Blackwoods, through PROSAFE, is proud to partner with The Fred Hollows Foundation to support Fred’s vision to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People can always exercise their right to sight and good health. Through this partnership we are able to support The Foundations various teams and help enable them to treat and care for patients.
Veronica is an Aboriginal Liaison Officer (ALO) who works with the team at Alice Springs Hospital and provides eye health services to an area the size of Western Europe (800,000 km2), and a population of over 50,000 people.
The role of an ALO is to provide cultural, emotional, social and language support to patients when accessing eye health services. By offering holistic support and guidance, the ALO helps alleviate fears and concerns that community members may have about attending appointments.
The ALO's presence ensures that patients feel more comfortable and are more likely to attend their appointments, despite the potentially intimidating nature of eye procedures and the costs and challenges associated with traveling to Alice Springs.
By combining language support, translation services, community connection, and cultural brokerage, the ALO plays a multifaceted role in ensuring culturally safe and responsive eye health care.
One of Veronica’s earliest memories as an Aboriginal Liaison Officer with Central Australia Health Service (CAHS) is still fresh in her mind.
When the Anmatyerre woman first started at the hospital, she met an older patient who was worried about undergoing cataract surgery. “She needed help, so I was with her in the theatre to hold her hand. I had tears in my eyes. It was so amazing,” she said.
Aboriginal Liaison Officer positions are critical to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients feel safe and supported when accessing services. Asked what would happen without a dedicated Aboriginal Liaison Officer in place, Veronica says bluntly: “They wouldn’t come.”
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE FRED HOLLOWS FOUNDATION AND BLACKWOODS PARTNERSHIP
