Shaping our cultural future

Our cultural future is shaped by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who work with us and who use our services. We work in partnership with First Nations people, communities and organisations to design, create and deliver services that focus on the physical, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual wellbeing of regional communities.

First Nations staff are empowered to support their communities to access culturally safe and respectful health services, helping to address service mistrust and working to close the gap in life expectancy and healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Cultural Safety Governance Committee

Our internal Cultural Safety Governance Committee – established in 2023 – has strong representation from First Nations staff across our footprint, and all members are integral in developing and implementing our Cultural Safety Framework. This committee keeps us accountable, making sure that actions taken are culturally sensitive, appropriate and reflect the views, perspectives and expectations of First Nations staff – and will help to drive individual strategies and actions to ensure that the Framework is effectively embedded into our practice.

Looking to the future, the Committee will continue to monitor and evaluate everything we’re doing to create a culturally safe environment for First Nations people – further strengthening our commitment to closing the gap.

Cultural Capability Lead

Our Cultural Capability Lead, appointed in early 2024, supports a collaborative approach to growing partnerships in the communities in which we work. The role is integral in providing First Nations voice, advice and expertise to the delivery and implementation of our Framework, and works with various internal and external stakeholders to: 

• Better understand our programs and potential opportunities for working and partnering with communities.  

• Review current and new policies and procedures to assess cultural impact and to strengthen cultural inclusion. 

Connecting our First Nations staff

In 2023, we held our inaugural ‘Shaping our Cultural Future’ workshop for all First Nations staff – to have their voices heard, share ideas and shape our culturally safe future. First Nations staff were invited to provide direct input into our Cultural Safety Framework, to ensure it was relevant and meaningful. 

Following the overwhelming success of this workshop, and the positive feedback from First Nations staff across our footprint, annual workshops have now been established. 

Our second workshop, Ngumbaaydyil, was held in March 2024 – with a focus on how First Nations staff feel the framework has been imbedded into our practice as well as providing an opportunity for staff to share what they are doing across the business. 

The framework provides the guiding principles that underpin the development of our Engagement Strategy, Reconciliation Plan and First Nation Workforce Plan, while ensuring we meet the required Cultural Safety Quality Assurance Standards. We focus on the importance of Connection to Culture, Connection to Country and Connection to Community:

• Understanding that First Nations cultures exist and thrive in a wide range of communities throughout Australia.
• Appreciating Country and how it’s a living environment that sustains, and is sustained by, people and culture.
• Finally, recognising that each Community that we live in and work with is different and unique.

We are committed to a collective journey to empower First Nations people to live healthy and prosperous lives.

Pathways for First Nations employment and opportunities

Across our organisation, First Nations staff have their own lived experience, cultural knowledge, skills and expertise. We embrace these differences and – combined with cultural immersion training, cultural and community service leave and professional development opportunities – work to ensure employment and upskilling opportunities for First Nations peoples is readily available.

Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)

Our vision for reconciliation is grounded in the belief that First Nations people should have access to quality, safe health care. We are committed to building and strengthening our community relationships, and to improving the health, social and economic outcomes for First Nations people.

Our second Innovate RAP, launched in August 2024, will guide our reconciliation journey over the next two years. Its implementation will be overseen by our Cultural Governance Safety Committee.