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.
Our vision is to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal people. As a national leader in community engagement and Aboriginal health research, we will translate the knowledge into tangible improvements to enhance and promote strong and healthy communities in NSW and across the nation. The centre has currently finalising its new five-year strategy Building Strong and Health Communities. The draft strategy focuses on five key areas:
· Community engagement;
· Research and evidence;
· Workforce and training;
· Service delivery, and
· Influencing policy and practice.
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 90 papers in the peer reviewed literature. Our global AF paper published in Circulation has been cited 169 times. Our research team with collaborators from the National Centre for Indigenous Genomics has also had a paper published in the American Journal of Human Genetics on “Equitable Expanded Carrier Screening Needs Indigenous Clinical and Population Genomic Data”.
Shaping course design methods to improve Aboriginal students’ participation in TAFE – over 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. This work was recently showcased by the Deeble Institute see: Aboriginal leadership is essential for scaling up strategies to prevent dental disease | Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association (ahha.asn.au)
Our Professor of Practice (Indigenous Engagement) Professor Tom Calma AO has been recently appointed as a member of the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board (AMRAB) by the Hon Greg Hunt MP Minister for Health and Aged Care (see media release on 17 September 2021). The AMRAB advises the Government on research and innovation priorities under the landmark $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). Professor Calma AO is a key member of the Poche Centre’s Research team and leads our engagement work.
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.
17-18 November 2021
Register at: Poche Indigenous Health Network 10th Annual Research Showcase
The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of Sydney on behalf of the Poche Indigenous Health Network, will be hosting the 10th Annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research Showcase 17-18th November, 2021.
The online event, chaired by Professor Tom Calma AO, will bring together an array of researchers, scholars and community collaborators to share experiences and findings from some of the great initiatives happening in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health research from across NSW and Australia. We particularly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers to share their work and research journeys!
