Table 8 Importance of First Nations health workers

Person-centred care and support

“We had to move from our community and no family is here but yeah, she [Aboriginal health worker] helped me with like food vouchers, and sit down and have a cup of coffee and a yarn at the hospital house they sent us to so Sonny^a could have dressings”

“I ended up giving her a gift after she [Aboriginal Health Worker] done what she did, she supported me a lot and kept an eye on him and, so, I done her a nice painting she took home. She loved it.”

Facilitators to ongoing access to aftercare

“The [Aboriginal] health workers, they brought me up a few times for our appointments, I think a couple of times.”

“We had to move into the hospital house and share with other Aboriginal families for a few months then they got us this house by ourselves. He needs to still see the physio. No, I don’t have a car, we either catch the bus to the hospital or the health girls [Aboriginal health workers] came and picked us up.”

“Abby^a liked her [Aboriginal health worker] she was happy when she saw her the next time we went for dressing ‘cause we trusted her”

Communication

“It was so good having her [Aboriginal health worker] there when they were talking them big words she would tell us what they meant”