The Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) would like to acknowledge this land is the traditional lands for the Kaurna people and that we respect their spiritual relationship with their country. We also acknowledge the Kaurna people as the custodians of the Adelaide region and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living Kaurna people today.
To provide the best possible care for our patients and visitors from diverse backgrounds and rural locations, we are continually working to meet their needs in a safe and supportive environment.
The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing Hub (Hub) at the RAH is centrally located in the main entrance on level 3 (ground floor).
Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
The Hub is staffed by a team that work across the Royal Adelaide Hospital, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre sites and works to raise awareness and advocate on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients to assist in providing culturally appropriate services and to achieve good health outcomes.
The Hub is here to:
- Offer a welcoming and peaceful environment for our patients and visitors from diverse Aboriginal backgrounds and rural locations
- Connect patients and families to home and the community with computer access, telephone, tea and coffee, sandwiches and referral to community services
- Provide a dedicated garden featuring Aboriginal artwork and native plants that promote healing and connection to culture and country
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner can help in the following ways:
- Connect with patients who are often far from home
- Develop a cultural care plan referring to a range of service providers
- Use a range of culturally appropriate resources and language to ensure that clients understand why they are in hospital and their options for treatment
- Takes time to talk about health risk factors, educate and refer to Aboriginal support services
- Understands, the cultural, environmental and social determinants of health
- Links patients and staff with Aboriginal language interpreters
- Advocates for patients to make sure their voices are heard
- Helps the patient to contact family and community
- Support patient escorts and family and includes them in the decision making
- Connects with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners in emergency, renal and cancer to provide holistic education across the patient journey
- Liaises with local Aboriginal health services about on-going care post discharge
- Assist with complex discharge care plans to rural and remote areas
- Arranges for Traditional Healers and Ngangkari when available
- Links patients with services such as Closing the Gap service providers, NDIS, and Relationships SA as well as other services as requested
The brochure below provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with information about the Hub services.
Accommodation options
Visitor accommodation has been built into general inpatient rooms at the RAH, enabling a relative or carer to stay overnight when it is in the patient’s best interests. While these expanded provisions will enable more carers and family members to remain with their loved one, for those who need to stay offsite there are a range of options to consider.
The brochure below provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people culturally appropriate and affordable accommodation in safe and comfortable environments.