Abstract Journal Indigenous Health

Following A Needs Analysis In 2017; Working In Close Consultation With Remote Clinics And Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organizations (Acchos); Afps Has Run Approximately 50 Place Based; Face To Face Workshops For Remote Health Care Workers From Tiwi Islands To Groote Eyeland; Provides Continuing Access To All Educational Videos; As Well As Providing Interactional Self-Assessment Lectures Our Own Impact Assessment Analysis; As Well As External Assessments; Improve Remote Health Worker Education

doi:10.1111/ans.70070

Abstract

Following a needs analysis in 2017, the Australasian Foundation for Plastic Surgery (AFPS) received a Commonwealth grant to conduct wound care workshops across remote northern Australia.Since 2018, working in close consultation with remote clinics and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organizations (ACCHOs), AFPS has run approximately 50 place based, face to face workshops for remote health care workers.From Tiwi Islands to Groote Eyeland, from Darwin to Nhulunbuy and across to the Torres Strait over 800 participants have attended.The workshops consist of lectures on wound assessment and both acute and complex wound care and are complemented by purpose made videos.There is then a hands-on component using pigs' trotters as the model to teach basic suturing and other skills.The workshops are all conducted by Specialist Plastic Surgeons on a pro-bono basis.The workshops are backed up by a purpose built on-line educational portal developed by AFPS.This reinforces the lessons given, provides continuing access to all educational videos, as well as providing interactional self-assessment lectures.Our own impact assessment analysis, as well as external assessments, demonstrate the value of our work.The goals are to improve remote health outcomes by increasing community selfsufficiency