Outreach to an urban Aboriginal community

(08/03/16)

Budyari Aboriginal Community Health Centre - Outreach to an urban Aboriginal community

Budyari Aboriginal Community Health Centre Staff - Brianna Crawley, exercise physiologist and Les Jenkins, Aboriginal Health Services Manager.

Budyari, an Aboriginal word meaning ‘good/well’, is an Aboriginal Community Health Centre in the Western Sydney suburb of Miller that is operated by the South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWS LHD). Budyari began 15 years ago as a NSW Aboriginal Vascular Health Program demonstration site that was set up to deliver chronic care services for the Liverpool Local Government Area catchment that is home to more than 2500 Aboriginal people.

Budyari has grown and currently provides 200 registered clients with access to a range of chronic care services that, prior to their commencement, were not readily accessed by this patient cohort at other local private or public services. Budyari’s clients receive care from an MOICDP-funded cardiologist, clinical nurse specialist and RN who have visited the community from 2012, and were joined by an exercise physiologist in 2015 and a psychiatrist in 2016. Local clinicians from Liverpool, Bankstown and St Vincent’s hospitals also visit Budyari including an endocrinologist, nephrologist, paediatrician, gastroenterologist, dietician, psychologist and two Aboriginal health workers.

Budyari also partners with other local health services, including GPs, and has well developed referral pathways.

Les Jenkins, Aboriginal Health Service Manager, and other Budyari staff work with Nathan Jones, the SWS LHD Director of Aboriginal Health, to deliver the growing range of chronic care services for Budyari’s clients who were previously not accessing mainstream health services due to cultural and financial barriers - especially clients who are elderly or pensioners.

Les commented, “Chronic care is the core of what we do and the success of Budyari is due to the good relationships with the local community and staff and the inclusion of social and emotional wellbeing services”. He explained that the centre assists to break down social isolation in the community by providing home visits, and a safe and welcoming environment where people can connect with other clients and staff, often coming by for a cup of tea after dropping kids off at school.

Outreach exercise physiologist, Brianna Crawley added “The referrals and support from health workers at Budyari has been the key to the success of the exercise physiology outreach service which has seen the number of community members who are now engaged or interested in the service continually increase”.

Budyari’s success highlights the importance of providing outreach in urban Aboriginal communities. Whilst outreach is often associated with rural or isolated locations, large urban Aboriginal populations often face similar access barriers that include cost and limited options to attend services that address cultural needs.

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