Ambulance Victoria to start asking patients if they are Aboriginal

ABC NEWS (Australia)

When a young Aboriginal woman was left dizzied and bloodied after an assault while she was running near Ballarat, her sense of safety was shattered. A small act by an attending paramedic helped her feel safe now, Ambulance Victoria is using that lesson to drive a slight, but significant change in how paramedics treat patients across the state.

Transcript

00:00After a horrific assault, Gunditjmara woman Sissy Austin has been trying to focus on the

00:08positives. The unprovoked attack in bushland near Ballarat left the now 31-year-old unconscious,

00:16injured and afraid. It was definitely one of the hardest days of my life.

00:23Since the assault in early 2023, Sissy's become a fierce advocate for the safety of women and

00:32gender diverse runners. She kept on running, even competing in the New York Marathon. But

00:38there's one person she never got to thank. Paramedic Jack Shaw remembers the day he met

00:46Sissy on the side of a country road. She looked like she had the hell beaten out of her.

00:53The 28-year-old is used to meeting people on their worst day. It's not often he sees them

00:59after that.

01:00Hello. How are you, Sissy?

01:02Nice to meet you.

01:04There is one thing in particular Sissy is thankful for.

01:08When I asked him in the back of the ambulance if he knew whose country we were on and he

01:16immediately said, Wadawurrung, it just felt like I could relax.

01:22It was small, but it had a massive impact.

01:25When you asked, it almost felt like your guard went down a lot more because when we picked

01:32you up, it obviously felt like, you know, didn't know who or what you could trust.

01:39The lesson that small gestures can make a big difference to Aboriginal patients is one that

01:44Ambulance Victoria is embracing. Now, its new initiative requires paramedics to ask every

01:50patient where practical if they are Aboriginal.

01:54It's important to know a patient's Indigenous status. That's to identify any vulnerabilities,

02:00any risk factors and, you know, refer them to the appropriate Aboriginal health services

02:05if required.

02:06Acknowledging that, you know, you're a First Nations person, that was enough for me on the day.

02:12It's really nice to hear how those little moments really do mean a lot.

02:15It's hoped the change will improve the experiences of First Nations patients and with it a cultural

02:23understanding, helping to heal after the worst of times.

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