Earbus Foundation of Western Australia [EFWA] is a multi-award winning charity established in 2013 to reduce the incidence and impact of Otitis media [OM] or middle ear disease on Aboriginal and at-risk children. EFWA is an ethical, low fixed-operating cost organisation chaired by Kariyarra Elder, Sue Beath. Patrons are Prof. Harvey Coates AO and Wendy Duncan.

EFWA’s mission is to reduce the incidence of OM in Indigenous and at-risk children below the World Health Organisation benchmark of 4% on the way to achieving parity in ear health for Aboriginal children. In 2021, 6 of the 9 programs we delivered recorded rates of chronic ear disease below the WHO 4% benchmark; overall the rate of chronic ear disease was 3.5%, which is, we believe, due to the unique delivery program model co-designed by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people. The innovative Earbus Outreach Program model has critical design elements that differentiate this intervention from previous linear approaches.

In 2021, EFWA clinicians provided 21,331 occasions of care across WA. In total, more than 13,000 children received ear health services from the Foundation, including 4,908 Aboriginal children in communities, making EFWA a leading provider in Australia in terms of reach and client throughput. Our programs are delivered in collaboration with education and health partners to more than 100 sites across 7 regions in WA, an area the size of Western Europe. EFWA also delivers Newborn Hearing Screening in private maternity hospitals in WA on behalf of the WA Government.

EFWA’s core values are to be Open and Honest, Loyal and Supportive and Brilliant. These values, which underpin EFWA’s core operating principles, derive from research into what distinguishes ‘great’ organisations from merely ‘good’ organisations. Subsequently, these principles, along with EFWA’s core values, are at the forefront of EFWA’s business planning, employment strategy and program execution.

Ear disease is a disease of poverty; caused by social determinants that include overcrowded housing, poor nutrition, low levels of hygiene, lack of sanitation, infection control, poor access to primary care and more. With a gap in service provision to Aboriginal populations across regional and remote WA, EFWA developed an Outreach Program in consultation with communities to specifically deal with the entrenched and intractable issue of Aboriginal children’s poor ear health. No previous program could demonstrate measurable improvement in hearing for these children.

EFWA triages, treats and manages the ear health of Aboriginal and at-risk children, visiting most regions 10 times a year. The intractable pathology of middle ear disease is such that regular treatment with ongoing management and continuity of care is integral to improving outcomes. Traveling with a GP, Nurse, Audiologist, Data Entry Officer and ENT, EFWA is a ‘one stop shop’ for ear health. EFWA has strong data capture methodologies and service provision is determined by rigorous, regular examination of a range of clinical data. This approach allows for targeted program delivery to sites of most need.

EFWA’s long term goal is improved ear healthcare outcomes with a genuinely sustainable model in place. EFWA can provide opportunities to local health providers to learn about ear health, with learning aligned to the recommendations of the nationally-endorsed Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Pacific Islander Ear Health Manual (key authors include EFWA Patron Prof. Harvey Coates AO, EFWA Director of Clinical Services Lara Shur and EFWA Audiologist Dr Rachel Meddings).

EFWA has been able to demonstrate actual, measurable change in the incidence, impact and trajectory of middle ear disease via an innovative service model and passionate commitment to making real change. This is evidenced by our success in reducing the rates of middle ear disease below WHO benchmarks and the awards we have received locally and nationally.

Middle ear disease is an insidious, underestimated and under-treated condition that can affect every aspect of early childhood development in Indigenous children. It creates lifelong barriers that prevent these children from taking their full and rightful part in Australian society. The EFWA design tackles ear disease holistically, closely aligning with traditional Aboriginal perspectives on health and, in addition to EFWA’s work on the ground, CEO and co-founder Paul Higginbotham is a persistent advocate for Aboriginal health and education and regularly lobbies politicians at the highest level to ensure awareness of this dire and entirely preventable situation is acknowledged and addressed across the nation.

For more information on Earbus Foundation of Western Australia, visit earbus.org.au