Building respectful relationships and partnerships

‘Access’ does not just refer to physical access
It also includes:- providing care and services that are culturally safe, where clients and families are free from discrimination and judgement
- affordable health care and services
- making available health information that is both culturally responsive and easily understood.
- communicate respectfully
- have an understanding of First Peoples’ culture
- take time to build good relationships with First Peoples, and
- include Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander health workers as part of the healthcare team (Durey, Thompson & Wood 2011; Shahid, Finn & Thompson, 2009; Taylor et al., 2009).
Your task
What strategies does your workplace implement to support culturally safe communication and better access to health services? Also share ideas of what you think could work well. Use the comments link further below to post your responses.References
Durey, A., Thompson., S.C. (2012) Reducing the health disparities of Indigenous Australians: time to change focus, BMC Health Services Research, vol.12, p.151.Paradise, Y., Harris, R. & Anderson, I. (2008). The impact of Racism on Indigenous Health in Australia and Aotearoa: Towards a Research Agenda. Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health. Discussion Paper Series: No. 4Shahid, S., Finn, L. & Thompson, S.C. (2009) Barriers to participation of Aboriginal people in cancer care: communication in the hospital setting, Medical Journal of Australia, Vol. 190, pp. 574-579.Taylor, K., Thompson, S., Smith, J., Dimer, L., Ali, M. & Wood, M. (2009). Exploring the impact of an Aboriginal health worker on hospitalised Aboriginal experiences: lessons from cardiology, Australian Health Review, 33 (4), 549-557Watson, L. (ND). Lilla: International Women’s Network.Safer Healthcare for Australia's First Peoples

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