Activity 6: Building capacity

The third practice principle is to provide information or training to all personnel to enable the provision of culturally safe palliative care to Aboriginal peoples. [1]

Consider the following:

• all health care staff, including non direct care workers, should complete cultural safety training [1]
• non-Indigenous Australians must increase their knowledge and understanding of the correlation between historical events, political agendas, economics and ill health
• building workplace relationships and partnerships with Aboriginal Health workers/ indigenous liaison officers to enhance the practical knowledge of staff in regards to providing culturally safe care [2]
• sourcing culturally appropriate education materials
• the Centre for Cultural Competence Australia (www.ccca.com.au/) provides training and development to individuals and organisations in the field of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Competence
• closing the gap in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is currently a key priority within Australia. [3]

Thinking points

REFERENCES

1. Commonwealth of Australia. (2004). Providing culturally appropriate palliative care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples: Resource Kit. Retrieved 9 December 2011, from www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/palliativecare-pubs-indig-resource.htm

2. Queensland Government. (2011). Sad news, sorry business. Guidelines for caring for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through death and dying. Retrieved 9 December 2011, from www.health.qld.gov.au/atsihealth/documents/sorry_business.pdf

3. Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. (2011). Closing the gap. Retrieved 9 December 2011, from www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/closing-the-gap