Access to ENT services for Aboriginal families

(01/08/16)

Access to ENT services for Aboriginal families - a statewide update

Over the past twelve months, RDN has worked closely with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS), Local Health Districts (LHDs) and Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists to deliver additional ENT consultation and surgical clinics across NSW. These services were established in response to ear and hearing health needs identified through the Healthy Ears, Better Hearing, Better Listening (HEBHBL) program’s assessment which found many Aboriginal families have limited access to ENT services. Other studies indicate that close to 10 per cent of Aboriginal children have ear or hearing problems compared to three percent of non-Aboriginal children.

These ENT clinics are part of a wider range of outreach ear health services that are being delivered through the HEBHBL program for Aboriginal children and young people across the state. In addition to ENT clinics, other services supported by the HEBHBL program include audiometrists, audiologists, speech pathologists, nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers.

The HEBHBL ENT surgical clinics have been set up as long-term services that are designed to supplement the procedural capacity of many regional hospitals in order to increase access for Aboriginal families. This is achieved by reducing travelling distances and waiting times for families and linking hospital-based ENT procedural services with bulk-billed, ENT assessments and follow-up clinics that are typically provided at an ACCHS in the region.

During the 2015-16 year, an additional 113 Aboriginal children received ENT surgery in regional centres across NSW. The successful establishment of these procedural services required a substantial amount of coordination, collaboration and perseverance. RDN would like to acknowledge and thank the many people and organisations involved in the HEBHBL program for the significant amount of work that has been done to increase access to ENT surgery for Aboriginal people in NSW.

A synopsis of HEBHBL-funded ENT activity in each region is provided below.  Please don’t hesitate to contact the RDN Outreach Team if you would like more information about these services.

Southern NSW

Dr John Curotta and the Southern NSW LHD worked in collaboration with RDN throughout the year to deliver consultations and surgery in the Bega and Goulburn areas. Fifty-one assessment and follow-up occasions of care (OoC) were accessed by Aboriginal children from the Goulburn area and another 42 by children from the region surrounding Bega. Nineteen Aboriginal children from the two clinic sites were referred to Goulburn Base Hospital for ENT procedures provided by Dr Curotta. The service was recently awarded the Integrated Health Care Award and the Chief Executive Award at the Southern NSW LHD Quality Awards.

Murrumbidgee Region

Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service, Griffith Base Hospital, RDN and ENT specialists, Drs Nirmal Patel and Nicholas Jufas, worked to coordinate two consultation days and one surgery in the last financial year. Aboriginal children at Griffith AMS received 31 assessment or follow-up OoC and three children underwent surgery at Griffith Base Hospital. Further ENT clinic days and surgeries are planned for 2016-17.

New England

RDN, three local ACCHS, visiting ENT specialists from John Hunter Hospital (JHH) and the Hunter and New England LHD have developed a collaborative ENT service model for Aboriginal children and youth in the region. The first ENT assessment clinic occurred in January and was hosted at Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service (TAMS) for both TAMS’ and Walhallow Aboriginal Health Service’s patients. Clinics commenced at Armajun Aboriginal Health Service in March. Dr Kelvin Kong and the Hunter ENT team have worked with the ACCHSs’ Aboriginal health workers, nursing and practice staff to successfully deliver 75 assessment or follow-up consultations in the region to date and a number of patients have been referred to JHH for surgery. HEBHBL-funded ENT procedures are planned to commence at Tamworth Base Hospital in the latter half of 2016 to improve continuity of care for patients and their families by reducing travel costs and disruption.

John Hunter Hospital ENT specialist Dr Kelvin Kong and registrar Dr Martin Larisch with Sarah Jones from NSW Rural Doctors Network on their way to Tamworth AMS and Armajun AHS for an ENT clinic.

Western NSW

RDN has worked with Western NSW LHD to provide additional ENT surgeries in the Western NSW region. The HEBHBL program supported one additional surgery day at Bathurst in February when nine Aboriginal children received surgery and an additional 62 ENT procedures were delivered by ENT specialists from Dubbo and Orange, during eight surgical clinics between April and June at Dubbo Base Hospital. The large number of ENT procedures that were provided in Dubbo and Bathurst this year have significantly reduced waiting times for Aboriginal families in the region. A similar number of surgical clinics are planned for 2016-17.

Mid North Coast

Durri Aboriginal Corporation Medical Services and Werin Aboriginal Corporation Medical Centre, in collaboration with Mid North Coast LHD, have held several ENT clinics this year including two surgery days at Port Macquarie Base Hospital. Dr John Curotta provided the consultation and surgical clinics during which nine Aboriginal children from Kempsey and Port Macquarie received adenoids, grommets and myringoplasty procedures. Providing this surgery on country and closer to home supports better continuity of care and saves children and their families the cost and inconvenience of making the 800km round trip to Sydney for ENT surgery. RDN is working with Galambila Aboriginal Health Service and other local partner organisations to expand the service to also support access for families in Coffs Harbour.

ENT specialist Dr John Curotta, supported by Werin staff, consult with a young patient from Port Macquarie.

Northern NSW

Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service and Northern NSW LHD, along with RDN, have collaborated to deliver two HEBHBL-funded ENT clinics at Bullinah AHS and an additional two surgery days at Ballina District Hospital. A total of 11 Aboriginal children from local communities including Ballina and Casino accessed ENT surgical procedures in June. Plans are in place to continue these clinics during 2016-17.

A young patient from Bullinah AHS with Dr Puneet Titoria preparing for surgery at Ballina District Hospital.

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