Stroke Research at St John of God Midland Hospital

While stroke or traumatic brain injury can occur up to four times more frequently for Aboriginal people, they are under-represented in accessing rehabilitation services.

To assist with this, St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals is working in partnership with  researchers, Stroke Foundation, community health services and hospitals across Western Australia in a research project called Healing Right Way.  

Led by Professor Beth Armstrong from Edith Cowan University with a team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers from Edith Cowan University’s Speech Pathology team, the University of Western Australia, the Western Australian Centre for Rural Health, the University of Notre Dame, Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service, University of Technology Sydney and Monash University.

Professor Armstrong said the project aims to improve access to culturally appropriate rehabilitation services for Aboriginal people and improve health outcomes after stroke and traumatic brain injury.  

“We thank St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals for their involvement with Healing Right Way,” she said.

“The hospital actually recruited the first person onto the project.”

Key caregivers involved in the project from St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals, includes Aboriginal Health Coordinator Kerri Colegate, Dr Tim Bates, Speech Pathologist Meaghan McAllister and Research Nurse Lynda Southwell.  

Meaghan MCallister said, "The project will employ Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinators to work with brain injury survivors and their families providing advocacy, education and service liaison during the person’s hospital stay and also after discharge.

Staff involved in brain injury care at the participating hospitals will participate in enhanced cultural security training focused on providing culturally secure care and rehabilitation to Aboriginal brain injury survivors and their families."