Multicultural Health Week reminds us of diverse culture
Multicultural Health Week – 5 September to 12 September
The upcoming Multicultural Health Week reminds us that we live in a multicultural society with all the benefits that brings.
Hunter New England Local Health District is one of the biggest employers of people from a multicultural background, benefitting from the skills of around 450 international medical and nursing graduates.
Multicultural Health Service Director Catherine Norman says it’s important our staff reflect the diversity of our population.
“As a government service, we aim to ensure people of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds are able to access culturally and linguistically appropriate care,” he said.
As part of Multicultural Health Week (5 - 12 September), HNE Health is highlighting the range of services and activities it performs in the district, ensuring people from diverse cultural backgrounds receive the best medical information available to them.
The theme of this year’s Multicultural Health Week is ‘Health Information in Your Language’.
Ms Norman, said health care for people from difference cultures can be complex because of different cultural expectations including language barriers and differences in life experience especially for refugees.
“Hunter New England Health provides a range of services to address these issues including refugee health clinics for new arrivals including immunisations, screening for common diseases and referral services for ongoing treatment for existing chronic conditions,” she said.
“We offer interpreter services in 65 different languages to ensure health professionals communicate effectively with each client, and through our Multicultural Health Liaison Program we offer culturally appropriate health care options.”
HNE Health staff work with TAFE to ensure good health messages form part of the basic English speaking curriculum including how to read food labels, healthy foods and even healthy cooking tips.
“From Newcastle to the Queensland border, our sites are focussed on providing appropriate services to our multicultural communities,” Ms Norman said.
“Multicultural Health Access Committees comprising health service clinicians, management and ethnic community representatives have been streamlined across the entire District as the health service leads the way in listening, learning and understanding the needs of our culturally diverse communities.
“More than 120 different cultures are represented within the Hunter New England Local Health District alone – and more and more people arrive each month.
“This obviously brings with it some challenges but we look forward to meeting those challenges to ensure the entire community including our migrant and refugee population has access to the best possible level of health care,” Ms Norman said.
For more information about the range of multicultural health services available locally go to http://www.hnehealth.nsw.gov.au/multiculturalhealth
Hunter New England Health Multicultural Health Week events
Manning Hospital
5 September 2011 – between 11:30am and 1:30pm
• the opening of Multicultural Health Week by General Manager of Manning Hospital, Roz Everingham
• Korean doll collection display
• Exhibition of costumes and display tables
• Performance by Pacific Palms Scottish dancers
• Scottish music performance by Wingham Pipe Band
• Filipino dancing
6 September 2011 – between 11:30am and 1:30pm
• Belly dancing
• Korean doll collection display
• Exhibition of costumes and display tables
• Stitches Restaurant will serve a variety of African dishes
• Scottish music performance by Wingham Pipe Band
7 September 2011 – between 11:30am and 1:30pm
• Stitches Restaurant will serve a variety of African dishes
Maitland Hospital
7 September 2011
10.30am: Opening and welcome to Multicultural Health Week by Acting General Manager of Maitland Hospital, Trish Wilson and Multicultural Health Unit Manager Catherine Norman.
10.40am: African singing and dancing. Songs sang in two African languages, Swahili and Kurundi
Throughout Multicultural Health Week, international dolls in their national costume will be displayed throughout the hospital.
John Hunter Hospital
Tuesday 6 September 2011
11:30am: a Get Healthy activity will be held in the foyer of the Royal Newcastle Centre.
11:30am – 2pm: an Indonesian dance group will entertain guests in the foyer of the Royal Newcastle Centre.
Throughout Multicultural Health Week, Korean artworks and origami cranes representing the multicultural nature of patients and staff will be displayed in the main corridor of John Hunter Hospital.
John Hunter Children’s Hospital
A number of multicultural activities will be held in the Starlight Room of John Hunter Children’s Hospital on 5 September 2011.
9.45am - 10.00am: View displays on walls in corridor outside wards
10.00am - 10.15am: Opening of Multicultural Health Week by Area Manager Multicultural Health Catherine Norman.
10.15am -10.45am: A ‘Get Healthy’ Morning Tea
10.45am - 11.30am: African dancing and singing performed by the UMUCO Choir and the Burundi Dancers. Audience members are welcome to participate.
11.30am - 12.00pm: ‘Ready Steady Cook.’
Mental Health – Calvary Mater
8 September 2011: Between 11am and 2pm, patient and staff activities involving artwork and writing about different cultures will take place in the Administration Building.
Contact: Communication Unit
Phone: (02) 4985 5522