PROUD Ballardong man, Angus McGuire, has returned to his hometown of Northam to make a difference to indigenous health through community outreach with the Wheatbelt GP Network (WGPN).
During two decades in the Western Australia Police Force he saw first hand the extent of the social and health problems within the Aboriginal community
"I want to help our people get healthier and to help my people out of the rut they are in through disadvantage so that we (Aborigines) can live longer, more fulfilling lives," Mr McGuire said.
Seven-in-ten Indigenous people experienced one or more significant stressors in the year before a 2013 AATSIHS survey, almost one-and-a-half-times higher than the general Australian population.
The death of a family member or friend, serious illness, unemployment, alcohol or drug related problems and mental illness are among the main stressors.
"At WGPN we are working hard to remove barriers and provide culturally safe and accessible healthcare to assist Aboriginal people to cope more effectively with this type of stress," Mr McGuire said.
"The link between chronic disease and mental ill health is well known,’ Janet Devlin said, team leader of the WGPN Social, Emotional & Wellbeing Service (SEWS).
‘Working collaboratively with WGPN medical and allied health staff, our aim is to offer an holistic approach to disease management.
"Within the Aboriginal community the loss of connection to family, culture and country adds another layer of risk for poor health, so we work within a framework that recognises the significance of this trauma".
Angus has witnessed the outcome of this trauma and loss upon the health of several generations of Aboriginal families.
"Heart disease, kidney failure, stroke, diabetes are all too common in the Wheatbelt and other places I have worked, like the Pilbara and Western Desert Country.
"Like other members of the Aboriginal community I have lost a lot of close family members to these diseases.
"I think we are all here to make a difference in this community and all these diseases are preventable.
"I look back on my police career and I could say that I always did my best to improve indigenous relations."