2025 National Close the Gap Day Webinar
On-demand recorded 20 Mar 2025
The theme for National Close the Gap Day 2025, "Agency, Leadership, Reform: Ensuring the survival, dignity, and wellbeing of First Nations Peoples," highlights the importance of leadership in creating change.
In recognition of this significant day, we proudly spotlight the launch of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural and Health Training Framework. This initiative, the first of its kind in Australian medical training, has been developed and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experts in health, clinical education, and cultural education.
Unveiled at GP24 in Perth, this groundbreaking framework was designed to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, ways of being, and ways of doing into RACGP GP training nationwide. Dr. Olivia O'Donoghue, National Clinical Head of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Training, shares how this framework is set to drive transformational change in GP education and improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
We explore how the framework honours Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and brings cultural knowledge into the RACGP’s GP Training program. The framework is based on 12 guiding principles that focus on strength and support for a health system free of racism, one that values the voices and perspectives of First Nations peoples.
The framework provides GPs with recommendations to better understand cultural contexts, helping create a healthcare environment where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients feel respected, heard, and empowered. By including this knowledge in everyday care, GPs can help close the health gap and support the survival, dignity, and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Be part of this important conversation, embrace leadership and agency, and learn how you can drive reform in your own practice to help shape a more equitable future for healthcare in Australia.
Speakers
Dr Olivia O'Donoghue
RACGP National Clinical Head of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Training
Dr Olivia O’Donoghue is descendant of the Yankunytjatjara and the Narungga Nations peoples. She is a General Practitioner who gained Fellowship with RACGP in 2012 and has worked in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health in the Northern Territory, across urban and remote footprints. She currently visits Yadu Health in Ceduna.
Olivia has extensive Medical and Cultural Educator experience. Olivia works as the lead Medical Educator for the Indigenous GP Trainee Network (IGPTN), supporting and mentoring Indigenous GPs in training and GPs interested in medical education. Olivia was the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Censor for the RACGP Faculty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health from 2020 to 2023 and has now transitioned to be the first National Clinical Head of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Training for the RACGP.
Olivia is the current President Elect for the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association
Vanessa Harris
Manager, RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health