Racism and cultural insensitivity are the norm at the Northern Territory’s biggest hospital, according to a panel of experts.

The cultural education podcast Ask The Specialist has been released in a similar format to ABC TV show You Can’t Ask That, but styled as a dos-and-don’ts for treating Aboriginal patients at Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH).

During the series Aboriginal leaders from Larrakia, Yolŋu, and Tiwi backgrounds answered doctors’ anonymous questions about working with Indigenous patients.

Larrakia elder Aunty Bilawara Lee was asked if Royal Darwin Hospital was racist. 

“There is racism there, believe me, there’s bigotry,” she said. 

“The most immediate impact is language. You can see the attitude, the body language of the health professional.”

Aunty Bilawara said doctors at the hospital needed to be proactive about learning Indigenous culture and language.

“The doctors need to get off their ass and go learn.

“If you’re going into a Muslim country and you were going to be a doctor there you would certainly figure out the rules, because if you don’t you’re going to get into a lot of trouble.”

Overwhelming majority

According to the Top End Health Service (TEHS), those identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Royal Darwin Hospital are: 

• Between 60 and 70 per cent of patients
• About 85 per cent of all renal patients
• And 5.6 per cent of employees

Aunty Bilawara has called on health authorities to allow traditional healing, smoking ceremonies, and Aboriginal spiritual practices at Royal Darwin Hospital.

“They have a chapel and a chaplain; they have Muslim prayer rooms; but no Aboriginal healers,” she said.

“[Healers] do go in and out as friends and family but the actual spiritual practice is not permitted.

Health service striving to do better

A new system was planned for Indigenous healing at Royal Darwin Hospital, according to TEHS.

“TEHS is currently identifying partnerships and structures to more systematically engage Aboriginal healers and to determine appropriate spaces for healers to collaborate with patients and staff regarding the health needs of our patients,” a spokesperson said.

Aunty Bilawara said she was consulted for the design of a healing room at Palmerston Hospital when it opened in 2018 but was disappointed with the final design. 

“They’d relocated it side-by-side to the morgue,” she said.

“It’s not used for healers. They’ve now confiscated the room to use for families who are mourning the dead ones in the morgue. 

A clash of cultures

TEHS confirmed that a healing area for Indigenous patients and families was lacking at both hospitals.

“The ceremonial area at Palmerston Regional Hospital is a quiet outdoor area at the rear of the hospital which has been designed with space and privacy in mind. It incorporates landscaped gardens, seating and shade,” a spokesperson said.

“This area is a multi-functional space available for all consumer groups to utilise.

Ask The Specialist podcast cohost, Pirrawayingi Puruntatameri, said small things could make a big difference for Indigenous patients.

“[It’s] the whitefella system against an old culture,” he said.

“Set aside a cultural area where smoking can be performed.

“It can be done — not ‘can’ be, but ‘has’ to be done.

“Get a lot of Aboriginal and Islander staff working here; they can relate to their people.”

TEHS said some restrictions remained around smoking ceremonies Royal Darwin Hospital.

“Smoking ceremonies can be undertaken in some areas of RDH where the fire safety systems permit,” the spokesperson said.

‘It’s about coming together’

A podcast participant and young Yolŋu leader, Rarrtjiwuy Melanie Herdman, said she has personally had positive encounters in the hospital.

“It’s really about coming together to work with Aboriginal people to understand where they’re coming from,” she said.

“But there are services and organisations that have resources and materials that the hospital could reinforce.” 

The Ask The Specialist podcast has seven 20-minute episodes and was developed by Menzies School of Health Research PhD Candidate Vicki Kerrigan.