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Darling Downs Health has boosted the support on offer for multicultural communities, expanding the number of multicultural liaison officers across the service.
Health Service Chief Executive Annette Scott PSM said the officers played an important role in supporting families from diverse communities in navigating the health service.
“Darling Downs Health has partnered with our multicultural communities to deliver better care and improved health outcomes,” Ms Scott said.
“People from migrant and refugee communities can face barriers to accessing healthcare such as language and cultural understanding, and low health literacy,” she said.
The two new positions are based at Darling Downs Health’s Women’s and Children’s Services and at the Emergency Department.
Ms Scott said it builds on the achievements of the multicultural liaison officer already established with Darling Downs Health’s Mental Health service.
“The officers have had a huge impact on improving the relationship between multicultural families and our health teams and will strengthen our ability to support and provide better access and care.”
The multicultural health liaison officer positions are a key part of Queensland’s Multicultural Health Policy and Action Plan 2024-2029.
Evleen Jawish, who was appointed to the role based at the Women’s and Children’s Services, said she had been engaging with all multicultural families and helping them access services such as home visits from midwives.
“It’s been great to work with multicultural communities and build the bridge between them and the health care system.” Ms Jawish said.
“It’s been great to work with multicultural communities and build the bridge between them and the health care system.”
Multicultural Liaison Officer, Ms Evleen Jawish
“I’m passionate about health equity and supporting multicultural families.”
Ms Jawish arrived in Australia eight years ago from Syria, is part of the Yazidi community in Toowoomba and speaks Kurdish-Kurmanji and Arabic.
Toowoomba is home to one of the largest Yazidi communities in Australia – with Kurdish one of the main languages spoken at home excluding English.
ENDS