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Introduction Objective Design Findings Discussion Conclusions Disparities in the health of Indigenous people and in the health of rural populations are well described. University Departments of Rural Health (UDRHs) in Australia are federally funded under a program to address ongoing challenges with health workforce distribution for rural and remote areas. They have a significant role in research in regional, rural and remote areas, including research related to Indigenous health. However, a comprehensive analysis of their contributions to original Indigenous health related to Indigenous health is lacking.This study examines the contributions of UDRHs to Indigenous issues through analysis of publications of UDRHs focused on Indigenous health during the period 2010–2021.This paper examines a database of UDRH Indigenous‐related publications from 2010 to 2021.A total of 493 publications to which UDRHs contributed were analysed, including 354 original research articles. Health services research was the most common category, followed by epidemiology and papers exploring Indigenous culture and health. While health services research substantially increased over the period, the numbers of original research papers specifically focused on Indigenous workforce issues, whether related to Indigenous people, students or existing workforce was relatively small.This broad overview shows the nature and trends in Indigenous health research by UDRHs and makes evident a substantial contribution to Indigenous health research, reflecting their commitment to improving the health and well‐being of Indigenous communities.The analysis can help direct future efforts, and future analyses should delve deeper into the impact of this research and further engage Indigenous researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving health outcomes for Indigenous people by strengthening the cultural safety of care is a vital challenge for the health sector, both in Australia and internationally. Although Indigenous people have long requested to have Indigenous practitioners involved in their health care, many health services report difficulties with recruiting and retaining Indigenous staff. This article describes Indigenous workforce policies and strategies from two Australian health services, as well as cancer-service specific strategies. Methods: Services were identified as part of a national study designed to identify and assess innovative services for Indigenous cancer patients and their families. In-depth interviews were conducted in a small number of identified services. The interviews from two services, which stood out as particularly high performing, were analysed through the lens of Indigenous health workforce. Results: Twenty-four hospital staff (Indigenous and non-Indigenous), five Indigenous people with cancer and three family members shared their views and experiences. Eight themes were identified from the way that the two services supported their Indigenous workforce: strong executive leadership, a proactive employment strategy, the Indigenous Health Unit, the Indigenous Liaison Officer, multidisciplinary team inclusion, professional development, work environment and a culture of respect. Participants reported two positive outcomes resulting from the active implementation of the eight workforce themes: 'Improved Indigenous patient outcomes' and 'Improved staff outcomes'. Conclusions: These two cancer services and their affiliated hospitals show how positive patient outcomes and a strong Indigenous health workforce can be achieved when a health service has strong leadership, commits to an inclusive and enabling culture, facilitates two-way learning and develops specific support structures appropriate for Indigenous staff. It is hoped that the strategies captured in this study will be used by health services and cancer services to inform their own policies and programs to support building their Indigenous workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indigenous Australians are under-represented in the health workforce, with large disparities between rates of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in every health profession, including nurses, medical practitioners and all allied health professionals. Yet Indigenous people have long requested to have Indigenous practitioners involved in their health care, with this increasing the likelihood of culturally safe care. To address the shortage of Indigenous health professionals, it is important to not only recruit more Indigenous people into health courses, but also to support them throughout their studies so that they graduate as qualified health professionals. The aim of this systematic literature review was two-fold: to identify the factors affecting the retention of Indigenous students across all tertiary health disciplines, and to identify strategies that support Indigenous students to remain with, and successfully complete, their studies. Methods: Eight electronic databases were systematically searched between July and September 2018. Articles were screened for inclusion using pre-defined criteria and assessed for quality using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool and the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Text and Opinion. Results: Twenty-six articles met the criteria for inclusion. Key factors reported by students as affecting retention were: family and peer support; competing obligations; academic preparation and prior educational experiences; access to the Indigenous Student Support Centre; financial hardship; and racism and discrimination. The most successful strategies implemented by nursing, health and medical science faculties to improve retention were multi-layered and included: culturally appropriate recruitment and selection processes; comprehensive orientation and pre-entry programs; building a supportive and enabling school culture; appointing Indigenous academics; embedding Indigenous content throughout the curriculum; developing mentoring and tutoring programs; flexible delivery of content; partnerships with the Indigenous Student Support Centre; providing social and financial support; and 'leaving the university door open' for students who leave before graduation to return. Conclusions: Universities have an important role to play in addressing inequities in the Indigenous health workforce. A suite of measures implemented concurrently to provide support, starting with recruitment and pre-entry preparation programs, then continuing throughout the student's time at university, can enable talented Indigenous people to overcome adversities and graduate as health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]