HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 018

Sarah, a 17-year-old student from Western Sydney, notices her grandmother frequently misses medical appointments because the closest specialist is two hours away by public transport. After researching, she discovers many elderly residents in her multicultural community face similar barriers, with some avoiding healthcare entirely due to language difficulties and transport costs.

Describe THREE strategies Sarah could implement to advocate for improved healthcare access in her community. Consider both immediate actions and long-term systemic changes. (5 marks)

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Immediate action:

Organise a community transport network.
Sarah could coordinate with local churches, community centres and youth groups to establish a volunteer driver program. Volunteers would provide transport to medical appointments for elderly residents.
She could create a simple booking system using social media or phone calls to match drivers with those needing assistance.

Medium-term advocacy:

Partner with medical students for language support.
Sarah could contact Western Sydney University’s medical program to recruit bilingual students as interpreters.
These students could accompany elderly patients to appointments, gaining clinical experience while addressing language barriers. This creates a sustainable model benefiting both parties.

Longer-term advocacy:

Sarah could document the health impacts of poor specialist access through surveys and case studies and present the data to local government
By presenting this evidence at council meetings and to the local MP, she could advocate for mobile specialist clinics or telehealth hubs in community centres.
This initiative would permanently improve healthcare accessibility for her community.

Show Worked Solution

Immediate action:

Organise a community transport network.
Sarah could coordinate with local churches, community centres and youth groups to establish a volunteer driver program. Volunteers would provide transport to medical appointments for elderly residents.
She could create a simple booking system using social media or phone calls to match drivers with those needing assistance.

Medium-term advocacy:

Partner with medical students for language support.
Sarah could contact Western Sydney University’s medical program to recruit bilingual students as interpreters.
These students could accompany elderly patients to appointments, gaining clinical experience while addressing language barriers. This creates a sustainable model benefiting both parties.

Longer-term advocacy:

Sarah could document the health impacts of poor specialist access through surveys and case studies and present the data to local government
By presenting this evidence at council meetings and to the local MP, she could advocate for mobile specialist clinics or telehealth hubs in community centres.
This initiative would permanently improve healthcare accessibility for her community.