Better Indigenous Genetic (BIG) Health Services project held by CHP

On the 4th August 2017, a workshop was held for the Better Indigenous Genetic (BIG) Health Services project, a national partnership project that aims to improve the provision of clinical genetic services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The workshop brought together researchers, policy makers, health service providers, advocacy groups and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members impacted by genetic conditions such as cancer.

With a range of perspectives represented, the workshop provided an opportunity to explore barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing clinical genetics services and receiving appropriate management of their health conditions. This will help inform the ways in which the project works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the development of resources and education to improve services for complex health conditions. There is currently an unmet need for genetic services in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations and, with an increasing trend of including genomics in standard care, an understanding how we can address this need is important and pressing.

The project is jointly funded by the Lowitja Institute and the NHMRC, with contributions by partner organisations; Machado Joseph Disease Foundation, Northern Territory Department of Health, Genetic Services Western Australia, Office of Population Genomics Western Australia Department of Health and Genetic Health Queensland.