigal land. I have completed a Bachelor degree in Community and Social Development (Social Welfare) at the University of Western Sydney in 2013. I have a great understanding and knowledge of child development and parenting capacity as I have gained this through my current position as the Aboriginal Health Worker on the sustained home visiting program for our Aboriginal parents, carers / or babies and their families. During this time I have been trained in parent as teachers where I have the skills to visit our parents and children aged 0-3 years educating and providing them with the skills and sense of empowerment to parent their children to best of their ability. Furthermore, on our program we discuss all parenting and child development as well as health concerns with our families. Through our program we have access to early childhood services and we can refer our clients to other services outside health if required. I enjoy working on this program within the SLHD and feel that this program is making a difference with our Aboriginal families within our community and it's improving the rates of breastfeeding and other areas of early childhood through us sharing our education and knowledge."

 

Aboriginal Health Workers are health professionals who use their primary health skills
to provide care for Aboriginal people, families and community groups. Aboriginal Health Workers (AHW) also use their community knowledge and communication skills to ensure good health care for Aboriginal people.

There are four types of Aboriginal Health Workers:

Aboriginal Health Worker: This role provides better access, liaison, health promotion and preventative health services to the Aboriginal community.  An Aboriginal Health Worker must undertake a minimum Certificate III in Aboriginal Primary Health Care.  This Certificate can be a undertaken whilst you are employed in the position.

Principal Aboriginal Health Worker: means a person who has applied for an advertised Principal Aboriginal Health Worker role and has been selected on merit.  Principal Aboriginal Health Workers develop, implement and review Aboriginal primary health care strategy and policies and may be responsible for the supervision and training of Aboriginal Health Workers. Principal Aboriginal Health Workers hold a relevant degree qualification.

Aboriginal Health Practitioner: means a person who is appointed as such and holds a Certificate IV in Aboriginal Primary Health Care (Practice), and is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Aboriginal Health Practitioners perform a range of clinical practice and primary healthcare duties for the community in which they work under direct or indirect supervision at more experienced years.

Senior Aboriginal Health Worker: means a person who has applied for an advertised Senior Aboriginal Health Worker role and has been selected on merit. Senior Aboriginal Health Workers manage resources for the delivery of individual health services or health programs may be responsible for the supervision and training of Aboriginal Health Workers.

Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer:

This Aboriginal Health Worker non-clinical role provides advocacy, support and liaison within an acute care health setting:  Hospitals and multi-purpose services. 

The grading for the Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers role is under the Aboriginal Health Workers Award.

Aboriginal Health Worker:  http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/workforce/aboriginal/Pages/aboriginal-health-worker.aspx