Patient Preceptors
Supporting the Renal Journey with Cultural Expertise
At Purple House, we’re proud to have a dedicated team of Patient Preceptors – Indigenous leaders who guide dialysis patients and their families through the challenges of kidney disease. Their unique lived experience makes them essential advocates, educators, and intercultural communicators, bridging the gap between Aboriginal communities and mainstream health services.
Guided by Core Principles
The work of our Patient Preceptors is guided by the following principles:
1 Lived Experience: A Patient Preceptor is an Indigenous person who has lived experience of the renal disease journey and can provide expert advice and reassurance to patients and families.
2 Passion for Helping: Preceptors have a passion for helping their people, supporting, educating and mentoring Indigenous individuals, families and communities to undertake the renal disease journey with knowledge, empowerment, dignity and hope.
3 Advocacy: Preceptors have a commitment to improving the renal health care system through advocacy.
4 Cultural Expertise: Preceptors are skilled intercultural communicators, able to work both ways and assist both Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people to communicate effectively and to develop and manage relationships which assist in high quality culturally appropriate renal care.
“No matter where they come from, we help them. It’s more than doctors and nurses – it’s so much more than that. We try and exchange culture”
An Innovative Approach to Care
Patient Preceptors were first introduced at Panuku, our Top End base in Darwin, to support patients accessing services in the region. This innovative program has since expanded to include preceptors in Central Australia, leaving a lasting impact on communities. Their work ensures that dialysis care is not only high quality but also culturally safe, achieving this by:
- Providing expert advice, reassurance, and education to patients, families and communities.
- Support health professionals by educating them on cultural safety and advocating for Aboriginal patients’ needs.
- Serve as skilled intercultural communicators, fostering mutual understanding and collaboration between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
- Advocate for improved renal health care systems to deliver more effective and culturally appropriate services.
A Roadmap for Renal Care Advocacy
In 2019, our Patient Preceptors published a groundbreaking report, “Our Work is for Our People,” at the Share a Tale Conference in Alice Springs. Supported by the Northern Territory Government through an Aboriginal Workforce Development grant, the report provides a roadmap for the role of Patient Preceptors and guidance for new patients navigating the health system.
Changing Lives, One Journey at a Time
Patient Preceptors are reshaping the way renal care is delivered, ensuring patients feel supported, heard, and respected. Their approach goes beyond medical care – it’s about exchanging culture, fostering understanding, and creating meaningful connections.
“That’s how we work, me and my crew up here. We talk about how we respect every community, their culture, their law, their language. Everything. Not telling them what to do but to hear first. Then see what we can do… Hard to put all medical words in language.”
Get Involved or Learn More
Contact us to learn more about the vital role of Patient Preceptors and how you can support their mission.