Bridging the healthcare gap with Ash Paxton and Glenn Milliken
How can First Nations perspectives help shape a healthier future for Australia?
Glenn Milliken and Ash Paxton discuss health equity, social and emotional wellbeing, cultural safety and self-determination. Together, they explore the importance of community-led solutions and why health extends far beyond clinical care to include connection, belonging, culture and country.
Overview
Health is often measured through clinical outcomes, diagnoses and healthcare access. But for many First Nations communities, health is understood much more broadly. It is shaped by connection to family, community, culture, country and spirit, as well as access to healthcare services.
In Episode 3 of The Care Blueprint, Glenn Milliken, Head of First Nations Strategy at Bupa, and Ash Paxton, Djilba Biik Spaces Lead at Weenthunga Health Network, explore the factors that influence Indigenous health and wellbeing, and the role that community, self-determination and culturally safe care play in creating better outcomes.
At the centre of the conversation is the understanding that health is not simply the absence of disease. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, wellbeing is often viewed through a holistic lens that recognises the interconnected nature of physical, emotional, cultural and spiritual health.
Rather than focusing solely on illness, the discussion explores the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing Framework, which considers multiple dimensions of health including connection to body, mind, family, culture, community and spirituality.
This broader view recognises that wellbeing is influenced by far more than healthcare services alone.
The episode also examines why significant health disparities continue to exist despite decades of investment and programs aimed at closing the gap.
While access to healthcare is an important part of the solution, both Glenn and Ash highlight the impact of broader social, historical and systemic factors on health outcomes. Housing, education, employment, racism and access to culturally safe services all play a role in shaping an individual's health and wellbeing.
A recurring theme throughout the conversation is the importance of self-determination. For First Nations communities, meaningful progress requires Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to have a stronger voice in decision-making and greater control over the services, programs and systems that affect their lives.
Community-led solutions are often better placed to understand local needs, cultural contexts and the factors that contribute to positive outcomes.
The discussion also explores the unique role Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations play in delivering care that goes beyond clinical treatment. These organisations often provide spaces for connection, cultural engagement, advocacy and community support alongside health services, creating more holistic and culturally safe experiences.
For Glenn, building stronger partnerships between organisations, communities and healthcare providers will be critical to improving outcomes in the future.
The conversation also highlights the importance of representation within healthcare itself. Increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clinicians, leaders and decision-makers can help shape more culturally responsive systems and ensure First Nations perspectives are reflected throughout healthcare delivery.
Progress, however, is about more than representation alone. It requires organisations to challenge existing systems, address barriers and create environments where First Nations voices are respected, heard and empowered.
Throughout the episode, one idea remains clear: improving health outcomes requires a broader understanding of what health means and who gets to define it.
By embracing community-led approaches, recognising the importance of culture and connection, and creating systems that centre First Nations voices, there is an opportunity to build a more equitable and inclusive healthcare system for everyone.
