Culturally Secure Health Services: Cultural Safety Training

In 2007, the Aboriginal Health Council of WA entered into a contract with the Department of Health and Ageing to undertake a systematic revision and expansion of the Cultural Safety Training (CST) materials that were developed by AHCWA in 2005.

The CST project acknowledges the importance and necessity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people having control of their intellectual and cultural property. As cultural caretakers, they have the right to negotiate the management of their cultural and intellectual property. The project relies heavily on the cultural and intellectual property of Indigenous people to facilitate the workshops, to develop rapport with participants, to ensure the head → heart → hands learning model is applied and to achieve the learning outcomes.

AHCWA secured a new contract from Department of Health and Ageing to continue the Cultural Safety Training project in 2008/2009 with capacity to develop State and Territory based plans for governance, localisation and delivery of the training package, as well as other initiatives.

The national ‘test driving’ of a GP focused Cultural Safety Training Program was completed in April 2008. Funded by the Department of Health and Ageing and the OATSIH, and supported by the RACGP, the program is now available for delivery by affiliates across Australia. It can be adapted across professions, such as nurses, which not only increases its application and impact on the Aboriginal Health Sector, but maximise outputs from funding.

National Reference Group workshops were held in Perth and Winunnga Nimmityjah Canberra, while two CST Workshops for GPs were conducted in Sydney and Perth.

The RACGP Quality Assurance and Continuing Professional Development Program (QA&CPD) approved modules as and Active Learning Module (ALM), which now accrues 40 Category One points (valid until 2010).

Funding for CST was secured for 2008/2009 and a National Coordinator was appointed. Promotional activities were conducted at the Prison Health Symposium 2008 in Perth, the RANZCOG Indigenous Women’s Health Conference 2008 in Darwin and the GPET Cultural Educators Conference in Wollongong. Other activities included delivery of CST at AIDA Symposium 2008 Darwin, a speaking engagement at WONCA 2008 Melbourne, development of CST branding, engagement with NACCHO CEO Network Meeting Sydney 2008 and delivery of CST Workshop to Nurses in Perth.

The next 12 months will build on these initiatives, including securing funding for 2009/10, developing State and Territory based plans with Affiliates, developing a CST project officer JDF, national CST Facilitator Training and workshops as well as development of a CST website with password protected log-in, forums, mechanism for updating information and provide collegial support for CST facilitators.

Please visit the Cultural Safety Training Website