Action 1.02 states
The governing body ensures that the organisation’s safety and quality priorities address the specific health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Intent
The health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are identified in partnership with local communities, and improvement actions are supported by the governing body.
Reflective questions
What information from the organisation’s performance, external sources, and the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community does the governing body use to identify and prioritise the specific health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients?
How are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples involved in the governance of the organisation?
Key tasks
- Establish partnerships with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to identify priority health needs and any barriers to accessing health services.
- Endorse priorities and identified targets, and have mechanisms in place to review strategies to improve the safety and quality of health care.
- Routinely review progress against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander safety and quality improvement strategies.
- Collect relevant data to inform planning and future decision making relating to service development.
Strategies for improvement
Hospitals
Setting organisational goals to consider the specific health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can focus the whole organisation on the elements of care that need to be provided.
The governing body and management should review the demographic profile of the patient population, and consider the health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who use their services. This will help to inform their decisions on which strategies might be used to best meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and consumers.
To understand the safety and quality issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the priorities for improving care, the governing body may need to:
- Consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health service providers and communities with established referral processes
- Review information on the number and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients using the health service
- Review performance data relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, such as discharges against medical advice or unplanned readmissions within 28 days; these data may also include information on neonatal birth weight, or records of participation in chronic care and other programs
- Review feedback, outcome data, incidents and complaints to identify potential barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in using the organisation’s services
- Review workforce indicators such as the proportion of the workforce who identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, as well as the effectiveness and coverage of cultural competency training for the workforce
- Discuss the safety and quality issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with the workforce, especially members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers or community representatives
- Review the scope and effectiveness of strategies in place to improve care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Review the appropriateness and effectiveness of models of care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The governing body should review how this information is incorporated into organisational strategies to improve the care and experience for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and consumers, and receive routine reports on the implementation of these strategies.
Further strategies are available in
Day Procedure Services
This action applies to day procedure services that commonly provide care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These services should refer to the advice for hospitals and the for detailed implementation strategies and examples of evidence for this action.
Day procedure services that rarely provide care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, or when the risk of harm for these patients is the same as for the general patient population, should manage the specific risk of harm, and provide safe and high-quality care for these patients through the safety and quality improvement systems that relate to their whole patient population.
Day procedure services need to implement strategies to improve the cultural awareness and cultural competency of the workforce under Action 1.21, and identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients under Action 5.8.
MPS & Small Hospitals
The governing body of MPSs or small hospitals that are part of a local health network or private hospital group will be responsible for setting safety and quality priorities to cover the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who use the organisation’s services.
The governing body of small hospitals that are not part of a local health network or private hospital group will need to set organisational goals to cover the specific health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and focus the whole organisation on the elements of care that need to be provided.
The governing body and management should review the demographic profile of the patient population, and consider the health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who use their services. This will help to inform their decisions on which strategies might be used to best meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and consumers.
To understand the safety and quality issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the priorities for improving care, the governing body may need to:
- Consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health service providers and communities with established referral processes
- Review information on the number and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients using the health service
- Review performance data relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, such as discharges against medical advice or unplanned readmissions within 28 days; these data may also include information on neonatal birth weight, or records of participation in chronic care and other programs
- Review feedback, outcome data, incidents and complaints to identify potential barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in using the organisation’s services
- Review workforce indicators such as the proportion of the workforce who identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, as well as the effectiveness and coverage of cultural competency training for the workforce
- Endorse priorities and identified targets, and have mechanisms in place to review strategies to improve the safety and quality of health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Routinely review progress against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander safety and quality improvement strategies
- Review relevant internal and external data to inform planning and future decision-making relating to service development.
The governing body should review how this information is incorporated into organisational strategies to improve the care and experience for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and consumers, and receive routine reports on the implementation of these strategies.
Further strategies are available in the
Hospitals
Setting organisational goals to consider the specific health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can focus the whole organisation on the elements of care that need to be provided.
The governing body and management should review the demographic profile of the patient population, and consider the health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who use their services. This will help to inform their decisions on which strategies might be used to best meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and consumers.
To understand the safety and quality issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the priorities for improving care, the governing body may need to:
- Consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health service providers and communities with established referral processes
- Review information on the number and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients using the health service
- Review performance data relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, such as discharges against medical advice or unplanned readmissions within 28 days; these data may also include information on neonatal birth weight, or records of participation in chronic care and other programs
- Review feedback, outcome data, incidents and complaints to identify potential barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in using the organisation’s services
- Review workforce indicators such as the proportion of the workforce who identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, as well as the effectiveness and coverage of cultural competency training for the workforce
- Discuss the safety and quality issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with the workforce, especially members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers or community representatives
- Review the scope and effectiveness of strategies in place to improve care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Review the appropriateness and effectiveness of models of care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The governing body should review how this information is incorporated into organisational strategies to improve the care and experience for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and consumers, and receive routine reports on the implementation of these strategies.
Further strategies are available in
Day Procedure Services
This action applies to day procedure services that commonly provide care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These services should refer to the advice for hospitals and the for detailed implementation strategies and examples of evidence for this action.
Day procedure services that rarely provide care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, or when the risk of harm for these patients is the same as for the general patient population, should manage the specific risk of harm, and provide safe and high-quality care for these patients through the safety and quality improvement systems that relate to their whole patient population.
Day procedure services need to implement strategies to improve the cultural awareness and cultural competency of the workforce under Action 1.21, and identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients under Action 5.8.
MPS & Small Hospitals
The governing body of MPSs or small hospitals that are part of a local health network or private hospital group will be responsible for setting safety and quality priorities to cover the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who use the organisation’s services.
The governing body of small hospitals that are not part of a local health network or private hospital group will need to set organisational goals to cover the specific health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and focus the whole organisation on the elements of care that need to be provided.
The governing body and management should review the demographic profile of the patient population, and consider the health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who use their services. This will help to inform their decisions on which strategies might be used to best meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and consumers.
To understand the safety and quality issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the priorities for improving care, the governing body may need to:
- Consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health service providers and communities with established referral processes
- Review information on the number and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients using the health service
- Review performance data relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, such as discharges against medical advice or unplanned readmissions within 28 days; these data may also include information on neonatal birth weight, or records of participation in chronic care and other programs
- Review feedback, outcome data, incidents and complaints to identify potential barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in using the organisation’s services
- Review workforce indicators such as the proportion of the workforce who identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, as well as the effectiveness and coverage of cultural competency training for the workforce
- Endorse priorities and identified targets, and have mechanisms in place to review strategies to improve the safety and quality of health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Routinely review progress against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander safety and quality improvement strategies
- Review relevant internal and external data to inform planning and future decision-making relating to service development.
The governing body should review how this information is incorporated into organisational strategies to improve the care and experience for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and consumers, and receive routine reports on the implementation of these strategies.
Further strategies are available in the