2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference

Conference Report

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference 2021: The Gap and Beyond – Report

Indigenous Eye Health (IEH) at the University of Melbourne and the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA) co-hosted the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference 2021: The Gap and Beyond, as a fully online conference, on 20-22April 2021.

The Conference welcomed 237 registered delegates, and over 60 speakers and presenters, working across all parts of the eye care pathway, and attending from all states and territories.

The 2021 Conference is the fifth annual national conference of the sector. The 2021 Conference included elements originally scheduled for the COVID-19 pandemic impacted and postponed 2020 Close the Gap for Vision by 2020 National Conference.

Thanks to the generosity of speakers, recordings of keynote and plenary presentations from the Conference are available via the link below. The recordings also include two presentations that were scheduled but not accessible because of technical difficulties.

The 2021 Conference was actively supported by a Program Advisory Group, consisting of representatives of the two co-host organisations, IEH and AHCSA, together with Optometry Australia, the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, Vision 2020 Australia, The Fred Hollows Foundation and the Brien Holden Foundation.

IEH would like to thank co-host AHCSA and Program Advisory Group members, the wonderful Conference speakers and presenters for sharing their stories, and all Conference delegates who participated, contributed, listened, and connected through the event.

A special congratulations to the winners of the 2020 Leaky Pipe Awards and the 2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Awards, which were presented during the Conference (additional details in link below & tab to left).

Feedback from Conference delegates was very positive, and pointed to the annual Conference as a cherished gathering spot for sharing information and mutual learning across the sector. IEH has committed to support the 2022 National Conference, and more details will be released in the second half of the year.

Full Report (coming soon)

Conference Slides & Posters

Table-top and Concurrent - Presentations

These presentations are shared with permission from the authors

Posters

These presentations are shared with permission from the authors

Awards

On Wednesday 21 April 2021 at the 2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference: The Gap and Beyond, a number of sector awards were presented to individuals and organisations for their contributions in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health.

The award ceremony started with the presentation of the 2020 Leaky Pipe Awards which were not presented last year as the conference was cancelled because of COVID-19 pandemic.

A live delegate vote at the conference agreed to rename the sector awards the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Awards for 2021 and onwards. The new awards capture an enhanced emphasis on Aboriginal and Strait Islander peoples’ contributions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye care. These awards follow the Leaky Pipe Award announcement.

We would like to congratulate to the following 2020 Leaky Pipe Award winners:

NSW/ACT Advisory Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health are the winners of the2020 Leaky Pipe Award for Regional Collaboration: This group operates through the NSW Rural Doctors Network and has led the NSW/ACT state eye health group over the past 4 years. Particular mention is made of the work and contributions of Rose Ellis, Sharif Bagnulo and Claire O’Neill at RDN, but all stakeholders contributing to the group have supported the successes which includes engagement across all of NSW. Congratulations to all involved.

Cathy Starr is the winner of the 2020 Leaky Pipe Award for Service Delivery: Cathy is an Ophthalmic Nurse working in the APY Lands in SA and plays a significant role in supporting community eye health through her work with the local health services and also the visiting ophthalmology and optometry teams. Cathy has worked in the APY Lands for the past 5 years and as she lives in the Lands, she has been able to develop a deep and personal knowledge of many of her patients – this helps to drive and improve participation in care. Congratulations Cathy.

Maree O’Hara is the winner of the 2020 Leaky Pipe Award for Unsung Hero: Maree is currently working at Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation in East Arnhem in the Northern Territory but was the eye health coordinator at Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation in Tennant Creek for over 13 years. Maree has worked tirelessly and been dedicated to her eye care work in Anyinginyi and with Tim Henderson from Alice Springs Hospital and the Brien Holden Foundation and is now carrying that work on at Miwatj. Congratulations Maree.

Karadi Aboriginal Corporation are the winners of the 2020 Leaky Pipe Award for Community Engagement: The Karadi eye story is one of ‘humility, innovation, community pride and positive outcomes for people’. Eye health has overcome barriers and become a priority for not just their community in Southern Tasmania, but for all Tasmanian Aboriginal people through the work and influence of Karadi and their small but effective staff group. Karadi’s great work was presented during the conference in the ‘beyond’ session. Congratulations Karadi.

Trevor Buzzacott is the winner of the 2020 Leaky Pipe Award for Community Leadership: Trevor is an Arrernte man from Central Australia and his mother was an Adynamathanha woman. He has been a champion of eye health since the 1970s when he began working on the National Trachoma and Eye Health Program with Fred Hollows and Hugh Taylor. Trevor has been his unfailing and continuous in support of Indigenous eye health, IEH and the sector. Importantly Trevor’s leadership has made a difference for community. Congratulations Trevor.

Congratulations to the 2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Awards recipients:

Kerry Woods is the winner of the 2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Award for Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health (Individual):

Kerry works as the Aboriginal Eye Health Coordinator for Lions Outback Vision (LOV)/Lions Eye Institute (LEI) and has been instrumental in supporting both the community acceptance and engagement of the service delivery system of LOV and the LOV Vision Van that has tripped through WA since 2016. Kerry is a Palawa woman from Tasmania and has worked in Aboriginal health for over 28 years. You can read one of Kerry’s stories on the IEH Share your Story website, here. Congratulations Kerry.

Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) are the winners of the 2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Award for Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health (Organisation):

VAHS has led the way to support ACCO-led engagement of eye health through a regular, weekly, visiting optometry service with the Australian College of Optometry since 1997 and since 2018 VAHS has had regular, visiting ophthalmologists and support staff from the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. The clinic is modelled on a ‘Healthy Ears’ clinic established 7 years ago at VAHS. The development of this comprehensive eye care service delivery at VAHS is an outstanding example of achievement from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisation. Congratulations VAHS.

Dr Kris Rallah-Baker is the winner of the 2021 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Award for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health:

All in the sector, know, appreciate, and value Dr Kris Rallah-Baker. He is a proud Yuggera and Biri-Gubba man and is Australia’s first and only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ophthalmologist and is presently the chair of the Vision 2020 Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander committee. Kris is one of the founding members of the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association and a Director of the Royal Flying Doctors Service. Kris has been advocating for, working with and contributing to his community all of his life and we are very fortunate that he has chosen a path in eye health. This award acknowledges Kris’ leadership in the sector. Congratulations Kris.

Congratulations to all of the 2020 and 2021 award recipients.

Keynote and Speakers

We are excited to announce our Keynote speakers

Professor Marcia Langton AO is a descendant of the Iman (Yiman) people of Queensland. She is anthropologist and geographer, and since 2000 has held the Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne, and is the Associate Provost. She has published in the fields of political and legal anthropology, Indigenous agreements and engagement with the minerals industry, and Indigenous culture and art. Marcia has contributed to policy development, and been a public intellectual and advocate for Aboriginal rights.
Professor Alex Brown (BMed, MPH, PhD, FRACP (hon.), FCSANZ, FAAHMS) is the Aboriginal Health Equity Theme Leader at SAHMRI, and Professor of Medicine at the University of Adelaide. Alex is an internationally leading Aboriginal clinician/researcher who has worked his entire career in Aboriginal health in the provision of public health services, infectious diseases and chronic disease care, health care policy and research. He has established three highly regarded research groups over the last 15 years, and currently leads a large research group (50% of whom identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander Australians). Much of his work has been at the difficult interface of geographical isolation, complex cultural context, severe socioeconomic disadvantage, inequitable access to and receipt of care and profound health disparities.
Ricky Miller-Segura "My name is Ricky Miller-Segura. I'm a 42 old Wirangu/Kokatha man from South Australia. I have a genetic condition called Usher Syndrome, which encompasses hearing and vision loss. I'm currently semi-retired from working in the state and federal government for the past 17 years or so. I've had the opportunity to represent the state and country in blind cricket and blind tennis. I'm currently focussing on long distance running. Where I'm aspiring to (well hopefully by the time I do this talk) to complete my first marathon on April 11. Hopefully I make it!”