Sydney Lunch - Monday 13th November 2012

This informal event was held for those unable to make it to Melbourne, or interested in the opportunity to discuss Advocacy Health Alliances with other professionals, and three of the Symposium guest speakers, Dr Edward Paul, Elizabeth Tobin-Tyler and Pascoe Pleasence

Pascoe Pleasence set the scene by placing medical legal partnerships into the context of the legal needs survey and research both here and internationally, which clearly demonstrates the need for this type of collaborative approach.     

Elizabeth Tobin-Tyler explained that a key element of the medical legal partnership model is educating health care providers to recognise the social determinants of health and when referral to a lawyer might help address these.  Social determinants of health can include: housing, finances, discrimination and family violence.  Screening tools have been developed (I-HELP) for use in medical legal partnerships to help doctors identify these issues by asking straight forward questions about income, housing and utilities, immigration status, personal and family stability and safety.   

Dr Edward Paul explained that we need to move beyond the perception of doctor lawyer relationships being about medical negligence and recognise how we can work together.  He spoke about attending the National Conference of Medical Legal Partnerships in San Antonio Texas earlier this year where about half of those attending were legal professionals and the other half health care professionals. He also spoke about the role of "champions" in bringing partnerships together.  

Conversations went on for some time after the scheduled finished time. The event was well received, and now, the Advocacy-Health Alliance moves on to Melbourne!

This event was kindly hosted by Legal Aid NSW