Northern NSW (NNSW) LHD was awarded a $20,000 grant from the Cancer Institute NSW to increase breast and cervical cancer screening in Aboriginal women and cancer screening in Aboriginal men in the Northern NSW region.

2. Prepared by Teena Binge
Senior Aboriginal Health Education Officer
Richmond Network – NNSW Local Health District
October 2015
Improving Aboriginal andImproving Aboriginal and
Torres Strait IslanderTorres Strait Islander
Cancer Screening Rates in NNSW LHDCancer Screening Rates in NNSW LHD
through Community Information andthrough Community Information and
Organised Screening eventsOrganised Screening events

3. THE TEAMTHE TEAM
 NNSW Local Health District Senior Aboriginal Health
Education Officers (SAHEO’s)
 Aboriginal Health Education Officers (AHEO’s)
 Other clinicians in cancer and other health services from
NNSW LHD, Aboriginal Medical Services, BreastScreen NSW
North Coast, Men's and Women's Health, Community
Members, Cancer Institute and Primary Care Network

4. Jullums Aboriginal Medical Service
PARTNERSHIPSPARTNERSHIPS

6. BackgroundBackground
 In our NNSW LHD the data shows that we have low participation in
screening rates for Breast and Cervical Cancer in Aboriginal
Women and Cancer’s in Aboriginal Men in our region.
 As a result, Aboriginal Health, NNSW Local Health District applied
for and was granted $20,000 from Cancer Institute NSW to
increase our regions participation in screenings and access to
services.
 This was to be approached by providing culturally relevant
Community Education and Cancer Awareness Workshops and
Screening days.

7. ABORIGINAL
NNSW LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT

8. Table 1: NNSW LHD 2011 Aboriginal
population by LGA3 LGA
Aboriginal population % of LGA population
Tweed 2,939 3.5%
Byron 516 1.8%
Lismore 1,915 4.5%
Kyogle 488 5.3%
Ballina 1,224 3.1%
Richmond Valley 1,453 6.6%
Clarence Valley 2,845 5.7%
Urbenville 14 3.1%
Factsheet 3
Page 1 of 6
April 2013
North Coast Public Health Unit
Enquires: 1300 066 055
Figure 1: Aboriginal population as a proportion of
Local Government Area total population, 2011

9. Figure 2: Population by age, Aboriginality and Sex, Northern NSW LHD 2011
Factsheet 3
Page 2 of 6
April 2013
North Coast Public Health Unit
Enquires: 1300 066 055
Northern NSW Local Health District:
Aboriginal Population Health

10. Varying performances in participation within the NNSW LHD
Reporting for Better
Outcomes (RBCO) data on
ATSI women, 50-69 yo. 2013-
14

12. AimsAims
To increase the access and attendance of our local
Aboriginal community across NNSW LHD to cancer
care treatment and screening services.
Create a culturally safe environment for
information and education about cancer services

13. MethodMethod
 Develop targeted and specific models of care to increase access of
Aboriginal Women and Men to culturally appropriate screening services.
 Public education through Cancer Care Yarn-up days/Information forums
at Tweed Heads, Lismore and Grafton. These days provide our mob with
culturally relevant education about cancer types and the local
treatments and Cancer Services available, and will help improve
community awareness.
 Conduct open days at cancer treatment centres for community to
attend.
 Improve collaboration between specialise cancer services and Aboriginal
community events.

15. RESULTSRESULTS
 Richmond and Clarence Networks held yarn up and screening days.
 BreastScreen van used in communities when available or appointments
made when van wasn’t
 Women and men who did not undertake screenings on day were offered
appointments at BreastScreen, local GP’s or AMS’s
 Recommendations made to develop regular education/screening days,
strategies for improved early detection and local resources for Cancer Care.
Provide group leader facilitator training through the Cancer Council
 Community members and Health Workers attended an open day at Lismore
Cancer Centre to see and learn about this service.

16. RESULTSRESULTS
 In rural settings there were many community members who
received cervical and/or breast screening for the first time.
 Although the project focused on Women’s Cancer, it was a
surprising outcome to find that significant men in the community
were encouraging family members to attend the screening days and
thus break the cycle of fear in accessing mainstream health services.
 Some of our elder community (over 40 years) had never had any
screening before and knew little about the cancer story, but were
keen to share their new found knowledge.
 Aboriginal people/Staffs time and involvement = program works.

17. PRE AND POST– EVALUATIONSPRE AND POST– EVALUATIONS
Lismore Yarn up and Screening DayLismore Yarn up and Screening Day

19. LESSONS LEARNTLESSONS LEARNT
 Many communities have transportation challenges and these need to be
identified early to optimise attendance.
 Historical Beliefs of community and family have a major impact on
Aboriginal people and their access and feelings regarding cancer and
cancer care services.
 Information for Aboriginal community needs to be relevant and available in
various formats.
 Workforce – Aboriginal Health staff and Cancer services staff need to
collaborate and advocate for improved focus on screening issues.
 Data is important to assess the success of projects and inform future
directions.

20. PROJECT SUSTAINABILITYPROJECT SUSTAINABILITY
 That LHD AHEOs knowledge and skills be utilised by all Service
Providers in developing partnerships and strategies to increase the
number of screenings achieved in all area’s of health and wellbeing
 Each region has recommended that there be establishment of local
Aboriginal Cancer support groups, who regularly meet.
 That Men’s and Women’s groups be established that look at all
aspects of health, including cancer.
 Establish our own local benchmarks within the Aboriginal Health
Unit in not only Cancer but all specific health conditions.

21. IMPLICATIONSIMPLICATIONS
 Across the district it was observed that community members were more
comfortable in discussing cancer diagnosis and treatment.
 Following on from the project we are developing localised “Cancer Services
booklets”, that describes the various staff, support services and treatments
available for them and their families.
 Provide support and assistance to encourage culturally appropriate and
sensitive service delivery to our Aboriginal community.
 Lobby for available Aboriginal staff who are able to put the amount of time
and effort in to making this program work.
 The overall aim is to improve relative cancer outcomes for the Aboriginal
community in our region.

23. THANKYOU