Acknowledgement of Country
Mercy Health acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present.
Our commitment
We are committed to Closing the Gap and improving health outcomes and workplace experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Across Mercy Hospital for Women and Werribee Mercy Hospital, our Aboriginal Programs provide culturally safe support and advocacy for patients, families, and community—and we carry that same commitment into our workplaces for First Nations staff.
Download
- Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) (PDF)
- Aboriginal Employment Plan (PDF)
Applying to work with us
We strongly encourage First Nations people to apply for any role at Mercy Health. In addition, some roles are Aboriginal identified positions (under special measures) to foster cultural safety and representation—these opportunities are open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates in line with section 12(1) of the Equal Opportunity Act (Vic).
Current opportunities: Explore Mercy Health jobs and filter for First Nations identified roles.
Entry pathways & career programs
We offer several entry points tailored for First Nations candidates:
- Graduate & Early Career Programs
Structured programs with orientation, professional development days, clinical supervision and reflective practice (e.g., Graduate Mental Health Nurse Program), building specialty skills in supportive teams across Mercy sites.
- Direct employment
We regularly recruit to clinical and nonclinical roles including Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer (AHLO) positions at Werribee Mercy Hospital—dedicated roles that embed cultural safety and advocacy in patient care.
How we support First Nations employees
Mercy Health aspires to be an Aboriginal talent employer of choice. Here are some of the ways we support this (from your brief):
- Partnership with Catholic Health Australia, enabling mentoring and professional development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.
- Joint project with the University of Melbourne on Replanting the Birthing Trees (an Aboriginal led initiative designed to create culturally safe, trauma informed care for families in the first 2,000 days of life; Mercy Hospital for Women is an implementing site partner).
- Cultural Safety Training for all staff.
- Organisational focus on domestic and family violence and supporting First Nations families.
- Commitment to equity and inclusion, including the work of our recent and ongoing committees in this space.
In our hospitals
- Werribee Mercy Hospital’s Aboriginal Programs space, Weelamik Murrup Dornong (“My home, life, heart” in local languages), provides a safe, welcoming environment for patients, families, staff and community.
Hear from our people
Stories of impact from Mercy Health colleagues and care:
- Jake’s journey – AHLO at Werribee Mercy Hospital: Supporting Aboriginal health through cultural advocacy and early engagement. Link here
- Ifzah’s role – AHLO at Werribee Mercy Hospital: Patient centred care, culturally safe support and continuity beyond discharge. Link here
- Samantha’s journey – AHLO at Werribee Mercy Hospital: Healing intergenerational trauma and partnering with families for safer care. Link here
- Smoking ceremony at Gabrielle Jennings Centre: What responsive, respectful, patient centred care looks like organised within hours to honour a patient’s cultural practice and final wishes. Link here
Our RAP and Aboriginal Employment Plan
We publish our RAP and Aboriginal Employment Plan to be transparent about our actions and targets. The Employment Plan outlines initiatives to increase participation, build cultural capability and ensure supportive environments for First Nations staff. (Link our final PDFs here)
Ways we support applicants
From the moment you apply, we aim to provide a positive, culturally safe experience—including interview support, flexibility around significant cultural dates and collaboration with our Aboriginal Programs team. (For reference on best practice layout and content approach, see FWO’s First Nations careers guidance.)
Contact & support
If you’d like to talk with us before you apply or want culturally safe guidance through the process, connect with our Aboriginal Programs team:
- Aboriginal Programs (Werribee Mercy Hospital) – AHLO (fulltime): (03) 9216 8982; AHLO (part time): (03) 8754 6736; Aboriginal Women’s and Children’s Liaison: (03) 8754 6748.
- Aboriginal Programs (Mercy Hospital for Women) – AHLO (fulltime): (03) 8458 4398; AHLO (part time): (03) 8458 4392; Aboriginal Postnatal Engagement Officer: (03) 8458 4197.
Related information
- Aboriginal Programs – Mercy Health (patient and family support, locations and services).
- Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer (AHLO) – Werribee Mercy Hospital (service overview and Weelamik Murrup Dornong space).