This principle aims to:
“ I, as one Aboriginal person, can’t be expected to speak on behalf of all Aboriginal people. If I am the only Aboriginal person on a Committee, this isn’t culturally safe.” ACCHO CEO, Community Controlled Organisation
“ I, as one Aboriginal person, can’t be expected to speak on behalf of all Aboriginal people. If I am the only Aboriginal person on a Committee, this isn’t culturally safe.”
To embed the concepts of self-determination and shared decision-making into NSW Health governance structures, Aboriginal people need to be embedded into decision-making processes and governance structures that impact Aboriginal people in NSW Health.
For this principle to be effectively implemented, it is critical that:
This principle does not mean that non-Aboriginal people are not responsible for Aboriginal health. The risk in the implementation of this principle is that Aboriginal people, particularly Aboriginal NSW Health staff, have an increased cultural load. This is the invisible workload employers knowingly or unknowingly place on Aboriginal employees to provide cultural knowledge, education and support without any formal alteration to their workload12.
Rather, this principle focuses on transforming NSW Health systems to empower and enable Aboriginal people to work in partnership with non-Aboriginal NSW Health staff. Non-Aboriginal NSW Health leaders at each level of decision making and governance should work with Aboriginal stakeholders to listen to how they would like to participate in shared decision making to ensure that their cultural load isn’t increased, is acknowledged and that their voice and leadership is heard, amplified and valued to ensure that NSW Health services and programs are culturally safe, responsive and improve outcomes for Aboriginal people.
NSW Health systems, processes and governance structures embed multiple Aboriginal voices at each level of decision making and governance, to ensure that Aboriginal people participate in shared decision making for decisions that impact Aboriginal people. NSW Health systems are transformed to recognise Aboriginal people as equal partners, without increasing the cultural load for Aboriginal people.
There is a standardised section for NSW Health Terms of References for the role and responsibility of identified Aboriginal positions on committees to ensure they are culturally safe and facilitate shared decision making.
“ Having Aboriginal people on [LHD/ SHN] Boards is critical, so that there are Aboriginal voices at the top [of governance structures].” ACCHO staff member
“ Having Aboriginal people on [LHD/ SHN] Boards is critical, so that there are Aboriginal voices at the top [of governance structures].”
“ Aboriginal people should be making decisions for Aboriginal people.” AHP, NSW Health, metro consultation
“ Aboriginal people should be making decisions for Aboriginal people.”
Patient, carer, family and community
Program, ward and service management
Hospital and health facility
LHD/SHN management
NSW Health system management