industry & reform
Breaking the chains
A
What can
healthcare
organisations
do to identify
and help stop
modern slavery?
Lisa McDonald
interviewed by
Dallas Bastian
health and aged care provider is tackling
Australia’s role in human trafficking head on.
St Vincent’s Health Australia (SVHA) has
joined forces with anti-human trafficking group the
Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in
Humans (ACRATH) to change the way hospitals treat
trafficked people.
The Human Trafficking Project will look at how
trafficked people can be identified and how to ensure
they receive the necessary treatment, support,
referrals and access to services.
SVHA will also work to ensure the goods and
services it procures are slavery-free.
A recent report by the Australian Nursing and
Midwifery Federation and the Australia Institute stated
there are high levels of exploitation and human rights
abuses among low-wage workers involved in the
overseas production of everyday medical goods used
by Australians.
The report said mounting evidence shows that the
production of goods in Australian healthcare settings
is tainted by hazardous working conditions, labour
exploitation, child labour and other abuses.
ACRATH’s executive officer Christine Carolan said
work to address this issue has begun through the
development of new supply chain policies for SVHA’s
procurement department.
“Slavery-proofing supply chains also extends to the
employment of people providing services,” Carolan
said. “One example would be ensuring all staff
6 | nursingreview.com.au
working for third party cleaning contractors engaged
by St Vincent’s are employed under Australian
labour regulations.”
SVHA group mission leader Lisa McDonald
said most people who find themselves trapped in
modern-day slavery attend a hospital at some point.
“In healthcare, we have a unique window of
opportunity to not only address their healthcare
needs, but to invite an organisational response in a
way