Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives will be central to regulatory decisions regarding medical practitioners, nurses and midwives where Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples are involved.

This comes as a part of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and the National Boards’ strategic plan to eliminate racism from healthcare.

Under these new changes, a minimum of two Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives will make decisions about matters concerning culturally safe health care and racism in line with the relevant legislation.

The National Scheme’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Cultural Safety Strategy was rolled out to transform the health care system to be free of racism; through addressing discriminatory policies and practices that exist, instituting culturally safe care.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are disproportionately affected by negative health outcomes so it’s imperative that there is free and easily accessible healthcare from experienced staff, free from racism. This change aims to reduce the barriers to care and will be vital to ensuring appropriate medical attention is provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custody. .

Ahpra and National Boards have said they will continue to work closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health leaders to implement the five-year strategy, which has seen the organisation’s Culturally Safe Notifications Working Group lead reform in the way notifications involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will be considered.

Aphra is actively working to increase the number of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples on the National Boards and committees, and has also publicly committed to “ensuring that cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples receiving healthcare is the norm but, as an agency, acknowledges that it still has much to learn, change and to take action on.”

Additionally, the strategic plan has:

• delivered mandatory cultural safety training to 1,596 Ahpra staff, Board and committee members; and
• seen the adoption of consistency for cultural safety in the codes of conduct across all health professions;

The NSWNMA supports Ahpra and National Board’s strategic plan to eliminate racism in healthcare and is also committed to improving cultural safety across the healthcare industry.

The artwork and artist

Our Health
Building culturally safe healthcare together and empowering the community to have access to equitable, culturally safe healthcare that is free from racism. Greater self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to ensure community enjoy a health life enriched by strong living culture, dignity and justice.

By Keisha Thomason
Keisha Thomason is an Aboriginal Graphic Designer and Artist. Keisha is a proud Waanyi/Kalkadoon (Mount Isa, Queensland) and Chinese woman. Her artwork style is contemporary, influenced by her culture, identity and the modern world.