This is a significant week at Northern Health for more reasons than one.

Firstly, we celebrate NAIDOC Week and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This year in addition to the display in the foyer at Northern Hospital Epping and at our other sites, we also have for the first time a Video Gallery, as part of an online display.

This year too Narrun Wilip-Giin, Aboriginal Support Unit, has put together a quiz that will test your knowledge and reward you with exciting prizes. Click here for the NAIDOC Week quiz.

On Thursday, 7 July at 8 am, our speaker at our Grand Round will be Jack Bulman, a Muthi Muthi man, and Chief Executive Officer of Mibbinbah Spirit Healing. Click here to join the Grand Round.

Here at Northern Health, another cause for celebration is the Narrun Wilip-giin Cultural Space to be opened shortly.

The Narrun Wilip-giin Cultural Space will provide a space where Indigenous people can feel safe, accepted, confident that they will be respected, listened to, and will receive high quality care. We look forward to its opening later this year.

This week it is also my pleasure to officially welcome staff from Northern Area Mental Health Services and North West Area Mental Health Services, to Northern Health. We also welcome the staff of Merv Irvine Nursing Home and McLellan House. Collectively, this will make us the third largest mental health service in Victoria.

This is a significant time to be working in the mental health sector, as we declare our commitment to the ambitious reform agenda, set out by the Mental Health Royal Commission.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued work and dedication to providing mental health services to Victorians in Northern and Western metropolitan Melbourne, particularly in these challenging times.

Thank you for joining us on our journey to improve health outcomes here in the north and helping to build a better future – together.