The recent College of Intensive Care Medicine’s (CICM) groundbreaking rural conference ‘Together Outback: Hearing the Outback Voices in Healthcare’ highlighted a critical yet often overlooked aspect of healthcare; the experiences of patients and clinicians from the outback. The event shifted the focus of Intensive Care medicine to the unique challenges and perspectives of healthcare providers in remote and rural areas of Australia.

The conference featured the remote in critical care for those that live and work together in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and the Central desert whilst celebrating the teamwork that underpins rural medicine. The audience was challenged to listen from a different perspective, one where the considerations of the patient and the environment were elevated. There was a celebration of the understandings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors and peoples, including how their perceptions are so important in navigating health care needs.

Sessions promoted examples of how approaches and understandings developed in Alice Springs have changed the way of looking after pancreatitis and dosing antibiotics in sepsis. There was emphasis on the art of listening, particularly listening to the patients, the environment and to the elders. The elders, many of whom have now passed away, asked health services for their voice to be heard and to allow their voices to inform practices and approaches.

One of the panel discussion highlights included Flinders University academic Dr Jean Pepperill, who shared insights on hearing the journey of our patients. Many representatives from local and national institutions that train, work and advocate for First Nations doctors, patients, and health services explored how we can better hear First Nations voices in health care. The distinguished journalist and author Stan Grant moderated sessions and delivered the keynote address sharing personal stories on his career, racism, and his family’s lived experiences.

Dr Penny Stewart, the Medical Director of the Northern Territory Regional Training Hub, CICM NT Board member and conference convenor, ensured that the CICM conference also shed light on the cultural competence required to serve First Nations populations effectively. According to Dr Stewart, “the sessions stressed the importance of incorporating traditional knowledge and practices into modern medical care, fostering a more inclusive and effective healthcare environment. By amplifying these outback voices, the conference underscored the vital role they play in shaping a more equitable healthcare landscape in Australia.”