Chris, welcome to Talking Vision. Thank you very much for your time today.

Chris, welcome to Talking Vision. Thank you very much for your time today.

Thanks so much for having me on.

Thanks so much for having me on.

What I'd love to do is give you an opportunity to introduce yourself to our listeners. Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.

What I'd love to do is give you an opportunity to introduce yourself to our listeners. Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.

So my name is Chris Baker, of course, and I'm Australia's currently first and only indigenous ophthalmologist. My background is Yagara and my mum's side and on dad's side, and my private rooms are up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. And I do outreach work to Darwin with the Deadly Vision Clinic.

So my name is Chris Baker, of course, and I'm Australia's currently first and only indigenous ophthalmologist. My background is Yagara and my mum's side and on dad's side, and my private rooms are up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. And I do outreach work to Darwin with the Deadly Vision Clinic.

Tell us a bit about your work in ophthalmology, Chris.

Tell us a bit about your work in ophthalmology, Chris.

My rooms are on the Sunshine Coast in Noosa, and it's a general ophthalmology practice, which means a lot of my work is around diagnoses like glaucoma, diabetes management with the associated eye conditions, surgical conditions like pterygia and cataracts. And then when I got to Darwin and worked with Sean and his deadly vision clinic, that's mostly to do with surgical work. So Cataract and Pterygium work with these patients who are struggling otherwise to have that done.

My rooms are on the Sunshine Coast in Noosa, and it's a general ophthalmology practice, which means a lot of my work is around diagnoses like glaucoma, diabetes management with the associated eye conditions, surgical conditions like pterygia and cataracts. And then when I got to Darwin and worked with Sean and his deadly vision clinic, that's mostly to do with surgical work. So Cataract and Pterygium work with these patients who are struggling otherwise to have that done.

So tell us a bit more about that deadly vision clinic and how that all came about, and the work you've been able to do in various First Nations communities around Australia.

So tell us a bit more about that deadly vision clinic and how that all came about, and the work you've been able to do in various First Nations communities around Australia.

Well, the Deadly Vision Clinic was started and run by Sean Tarapada, who I was fortunate enough to meet back in 2014 when I was working in Darwin for six months as a part of my training. And it's the country's first indigenous run optometry clinic. And so Sean has visiting optometrists who come in, and he has a series of indigenous themed frames that patients can purchase, and they also cut the lenses on sight. So, I mean, Sean obviously knows a lot more about what the clinic does, so I wouldn't wouldn't want to speak for him. But that's the gist of what he's doing. He's bringing in people who are otherwise lost to the system or uncomfortable with mainstream systems, and provide them a good quality optometry service in that culturally safe space. And then in terms of outreach that I've done otherwise, as I said, I was up at the top end in 2014 for six months. So I worked right across the top end of Northern Territory. I've done a lot of work with my colleague Tim Henderson in Alice Springs. I haven't been out there for a couple of years now. Covid disrupted everything, but I've worked in Alice in Central Australia, and then I had the privilege of also working with my colleague Angus Turner right across Western Australia. I did that for six months as well. So I've seen a lot of the country. I've seen a lot of our indigenous communities. It's a real privilege to have been able to have done that.

Well, the Deadly Vision Clinic was started and run by Sean Tarapada, who I was fortunate enough to meet back in 2014 when I was working in Darwin for six months as a part of my training. And it's the country's first indigenous run optometry clinic. And so Sean has visiting optometrists who come in, and he has a series of indigenous themed frames that patients can purchase, and they also cut the lenses on sight. So, I mean, Sean obviously knows a lot more about what the clinic does, so I wouldn't wouldn't want to speak for him. But that's the gist of what he's doing. He's bringing in people who are otherwise lost to the system or uncomfortable with mainstream systems, and provide them a good quality optometry service in that culturally safe space. And then in terms of outreach that I've done otherwise, as I said, I was up at the top end in 2014 for six months. So I worked right across the top end of Northern Territory. I've done a lot of work with my colleague Tim Henderson in Alice Springs. I haven't been out there for a couple of years now. Covid disrupted everything, but I've worked in Alice in Central Australia, and then I had the privilege of also working with my colleague Angus Turner right across Western Australia. I did that for six months as well. So I've seen a lot of the country. I've seen a lot of our indigenous communities. It's a real privilege to have been able to have done that.

And as I understand it, Chris, you've also been one of the founding members of the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association. Tell us a bit about the story there.

And as I understand it, Chris, you've also been one of the founding members of the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association. Tell us a bit about the story there.

That was back in the late 90s. I was a medical student and I was at the University of Newcastle at that time in the late 90s. We had very, very few indigenous doctors and very few indigenous medical students in the country. And the concept of having Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors was still a very, very new thing here in Australia, which sounds crazy, but it was. Most of us were either attending the University of Newcastle's medical students or who had completed medical degrees at University Newcastle. There were a couple of other units that had contributed to to that small group of people. Most of us came through Newcastle, and so the indigenous support unit at that university arranged a meeting of us. And there about 50 people at the meeting. I think half of us were medical students and doctors, and the other half were international colleagues. And we decided to form an organisation to support each other. That was the primary focus, but then in the longer term, to build that workforce. And that organization then went on to become Australian Indigenous Doctors Association, of which I was years later, president of. So it's been a fascinating process watching that organization grow. I think now in Australia, I don't know what the latest numbers are exactly, but I understand we have over 800 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander medical doctors that's qualified doctors and a big number of medical students in the system. We still are away from population parity of Western trained doctors, but in a relatively short period of time. We've done very well. It's an outstanding achievement.

That was back in the late 90s. I was a medical student and I was at the University of Newcastle at that time in the late 90s. We had very, very few indigenous doctors and very few indigenous medical students in the country. And the concept of having Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors was still a very, very new thing here in Australia, which sounds crazy, but it was. Most of us were either attending the University of Newcastle's medical students or who had completed medical degrees at University Newcastle. There were a couple of other units that had contributed to to that small group of people. Most of us came through Newcastle, and so the indigenous support unit at that university arranged a meeting of us. And there about 50 people at the meeting. I think half of us were medical students and doctors, and the other half were international colleagues. And we decided to form an organisation to support each other. That was the primary focus, but then in the longer term, to build that workforce. And that organization then went on to become Australian Indigenous Doctors Association, of which I was years later, president of. So it's been a fascinating process watching that organization grow. I think now in Australia, I don't know what the latest numbers are exactly, but I understand we have over 800 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander medical doctors that's qualified doctors and a big number of medical students in the system. We still are away from population parity of Western trained doctors, but in a relatively short period of time. We've done very well. It's an outstanding achievement.

Certainly sounds like one. And um, regarding some, you know, achievements or highlights or anything of that nature, what's been some real highlights and real take away moments that will stick with you forever in your time over the past? Well, 2 or 3 decades now.

Certainly sounds like one. And um, regarding some, you know, achievements or highlights or anything of that nature, what's been some real highlights and real take away moments that will stick with you forever in your time over the past? Well, 2 or 3 decades now.

Well, watching Aida grow, which is Australian Indigenous Doctors Grow, has been a real highlight in and being president of that was a highlight. And my presidency actually extended through the beginning of Covid. So that was a crazy time. Of course, the other highlights were my professional career highlights finishing medical school and then completing my training with the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. And the other highlight is actually a much, much more recent highlight. And that was being a part of the movement and then founding board of the First Nations e-Health Alliance. And I'm actually in Perth at the moment at our annual conference. That's been a huge highlight because that's pulling together the AI related workforce, indigenous and non-Indigenous, who work in indigenous eye health. And we're looking at progressing, closing the gap in indigenous eye health.

Well, watching Aida grow, which is Australian Indigenous Doctors Grow, has been a real highlight in and being president of that was a highlight. And my presidency actually extended through the beginning of Covid. So that was a crazy time. Of course, the other highlights were my professional career highlights finishing medical school and then completing my training with the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. And the other highlight is actually a much, much more recent highlight. And that was being a part of the movement and then founding board of the First Nations e-Health Alliance. And I'm actually in Perth at the moment at our annual conference. That's been a huge highlight because that's pulling together the AI related workforce, indigenous and non-Indigenous, who work in indigenous eye health. And we're looking at progressing, closing the gap in indigenous eye health.

One program, which were very keen to have a chat about which tackles those sorts of issues, is, of course, our Medicine, which is premiering on SBS and NITV. It's running over six weeks, as I understand it, which you've been quite heavily involved with. So tell us a bit about our medicine us approach.

One program, which were very keen to have a chat about which tackles those sorts of issues, is, of course, our Medicine, which is premiering on SBS and NITV. It's running over six weeks, as I understand it, which you've been quite heavily involved with. So tell us a bit about our medicine us approach.

It was a while ago now because like a lot of television related events, there's a huge amount of work that goes into creating a series like Our Medicine. But I was approached a little while ago now and asked if I would like to be a part of our medicine, and I said, yes, absolutely. This is a really important story to tell. A story highlighting indigenous academic excellence and also the achievements of what our mob have done in Western medicine. And up until now, it's not a story that's been really told in the mainstream at this level. So I had the great privilege, as I said, of being invited into this, and we filmed the first series. I thought, well, there's more to what I do than my private practice on the Sunshine Coast. And there's more to what I do than just Chris Baker. So I also felt that it was important to involve the Deadly Vision Clinic in Darwin and the work that I do up there with Sean and Harry Potter. So I called Sean and said, hey, do you want to be a part of this? And I was super excited when he agreed. So the series goes on that journey, you're watching people surgical pathways as they come in from the communities around Darwin, and they engage with a culturally safe service and, and then achieve successful surgical outcomes. It was such a wonderful thing to be a part of and a lot of fun. The work itself, of course, it's just the most wonderful work to be able to go and, you know, help people out and give them the gift of vision. But then to know that we were able to let other people know what we're doing and share that storytelling with them was such a fantastic thing.

It was a while ago now because like a lot of television related events, there's a huge amount of work that goes into creating a series like Our Medicine. But I was approached a little while ago now and asked if I would like to be a part of our medicine, and I said, yes, absolutely. This is a really important story to tell. A story highlighting indigenous academic excellence and also the achievements of what our mob have done in Western medicine. And up until now, it's not a story that's been really told in the mainstream at this level. So I had the great privilege, as I said, of being invited into this, and we filmed the first series. I thought, well, there's more to what I do than my private practice on the Sunshine Coast. And there's more to what I do than just Chris Baker. So I also felt that it was important to involve the Deadly Vision Clinic in Darwin and the work that I do up there with Sean and Harry Potter. So I called Sean and said, hey, do you want to be a part of this? And I was super excited when he agreed. So the series goes on that journey, you're watching people surgical pathways as they come in from the communities around Darwin, and they engage with a culturally safe service and, and then achieve successful surgical outcomes. It was such a wonderful thing to be a part of and a lot of fun. The work itself, of course, it's just the most wonderful work to be able to go and, you know, help people out and give them the gift of vision. But then to know that we were able to let other people know what we're doing and share that storytelling with them was such a fantastic thing.

And Chris, what's it been like to be able to highlight the day to day challenges that First Nations medical professionals and patients face when navigating the Australian medical system in a show like our medicine?

And Chris, what's it been like to be able to highlight the day to day challenges that First Nations medical professionals and patients face when navigating the Australian medical system in a show like our medicine?

I'd like to think what it illustrates is some of the complexities that Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people face when they enter our health systems. And those complexities can range from logistical issues like getting up to the hospital and how to arrange transport and how to coordinate family when an individual has to get up to the hospital for, you know, half a day for a half an hour appointment all the way along to the environment of those facilities and issues around cultural safety and blockades, to episodes of care, like people not feeling safe in that space or even having experience of direct racism. Some of the patients who have delivered care to through the deadly vision described and have described episodes of blatant racism and and I think for anybody that would be a reason for them not to want to return to that space. So there's a lot of barriers that slow down or outright prevent Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people from entering health facilities and accessing the care that they need.

I'd like to think what it illustrates is some of the complexities that Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people face when they enter our health systems. And those complexities can range from logistical issues like getting up to the hospital and how to arrange transport and how to coordinate family when an individual has to get up to the hospital for, you know, half a day for a half an hour appointment all the way along to the environment of those facilities and issues around cultural safety and blockades, to episodes of care, like people not feeling safe in that space or even having experience of direct racism. Some of the patients who have delivered care to through the deadly vision described and have described episodes of blatant racism and and I think for anybody that would be a reason for them not to want to return to that space. So there's a lot of barriers that slow down or outright prevent Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people from entering health facilities and accessing the care that they need.

What do you believe or what do you hope that the program Gram can shed light on and perhaps change attitudes or greater inform the general public about the sort of things that First Nations people face on an everyday basis. What's the sort of big things that you're really hoping to see come out of this?

What do you believe or what do you hope that the program Gram can shed light on and perhaps change attitudes or greater inform the general public about the sort of things that First Nations people face on an everyday basis. What's the sort of big things that you're really hoping to see come out of this?

Firstly, I want to see people enjoy the series. Aboriginal. Torres Strait Islander cultures are storytelling cultures, and first and foremost, I want people just to enjoy the narrative and enjoy the story. And although there are some very, very serious moments through there, there are some very, very funny moments. So I want people to be entertained. But what I want them to take away beyond the entertainment, is an understanding of what indigenous people face in this country when they are accessing services through healthcare systems. And I also want people to understand that we have incredible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the system working hard, delivering these services with genuine thought and genuine care, and we're often supported by incredible non-Indigenous colleagues, and it can be very easy to be drawn down a negative narrative in the indigenous health space. But I want people to take away that there are lots of good things happening. There are lots of positives. And I think in the longer term, we have a bright future and something to look forward to with regard to improving our health stats, but also doing it in a way that respects and treasures indigenous cultures in this country.

Firstly, I want to see people enjoy the series. Aboriginal. Torres Strait Islander cultures are storytelling cultures, and first and foremost, I want people just to enjoy the narrative and enjoy the story. And although there are some very, very serious moments through there, there are some very, very funny moments. So I want people to be entertained. But what I want them to take away beyond the entertainment, is an understanding of what indigenous people face in this country when they are accessing services through healthcare systems. And I also want people to understand that we have incredible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the system working hard, delivering these services with genuine thought and genuine care, and we're often supported by incredible non-Indigenous colleagues, and it can be very easy to be drawn down a negative narrative in the indigenous health space. But I want people to take away that there are lots of good things happening. There are lots of positives. And I think in the longer term, we have a bright future and something to look forward to with regard to improving our health stats, but also doing it in a way that respects and treasures indigenous cultures in this country.

I've been speaking today with Associate Professor Chris Baker, ophthalmologist and community outreach specialist, including but certainly not limited to, his work with the Deadly Eye Clinic in Darwin, also part of the six part Our Medicine series on SBS and NITV. Chris, thank you so much for your time today. It was a pleasure to catch up with you and chat about all your work and your involvement with our medicine.

I've been speaking today with Associate Professor Chris Baker, ophthalmologist and community outreach specialist, including but certainly not limited to, his work with the Deadly Eye Clinic in Darwin, also part of the six part Our Medicine series on SBS and NITV. Chris, thank you so much for your time today. It was a pleasure to catch up with you and chat about all your work and your involvement with our medicine.

Thanks so much for having me on.

Thanks so much for having me on.