We offer a range of health services specifically developed to assist the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples in our region. These include:
Breath of Fresh Air campaign
This year, to coincide with World No Tobacco Day we launched our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander focused non-smoking campaign - Breath of Fresh Air.
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people are still overrepresented when it comes to tobacco use, which could indicate that current anti-smoking initiatives are not effectively engaging Aboriginal people.
In developing the campaign, we held workshops involving members of local Aboriginal communities and were honoured to hear their personal stories relating to smoking. These workshops strongly reinforced that our campaign needed to find a positive approach - as opposed to previously used negative or fear-based campaigns – and draw upon the links between mind, body, spirit and culture.
We partnered with Aboriginal companies 33 Creative and Blacklock Media to develop a campaign that focusses on culture and collective community engagement, through the use of storytelling and art-based visual messaging, to better engage Aboriginal people.
The three primary elements of the campaign are:
- Breath of Fresh Air animation: uses indigenous art and story-telling to make the connection between health and country.
- Breath of Fresh Air ambassador videos: local ambassadors, including UFC Fighter Tai Tuivasa, who support our campaign by sharing why they choose fresh air.
- Youth Photo Competition: between August and November 2019 local high school students can share what not smoking and choosing fresh air means to you or to Aboriginal culture.
Sharing & Learning Circles
Nepean-Blue Mountains Medicare Local (NBMML) coordinated Aboriginal Sharing & Learning Circles within our local community. These 'Circles' were held to work with our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities to gain insights into their health needs and establish health priorities specific to each of the four Local Government Areas that sit within the NBMPHN region.
Without the engagement, participation and commitment of the Aboriginal community locally, as well as the broader community and local service providers, these Circles would not have been possible. We thank everyone who was so willing to be a part of this process.
Reports have been compiled from the Circles held in each LGA. It is important to acknowledge the collaboration that took place between Nepean-Blue Mountains Medicare Local, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (the two lead agencies), the Blue Mountains Aboriginal Health Coalition and Hawkesbury District Health Service to enable these reports to be produced.
Sharing & Learning Circle Reports
You can view the Sharing and Learning Circle Summary Report (pdf, 3.3mb), which summarises the outcomes from the reports produced across our four LGAs.
You can also view the individual LGA reports below.
Blue Mountains 'Tracking the Circle' Report
With the assistance of the Blue Mountains Aboriginal Health Coalition, Sharing & Learning Circles have been run periodically since 2008. This report tracks the progress that has been made through to the latest Sharing & Learning Circles held in 2014.
Read the full Blue Mountains 'Tracking the Circle' report (pdf, 1.3mb)
Hawkesbury Sharing & Learning Circle Report
NBMML and NBMLHD, in conjunction with the Hawkesbury District Health Service, produced this report spanning 2010 to 2014.
Read the full Hawkesbury Sharing & Learning Circle report (pdf, 1.4mb)
Lithgow Sharing & Learning Circle Report 
NBMML and NBMLHD produced this report spanning 2010 to 2014.
Read the full Lithgow Sharing & Learning Circle report (pdf, 1.8mb)
Penrith Sharing & Learning Circle Report 
NBMML and NBMLHD produced this report spanning 2010 to 2014.
Read the full Penrith Sharing & Learning Circle report (pdf, 1.5mb)