Aboriginal Health at Eastern Health

Eastern Health strives to ensure all our services are Culturally Safe and welcoming for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We have a dedicated Aboriginal Health Team available for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in Eastern Health’s catchment that spans across the municipalities of Boroondara, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Whitehorse and Yarra Ranges. The Aboriginal Health Team provides a range of services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families.

We also have a dedicated team of Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers (AHLOs) that, with a strong focus on Cultural Safety, provide a range of supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients within the hospital environment.

Aboriginal Health Team

The Aboriginal Health Team is a community-based health service located in Healesville available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families living anywhere in Eastern Health’s catchment. The service adopts a holistic approach in line with cultural best-practice, and provides a broad range of services which are available both on-site in Healesville and through home visits and outreach including:

Primary Health Care:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Checks (all ages)
• Nursing support including chronic disease management and maternal-child health
• Health information and education
• Visiting specialists

Case Management and Advocacy:

• Care-planning
• Referral & advocacy to other services including transport to medical appointments where appropriate
• Case management

Social and Emotional Well-Being

• Social & Emotional Well-Being Counselling
• Drug and Alcohol Counselling

Home and Community Care

• Domestic assistance and shopping assistance
• Yard Maintenance
• Social events and outings including Men’s and Women’s Group and Planned Activity Groups

Location and Contact Details

Location:        377 Maroondah Highway, Healesville

Phone:             (03) 5957 1100

Email:              [email protected]

Hours:             8.30 – 5pm Monday – Friday (Closed Public Holidays)

Aboriginal Health Team Referral Form (DOC, 32KB)

The Aboriginal Health Team acknowledges the support of our funding bodies:

• Victorian Department of Health (Home and Community Care Program for Younger People)
• Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care (Indigenous Australians Health Program and Commonwealth Home Support Programme)
• Eastern Melbourne Primary Healthcare Network (Integrated Team Care Program)

Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers

The Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer (AHLO) program supports Aboriginal and or Torres Strait islander patients within the hospital environment. AHLOs work in collaboration with other staff to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and their families, and are available to:

• Advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
• Support the cultural, spiritual, mental and physical wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
• Provide cultural and liaison links between the patient and families, medical staff and external referral services.
• Increase awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health issues amongst healthcare professionals.
• Assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients to understand the hospital system (e.g. why tests and/or procedures are required, explaining healthcare options).
• Assist patients and their families following discharge to ensure they are supported and understand their future medical care.
• Improve healthcare services and relationships between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and government departments.

When you are admitted to hospital, ask the admitting clerk to contact an Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer.

Social and Emotional Wellbeing

The Mental Health Social and Emotional Wellbeing Team provides a confidential, culturally appropriate mental health service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers accessing any Eastern Health mental health programs. Visit for more information.

At Eastern Health we are committed to becoming an employer of choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Built on a foundation of self-determination, our new Aboriginal Workforce Plan 2023-2026 will support our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to:

• Be empowered to learn, develop and grow
• Have access to diverse, flexible career pathways
• Practice their cultural identity without fear of discrimination or bias
• Feel a strong sense of belonging and Cultural Safety
• Have the flexibility to manage work, life and community needs.

We will support our non-Indigenous workforce to:

• Demonstrate cultural competence
• Build Culturally Safe environments within their immediate and broader teams
• Have access to ongoing development and experiences regarding our history, cultural awareness and cultural competence.

Read our Aboriginal Workforce Plan

For New Prospects and Candidates

There is a vast range of employment opportunities across a number of professions at Eastern Health. Visit Job Vacancies to search for position.

You can also contact Eastern Health’s Aboriginal Employment Coordinator to help you to:

• find the right job for you
• develop an application
• support you through the application and recruitment process

Eastern Health’s Aboriginal Employment Coordinator can be contacted at [email protected]

A Job Application Pack for Aboriginal Prospects has been developed to support all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples apply for vacancies at Eastern Health.

Should you require further information regarding any Eastern Health position or support to complete an application, please contact the Recruitment Manager listed on the position advertisement or Eastern Health’s Aboriginal Employment Coordinator at [email protected]

Job Application Pack

How to Find a Job at Eastern Health (PDF,1MB)

Writing Your Resume (PDF,1MB)

Writing Your Cover Letter (PDF,1MB)

Addressing the Key Criteria (PDF,1MB)

Submitting Your Application (PDF,2MB)

Preparing For Your Interview (PDF,1MB)

Daniel Howell – Manager, Aboriginal Health Team

Daniel Howell is a proud Biripi Man who grew up on Darkinjung Country on the New South Wales Coast. He now calls Wurundjeri Country home

“My people have a deep connection to the ocean and I believe this is why I am a passionate surfer and on weekends I like to spend my time at the beach or with my family and friends. I am passionate about helping Mob and decided to take on a new challenge as Manager of the Aboriginal Health Team.

Before taking on this role I was working in Eastern Health’s Social Emotional Wellbeing Team. It was during this time I felt it was important for the Aboriginal Health Team to be managed by an Aboriginal person, and I believe that this coupled with my experience in mental health will allow me to give the Team the support they need as they support the Community”.

Tanya Ellard – Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer Team Leader

Proud Bangerang woman Tanya Ellard has been assisting consumers since 2022.

Tanya is a friendly, familiar face who supports our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community by liaising with their healthcare team during their time with Eastern Health.

Tanya believes the Aboriginal Workforce Plan gives a clear view of the support and opportunities for growth Eastern Health will offer.

“It’s great knowing that Eastern Health are supportive of Aboriginal people. The Aboriginal Workforce Plan lets us know what is coming and how exciting it’s going to be. It helps us give back to the community and keeps Eastern Health accountable for what we need.”

Ebony Keenan – Associate Nurse Unit Manager/Registered Nurse

Proud Palawa woman Ebony Keenan gained early acceptance into the graduate program through the Indigenous Program in 2019 and is now focusing on her post graduate studies. As a Registered Nurse working in the mental health space, she understands how imperative her knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal culture and history is to informing her work.

“The knowledge of generational trauma is incredibly important because we have a lot of Indigenous consumers. When they come to see us, some of the staff don’t always understand the concept of generational trauma and why people behave the way they behave and the decisions that they make in their life. I think knowledge about that definitely helps in the area that I work in.”

Nicole McErlain – Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer

In 2022, proud Palawa woman Nicole McErlain joined Eastern Health to support Aboriginal consumers and their families as they engage with our health service. Nicole knows how beneficial it is for Aboriginal consumers to know they are among others who have a deep understanding of culture and community.

“As people, we need to be around each other, everything we do is not for the individual, it’s for the whole community. So to be removed from your Country and your family is scary. There’s a lot of trauma attached to what’s happened in the past, especially with institutions and hospitals. So when they see us and they know that there are other blackfellas around our consumers instantly feel more safe and comfortable.”

Caroline Dowling – Co-Director, Medical Student Programs

Caroline Dowling has been caring for the Eastern Health community since 2013. She was Head of Urology for six years, before moving on as Co-Director of Medical Student Programs. Having close to two decades of experience in healthcare, Caroline is aware of the many barriers Indigenous people face.

“It is important to have staff who are representative of all the cultural breadth in our community and our Indigenous culture is the first culture of this country and one that should be proudly seen and celebrated. In doing so, we provide a Culturally Safe space for the care of Indigenous Australians who have the worst health outcomes of any group and the improvement of these will only come through providing Culturally Safe care.”