The burden of many vaccine preventable diseases remains higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander than in non-Indigenous communities. This webinar focused on how we can all work together to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander immunisation with an aim to reduce this inequity. 

NCIRS National Indigenous Immunisation Coordinator Katrina Clark provided an overview on the improvement opportunities that exist, highlighting inequities in disease burden and vaccination coverage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as well as discussing the rationale behind the current immunisation schedule for this at-risk group. 

Hunter New England Health Immunisation Coordinator Patrick Cashman then shared his experience of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to develop programs to support better health outcomes and improve immunisation uptake.  

Katrina and Patrick also  provide practical advice for immunisation providers on how to best engage and communicate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people regarding vaccination.

Video resources:

 

Speakers: 
Katrina Clark

Katrina

Katrina Clark is the National Indigenous Immunisation Coordinator who joined NCIRS in 2016. Katrina is a proud Barkindji Woman, from far Western New South Wales. She completed a Graduate Diploma of Indigenous Health Promotions at The University of Sydney, Diploma of Population Health, Armidale NSW, Certificate IV in Indigenous Research Capacity Building, Aboriginal Health College, Adelaide SA and is currently enrolled in a Master of Public Health at the University of Sydney. Katrina’s role with NCIRS involves working with the National Indigenous Immunisation Network to promote communication between the National Immunisation Committee and those involved in providing immunisation services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Katrina is committed to ensuring equity of access to vaccinations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

 

Patrick Cashman

Paddy

Patrick Cashman is the Immunisation Coordinator at Hunter New England (HNE) Health Local Health District and has experience across Australia in emergency, infectious diseases and remote health. Patrick is the project manager for Vaxtracker and a member of the AusVaxSafety consortium, and a PhD candidate.  Patrick is a member of COSSI and research interests include communicable diseases, social science, health worker education and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health. 

 

 

 

 

Last updated March 2020