The Communicate Study: partnership across the Top End to improve First Nations peoples’ experience and outcomes of healthcare

Research activities:

• Developing, implementing and evaluating innovative intercultural communication education, inspired by the award-winning podcast: Ask the Specialist: Larrakia, Tiwi and Yolngu stories to inspire better healthcare.
• Improving the supply of, and demand for First Nations language interpreters and working to ensure a culturally safe workplace for First Nations health staff. 
• Creating a community of practice of culturally safe clinicians, supported by a social media chat group and seminars provided by invited experts 

This is a multi-level partnership between Menzies School of Health Research, NT Health, the NT Aboriginal Interpreter Services (AIS), National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI), the Djalkiri Foundation and First Nations leaders, health professionals and educators in the NT. Our work currently operates across Royal Darwin Hospital, Gove District Hospital, Katherine Hospital, and Alice Springs Hospital. 

Training opportunities:

We offer evidence-based intercultural communication training and workshops tailored for healthcare professionals. Our training focuses on developing skills in critical reflection and culturally safe communication.

Workshops are co-facilitated by First Nations and non-Indigenous facilitators, providing a dynamic learning experience that models best practice in intercultural communication. Learn more: Download our information sheet or contact us at communicatestudypartnership@menzies.edu.au.

Chief investigator:

• Professor Anna Ralph

Postdoctoral researcher:

• Vicki Kerrigan

Project Manager:

• Maddison Sims

Key Staff

• Tiana Alley
• Emily Armstrong
• Anna Lucas
• Madelyn Hay
• Nicole Nobbs
• Mario Faggion
• Beatriz Cardona

This project has both qualitative and quantitative PhD/Master by research opportunities. Please contact us for more information.

Contact information:

Email: communicatestudypartnership@menzies.edu.au

Project dates:

• 2015 - current

Funders: 

• NHMRC 2024 Collaborations in Health Service Research Grant
• NHMRC Partnership Grant 2008644, 2022-2026
• MRFF Rapid Applied Research Translation Grant 2022-2027
• Menzies School of Health Research small grants scheme
• Harry Giese Research Into Action Award 2024

Collaborators

• NT Health
• NT Aboriginal Interpreter Service
• National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI)
• The Djalkiri Foundation
• Charles Darwin University
• Swinburne University of Technology

1. Kerrigan, V., McGrath, S.Y., Baker, R.D. et al. “If They Help Us, We Can Help Them”: First Nations Peoples Identify Intercultural Health Communication Problems and Solutions in Hospital in Northern Australia. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-024-02160-4
2. Kerrigan, V., McGrath, S.Y., Doig, C. et al. Evaluating the impact of ‘Ask the Specialist Plus’: a training program for improving cultural safety and communication in hospital-based healthcare. BMC Health Serv Res 24, 119 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10565-4 
3. Kerrigan, V., Park, D., Ross, C. et al. Countering the “wrong story”: a Participatory Action Research approach to developing COVID-19 vaccine information videos with First Nations leaders in Australia. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 10, 479 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01965-8
4. Ralph, A.P., McGrath, S.Y., Armstrong, E. et al. Improving outcomes for hospitalised First Nations peoples though greater cultural safety and better communication: the Communicate Study Partnership study protocol. Implementation Sci 18, 23 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-023-01276-1
5. Kerrigan V, Park D, Ross C, Davies J, Ralph AP. Co-design effective health-literacy videos. Lancet. 2023 Feb 4;401(10374):343. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00010-7.
6. Kerrigan, V., S. Y. McGrath, S. W. Majoni, M. Walker, M. Ahmat, B. Lee, A. Cass, M. Hefler and A. P. Ralph (2021). "“The talking bit of medicine, that’s the most important bit”: doctors and Aboriginal interpreters collaborate to transform culturally competent hospital care." International Journal for Equity in Health, 20(1): 170. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01507-1%C2%A0
7. Kerrigan, V., S. Y. McGrath, S. W. Majoni, M. Walker, M. Ahmat, B. Lee, A. Cass, M. Hefler and A. P. Ralph (2021). "From “stuck” to satisfied: Aboriginal people’s experience of culturally safe care with interpreters in a Northern Territory hospital." BMC Health Services Research 21(1): 548. https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-021-06564-4
8. The Communicate Study group (2020). "Improving communication with Aboriginal hospital inpatients: a quasi-experimental interventional study." Medical Journal of Australia, 213(4): 180-181. doi: 10.5694/mja2.50700
9. Kerrigan, V., N. Lewis, A. Cass, M. Hefler and A. P. Ralph (2020). "“How can I do more?” Cultural awareness training for hospital-based healthcare providers working with high Aboriginal caseload." BMC Medical Education, 20(1): 173. https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-020-02086-5
10. Ralph, A. P., A. Lowell, J. Murphy, T. Dias, D. Butler, B. Spain, J. T. Hughes, L. Campbell, B. Bauert, C. Salter, K. Tune and A. Cass (2017). "Low uptake of Aboriginal interpreters in healthcare: exploration of current use in Australia's Northern Territory." BMC Health Services Research 17(1): 733. https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-017-2689-y

Podcasts:

• Ask the Specialist: Larrakia, Tiwi and Yolŋu stories to inspire better healthcare

Videos:

• 2024 Cultural Safety Champions - Presentations
• Menzies COVID-19 Australian Vaccine information videos
• Stay Strong on Country Videos - (COVID-19)

Policy and Practice Briefs:

• Communication and cultural safety training - Policy and Practice Brief
• The Communicate Study: Interim summary of Findings and Recommendations
• Co-designing health literacy videos
• The benefits of working with Aboriginal interpreters at Royal Darwin Hospital
• Intercultural comm training flyer