Back to: Linking to Care, Point of Care Testing (POCT). Aotearoa Edition
The lesson may seem to be sounding like a broken record, repeating the same themes…
This course empowers you with a skill set that can lead to access to health, pathways to cure and improvement in our community’s health and way of being. We need to recognise and respect that we are not doctors, nurses or medically qualified specialists (although some of you may well be). We need our community links and relationships to be sound and strong for this system and the skills you are learning to have the greatest impact. These relationships may be the gateways to engage with wai ora (people seeking care) and maintaining the relationships that can assist our wai ora in navigating pathways to possible cure and beyond.
It is possible that engagement and relationship forming with our wai ora can break down barriers and reduce stigma’s ([singular]:a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something), this reduction in barriers and stigma could contribute to these wai ora seeking further health assistance for other issues and medical problems.
In Aotearoa, (New Zealand) we would traditionally, and respectfully, follow process in establishing our practice. We call this tikanga, ((noun) correct procedure, custom, habit, lore, method, manner, rule, way, code, meaning, plan, practice, convention, protocol – the customary system of values and practices that have developed over time and are deeply embedded in the social context) . This could be that meet with our kaumātua, ((noun) adult, elder, elderly man, elderly woman, old man – a person of status within the whānau), and discuss appropriate pathways, discussion and people we should engage with, and cooperate with, in setting up. This could be local council or local government with further engagement with local health authorities.
Find out who your area social service and community health entities, kaiawhina, ((noun) helper, assistant, contributor, counsel, advocate), / peer, ((noun) a person who is the same age or has the same social position or the same abilities as other people in a group or representatives are). Especially those that are involved with marginalised, vulnerable or isolated people and communities. It is far safer and fair on everyone to work with these entities and kaiawhina / peers who have worked to achieve the relationships they maintain with their respective wai ora.
Give organisations, community groups and entities the opportunity to engage with their respective communities to organise test days. Work with them to create events and social occasions to draw people in, you will find resources and materials you can download to assist with this in these lessons.
On another level, when we discuss personal safety in section 9 of this course, this collaborative approach is also introducing safety in numbers, and utilising friendly faces from familiar places, a comfort factor that may add to safety, security and open communications for us, our wai ora and their kaiawhina / peer. Hence reducing barriers, addressing stigma and promoting access to health.
Have the conversations and coordinate collaborative approaches to maximise our engagements and effectiveness within our communities.
