(Part One): How Dreamtime stories can be used as an approach to communicate between healthcare providers and First Nations consumers

Dr Marjad Page will discuss how Dreamtime stories can be used as an approach to communicate between healthcare providers and First Nations consumers. Dreamtime stories are not just stories but are writings with cultural importance for the betterment of a community.

By using the language and structure of a Dreamtime story, vital information is presented in a culturally meaningful form so health providers can creatively engage and educate First Nations families. Health providers can unpack new metaphors hidden within the narrative, explaining challenging health concepts in a way that is memorable. The story therefore becomes a tool to facilitate feedback and intervention for children throughout the child’s healthcare journey.

This session will provide a detailed example of how a Dreamtime story was especially co-designed to support children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in remote primary care but ended up providing a blueprint for service delivery that empowered primary healthcare to effectively identify any child who was developmentally not on track.

The project provides an exemplar for true partnerships between community Elders, health practitioners, and university researchers. Healthcare outcomes from implementing this co-designed model of care will be presented.

Marjad Page, Kambu Health; Australia

Dianne Shanley, Griffith University; Australia

(Part Two): Māori Health and Equity: The Māori Health Authority and lessons from COVID-19

There are persistent inequities for Māori (indigenous people of Aotearoa/New Zealand) in healthcare access, healthcare quality, and overall health outcomes compared with non-Māori New Zealanders. Māori are less likely to access high quality healthcare, suffer a higher prevalence of long-term conditions, and have higher COVID-19 case rates, hospitalisations, mortality, and inequitable COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

This presentation will highlight lessons learnt and innovations sparked by the pandemic that can advance health equity through partnerships with communities, outreach and mobile services, and Māori leadership. It will also describe the health system reforms taking place within Aotearoa. At the centre of the changes is the establishment of two new organisations – Health New Zealand which will see our 20 District Health Boards become one organisation, and the Māori Health Authority which will provide new leadership on hauora Māori (Māori health).

Mataroria Lyndon, University of Auckland; New Zealand