ACO celebrates 25 years of optometry service at VAHS

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This month, the Australian College of Optometry (ACO) is celebrating 25 years of optometry services within the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) in Melbourne. This unique clinic aims to remove barriers to eye care experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in mainstream services which continues to systematically fail Indigenous Australians and drive health disparities.

As an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO), VAHS supports the social, emotional, physical, and cultural wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and is coincidentally celebrating 50 years of operation this year. Eye health is among the many healthcare services available to community members through VAHS, including GP care, dental, physiotherapy and family counselling.

The ACO’s optometry clinic delivers culturally safe care with sessions running every Tuesday and Friday. Nilmini John, ACO Manager of Aboriginal Services, leads the team of four optometrists who service the embedded clinic. In this role, Nilmini works closely with the VAHS team to continually ensure community eye health needs are met.

‘With the support of VAHS and its Aboriginal Health Workers, we have adjusted our visiting optometry to best serve patients. We have a more flexible approach regarding patient arrival times to be more responsive to patients’ needs,” said Nilmini.

‘As health practitioners, we’re accustomed to telling patients what they should do but when working with First Nations clients, it’s important to ensure patients feel they are ultimately making decisions for themselves. We need to provide our patients with as much information, avoiding jargon, so they can make informed decisions regarding their health. This is self-determination at its core.’

Collaboration between health care providers and ACCHOs has proven instrumental for meaningful impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes, and the ACO is appreciative of the opportunity to work within community-controlled spaces, such as VAHS, to deliver effective care.

Dr Josephine Li, ACO General Manager of Rural Victorian Eyecare Service (VES) and Outreach Programs, commented, ‘We have witnessed first-hand that providing eye care services in community-controlled settings is intrinsic to removing barriers and supporting self-determination. It is clear the best possible health outcomes are made possible with the leadership, teamwork, and guidance of community-controlled health services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices. This invaluable input from community is essential across all health services and policies throughout Australia to improve the wellbeing of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.’

What first began with a single optometry clinic 25 years ago has evolved significantly, and today this clinic is just one part of a larger eye care service dedicated to supporting the health needs of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. In 2018, the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (Eye and Ear) began providing ophthalmology services, with regular clinics running fortnightly. This addition has ensured that community members can access a full suite of eye health services ranging from primary optometry to laser and injection treatment, and post-operative check-ups.  Separately, VAHS Aboriginal health worker Kelli McGuinness was appointed to the new role of Aboriginal Eye Health Worker (AEHW) in 2022 to support eye health service delivery. This role was created in consultation with ACO optometrists and Dr Rosie Dawkins from the Eye and Ear, and was made possible with funding from the Fred Hollows Foundation.

Gavin Brown, VAHS Chief Operating Officer is passionate about the growth in eye care services at available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

‘VAHS is a recognised leader in the eye health space, and we also acknowledge the incredible work that ACCHOs are doing across Australia. There is a strong synergy by all those involved in improving the eye health in our communities as we continue to be committed to enabling the gift of sight.’