Taking care and notice in the small details is what Lee Moss considers most important in his role.
For the Aboriginal Services team leader, putting in the extra effort to create a culturally safe environment, no matter what it takes to do so, makes a whole world of difference.
“I’ve looked at how other facilities run and I think we’re the best in the state. Our team actually cares and I think mob know that, that’s why they come to us,” he said.
As a First Nation’s community member himself, Lee uses his knowledge and experience to nurture and support every person he comes across at work.
“My dad is Pakana, from northern Tasmania, and I would always go back on Country every year with him for men’s business,” he said.
“So from when I was a little kid, I’ve always had that connection and I grew up with family and mob in community.”
After 10 years working in corrections, Lee made the move to Bendigo Health and began as a weekend and after hours Aboriginal Liaison Officer.
But he soon realised there was more work to be done in the space.
“Because of my background and love for recording data, I saw that there was a little bit lacking when I looked at how many people and what we serviced,” Lee said.
“I saw there wasn’t as much trust and community wasn’t really engaging, so I thought ‘this has to be better’.
“So I made it better, it was my mission.”
Lee said this job was never a “sign in, sign out” type of job.
“You have an expectation in community to do the right thing and it all just grew,” he said.
“Suddenly we would have people calling us saying “my sister or brother came in, you looked after them, look after me” and it just turned into what it is today.”
Lee said his work changes every day and a week won’t go by where something new doesn’t come up.
“It could be anything from helping a mum coming in to birth from out of town with an at-risk birth, helping with logistics in that space, making sure their family gets here.
“We make sure they feel culturally safe. Because of things of the past, we build that trust and become that middle man between the treating teams and the patients.
As NAIDOC Week approaches, Lee says it’s a time for him to remember his family.
“It makes me think of my Elders, my family and what we’re doing in community,” he said.
“My main thing is, we live on Djaara land and we need to leave it in a better condition for our kids.
“Because we don’t own this, we are the protectors and merely here to care for it.
“I feel like we do that here too at Bendigo Health, we care for everyone.”
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