The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of Sydney was established and funded in 2008 by philanthropists Greg Poche AO, Kay Van Norton Poche and their friend Reg Richardson AM.
With the support from Commonwealth, State, philanthropic funds and a partnerships with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, we aim to:
Since establishing the first Poche Centre at the University of Sydney, a network of centres has been created across the country with different areas of focus. The Poche Indigenous Health Network was created in Australia to make the most of the efforts and resources of the individual Poche Centres for Indigenous Health and to focus on issues best dealt with at a national level. There are presently Poche Centres in Queensland (University of Queensland), Western Australia (University of Western Australia), South Australia/Northern Territory (Flinders University), New South Wales (University of Sydney), and Victoria (University of Melbourne). Professor Tom Calma AO leads this network as its Chairperson and has been appointed Professor of Practice (Indigenous Engagement) in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at The University of Sydney to undertake this vital role.
Published over 80 papers in the peer reviewed literature. Our global AF paper published in Circulation has been cited 169 times. Leading global Indigenous AF project with five other countries. Seeking to add screening for AF to chronic disease checks for Aboriginal people over 45 years old as a result of our 16-site iECG study.
Shaping course design methods to improve Aboriginal students’ participation in TAFE – 505 qualifications (93% completion rate). 5 graduates of our TAFE program have gone to university and two have graduated from the University of Sydney.
Leading the development of a national approach to fluoride varnish. Enabled a change in the Fluoride Varnish guidelines of the Australian Dental Association and second national workshop in October 2020.
Invited presentation to Australian Genomics conference on co-design and Aboriginal precision medicine. Poche staff and partners have also presented at the Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Conference in 2019. The Poche Centre is now leading the Indigenous engagement process for Mackenzie’s Mission with support from Australian Genomics.
We work in partnership with communities and existing health and other services to promote sustainability and the development of solutions that work.
To get involved, email poche.admin@sydney.edu.au.
To help fund and support the work we do, make a donation.
Wed, 7 July 2021
1:00PM – 3:30PM AEST
Register to attend this online event
The current models of practice are not working to effectively “close the Gap”. Despite a growing willingness and need to consider new proposed models of practice, there remains a deep-seated resistance to identifying and addressing institutional and systemic racism and racist attitudes, including unconscious biases held by individuals. Western non-Indigenous worldviews of ways of being, knowing and doing continue to dominate the decisions and actions of governments – and consequentially dominate public health policies and practices.
There is an unacceptable standard approach, for and about Indigenous health instead of with Indigenous peoples, resulting in the neglectful dismissal of Indigenous knowledges and Indigenous cultures of ways of being, knowing and doing.
How can we get the ‘r’ word on every agenda?
Panel Members:
Facilitated by Professor Tom Calma AO.
