James Tapau is passionate about making a difference in Indigenous health—and sees education as a vehicle to help his people.
James, an Indigenous Liaison Officer at Cooktown Multi-Purpose Health Service, is a shining light in Indigenous health.
Having worked in disability and community services for seven years, James has taken advantage of a unique TAFE Queensland North education opportunity, developed in partnership with Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN).
The Murray Island man recently completed a Certificate III in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care, and has now started his Certificate IV.
“I was very hesitant at first to enrol, because it’s been so long since I last studied that I thought I would find the training too difficult,” said James.
“But I managed my studies really well, and always submitted assignments and completed assessments before the due dates.
“I definitely found my life skills valuable for relating to the subjects, and I’m very proud of completing my Certificate III.
“I know I’ll always get the support I need with my training, and that’s given me the confidence to progress into a Cert IV.”
It was James’ experience that provided a sound foundation for him to transfer into a role with Cooktown Multi-Purpose Health Service (MPHS) as a Hospital Liaison Officer when the opportunity arose.
James provides support for inpatients at Cooktown MPHS during doctors rounds at handovers.
“I help ensure the patient understands medications, dosages, and the need to take medication to get better, as well as what to do on discharge,” he said.
“I also check in with Community Nurses who conduct follow ups.”
As part of his role, James travels to surrounding communities in Hopevale, Wujal Wujal, and Laura to conduct training for staff in cultural practice, and has contributed to the development of community protocols with Generalist Medical Training at James Cook University.
This includes a profile on each community’s background culture, traditional owners, visiting services, and other Indigenous organisations in the community. “I’ve found my background in disability services helpful when dealing with patients’ medical conditions, and I also identify cultural considerations, and factor in how a patient was raised,” he said.
“I truly love what I do and want to go further. I definitely see this as my job for life. My education is helping me to help my people.”