You are here: Home > News > Latest updates & news > Advocacy & government > Join our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health Advisory Group
Read time:

1:30min

By Optometry Australia

Over the last decade, the gap in eye health and vision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has halved, however, too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people still experience avoidable vision loss and blindness as a result of barriers to accessing necessary primary eye health care.

Optometry Australia has a strong commitment to supporting improved eye health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Since 2008, the Optometry Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health Advisory Group has provided invaluable guidance and support in our work in this area.

In 2020, we are inviting members with experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health to express interest in joining this group for a new two-year term, from July 2020 to June 2022.

About the Advisory Group

The role of the Optometry Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health Advisory Group is to:

  1. Provide expert advice, information and guidance to Optometry Australia on key policy issues related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye care
  2. Engage with and communicate to the wider Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander eye care sector on Optometry Australia’s activities
  3. Support Optometry Australia advocacy for policy positions and initiatives as appropriate.

Members of the Advisory Group are appointed by Optometry Australia and will comprise nine (9) individuals, plus the Chair. The Advisory Group meets formally once annually, with travel costs covered by Optometry Australia, and additional meetings or input requested by email as required. Advisory Group members commit to participating as members of Optometry Australia, not as representatives of other organisations or committees with which they may be involved.

How to express your interest

If you are interested in joining the Advisory Group, please submit your expression of interest to policy@optometry.org.au by COB Sunday 21 June 2020.

Expressions of interest from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander optometrists registered in Australia will be given preference. Further, opportunities to build capacity in early career optometrists will also be sought.

In no more than 500 words, expressions of interest should detail your experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye care, highlighting where you have relevant experience in the following areas:

  • delivering outreach-based optometry, practice-based optometry or hybrid models.
  • multidisciplinary collaboration, including with ophthalmologists, GPs, ACCHOs and/or Visiting Optometry Scheme (VOS) fundholders.
  • across geographic settings (urban, regional, rural and remote)
  • providing strategic advice and/or developing policy

This is an important opportunity to contribute to national efforts to close the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health and we look forward to receiving your expression of interest.

 

Filed in category: Advocacy & government, General news, National & State initiatives
Tagged as: , ,

Acknowledgement of Country

In the spirit of reconciliation Optometry Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.