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About us

Background
Contacting Multicultural Communication
Multicultural Communication Staff
Management
Multilingual Information Committee

Background

The NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service was established in 1997 as a result of NSW Health's Plan "Health Services for a Culturally Diverse Society" (1995). The plan identified the need for the development of a co-ordinated statewide approach to provide information about health issues and health services to people who speak languages other than English.

Current Strategic Plan

Strategic Service Plan 2007 to 2010

Contacting Multicultural Communication

Our office is located at:
Gladesville Hospital
Building 11
Victoria Road
Gladesville NSW 2111
Australia

Our postal address is:
NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service
Locked Mail Bag No. 5003,
Gladesville NSW 2111

Australia

Phone: 02 9816 0347
Fax: 02 9816 0302
Email: mhcs@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Multicultural Communication Staff

Mr Peter Todaro
Director

Peter.Todaro@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Mr Michael Camit
Manager Communication and Social Marketing

Michael.Camit@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Mr Rajan Manickarajah
System Manager
Rajan.Manickarajah@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Ms Cecilia George
Administrative Officer (P/T)

Cecilia.George@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Ms Jesusa Liwanag-Helaratne
Project Officer

Jesusa. Liwanag-Helaratne@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Ms Germana Morassi
Project Officer
Germana.Morassi@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Mr Bevan Wilson
Project Officer

Bevan.Wilson@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Management

The Manager of the Service is supported by a Management Steering Committee whose composition reflects the statewide focus of the Service.

Composition:

The Committee will be comprised of:

One representative from South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service
One representative from NSW Health, Corporate Communications
One representative from NSW Health, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Advancement
One representative from NSW Health, Multicultural Health
Two representatives from Area Multicultural Health, one urban and one rural
One representative from Area Health Promotion

The role of the Committee will be to:

Provide advice to the Service on issues where the Manager seeks advice
Provide advice on the development and content of the Service's Strategic and Business Plan
Monitor the progress of the Service's Strategic and Business Plans
Provide a conduit back to the representatives' respective organisations
Lobby on behalf of the Service with the representatives' respective organisations when it is necessary

The Committee will meet every three months on the fourth Friday of the month.

The members of the Committee are:

Ms Kim Olesen (Chair)
Area DON and Midwifery SESIAHS

Mr Peter Todaro
Director, NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service

Ms Cathy Butler
Area Manager, Multicultural Health, NSCCAHS

Ms Kristen Hazelwood
Diabetes Educator Diabetes Australia-NSW

Mr Michael Kakakios
Policy Manager, Health Services Policy Branch NSW Health Department

Manager, Web and Publishing Services Media and Communications

Dr Stephen Li
Director of Core Pathology and Clinical chemistry ICPMR Level 2

Mr Michael Moore
Central Sydney Division of GP

Dr Chris Rissell
Director, Health Promotion Central Sydney AHS

Ms Violet Roumeliotis
Coordinator Canterbury/Bankstown MRC

Multilingual Information Committee

Role

To advise and support Multicultural Communication to identify, develop and distribute multilingual resources in appropriate languages.

Reports to

Management Steering Committee

Goals

To ensure that Culturally and Linguistic Diverse Background (CALDB) Communities have access to quality health information/resources in languages other than English.
To ensure health workers in NSW have access to information/resources relevant to their multilingual costumers.

Meetings

Core group to meet every 3 months
New members to be approached to ensure reasonable across-Area representation

Membership of the MIC Committee

Maria Stephanou
Manager Health Care Interpreter Service, Central Sydney Area Health Service

Dr Stephen Li
Director of Core Pathology and Clinical Chemistry

Angela Manson
Manager Multicultural Health, Central Sydney Area Health Service

Olya Vilshanskaya
Health Promotion, South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service

Anita Echevarria
Community Development Worker, Multicultural Health Service, Northern Sydney Area Health Service

Nidia Marneros
A/Strategic Communications Officer, Corporate Communications,NSW Health

Activities of the Committee

Identifying priorities and key issues for developing new multilingual health resources.
Identify specific health workers for MHCS to consult with.
Advise on 'gaps' in the range of available multilingual health resources.
Keep MHCS informed of Area Health Service initiatives, developments and needs relevant to multilingual health resources.
Advise on policy and procedures of MHCS in its liaison with Areas.
Identify issues and opportunities for research in multilingual communication.