Cultural safety in health care for Indigenous Australians: monitoring framework

1.1 - Organisational approach and commitment

i) Organisational commitment to culturally respectful and safe healthcare

Proportion of organisations with a formal commitment to culturally safe health care

1.1.1a

Online Services Report

2017-18

Data item no longer collected in the Online Services Report

1.1 - Organisational approach and commitment

i) Organisational commitment to culturally respectful and safe healthcare

Proportion of organisations with mechanisms for obtaining advice on cultural matters

1.1.1b

Online Services Report

2017-18

Data item no longer collected in the Online Services Report

1.1 - Organisational approach and commitment

ii) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership at Board/Executive level

Proportion of organisations with board members who were Indigenous

1.1.2

Online Services Report

2021-22

Updated

1.2 - Communication and cultural services

i) Culturally appropriate communication resources

Proportion of organisations providing interpreter services

1.2.1

Online Services Report

2017-18

Data item no longer collected in the Online Services Report

1.2 - Communication and cultural services

ii) Offers culturally appropriate services

Proportion of organisation providing cultural services (bush medicine, bush tucker, traditional healing)

1.2.2

Online Services Report

2017-18

Data item no longer collected in the Online Services Report

1.3 - Workforce development and training

i) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in the workforce

Health professionals by profession type

1.3.1a

National Health Workforce Dataset

2021

Updated

1.3 - Workforce development and training

i) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in the workforce

Proportion of full-time employees who are Indigenous in Indigenous primary health care organisations

1.3.1b, 1.3.1c

Online Services Report

2021-22

Updated

1.3 - Workforce development and training

ii) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce development

Rates of higher education student enrolments and completions in health-related courses and success rates

1.3.2a, 1.3.2b

Higher Education Statistics

2021

Updated

1.3 - Workforce development and training

ii) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce development

Vocational education and training health-related course enrolment/completions

1.3.2c, 1.3.2d

NCVER National Vocational Education and Training Provider Collection

2021

Updated

1.3 - Workforce development and training

iii) Cultural safety and responsiveness training for staff

Proportion of organisations that provide cultural orientation for non-Indigenous staff

1.3.3

Online Services Report

2017-18

Data item no longer collected in the Online Services Report

1.4 - Consumer engagement and stakeholder collaboration

i) Client and community feedback mechanisms

Proportion of organisations that had client and community feedback mechanisms

1.4.1

Online Services Report

2017-18

Data item no longer collected in the Online Services Report

1.4 - Consumer engagement and stakeholder collaboration

ii) Consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

Proportion of organisations that had cultural safety policies developed in consultation with communities / Indigenous staff

1.4.2

Online Services Report

2017-18

Data item no longer collected in the Online Services Report

2.1 - Communication

i) Interaction with health professionals

How often doctors listened (carefully)

2.1.1a, 2.1.1b

NATSISS

NATSIHS

2014-15 (NATSISS) 2018-19 (NATSIHS)

NATSISS has been discontinued

NATSIHS is run approximately every 5-6 years

2.1 - Communication

i) Interaction with health professionals

Opportunity to talk to a doctor or nurse

2.1.1c

NSW Adult Admitted Patient Survey

2020

Data item was not collected in the 2021 collection period

2.1 - Communication

i) Interaction with health professionals

Hospital patient experience, received support or offer of support from an Aboriginal Health Worker

2.1.1d

NSW Adult Admitted Patient Survey

2020

Data item was not collected in the 2021 collection period

2.1 - Communication

ii) Information provided in a way that could be understood

How often doctor(s) explained things in a way that could be understood

2.1.2a

NATSIHS

2018-19

No updated data available for 2023 release

2.1 - Communication

ii) Information provided in a way that could be understood

Maternity clinic offered culturally appropriate resources

2.1.2b

Qld Maternity Outpatient Clinic Experience Survey

2017

Survey has been discontinued

2.1 - Communication

iii) Quality of relationship

Overall quality of relationship with doctors, nurses and other medical staff

2.1.3

Australian Reconciliation Barometer

2022

Updated

2.2 - Treated respectfully

i) Respect

How often doctors showed respect for what was said

2.2.1a, 2.2.1b

NATSISS

NATSIHS

2014-15 (NATSISS) 2018-19 (NATSIHS)

NATSISS has been discontinued

NATSIHS is run approximately every 5-6 years

2.2 - Treated respectfully

ii) Trust and confidence

Trust in hospitals

2.2.2a

NATSISS

2014-15

Survey has been discontinued

2.2 - Treated respectfully

ii) Trust and confidence

Overall levels of trust with doctors, nurses and medical staff

2.2.2b

Australian Reconciliation Barometer

2022

Updated

2.2 - Treated respectfully

iii) Staff were polite and courteous

Health care staff were polite and welcoming at arrival

2.2.3

NSW Adult Admitted Patient Survey

2021

Updated

2.2 - Treated respectfully

iv) Respect for cultural or religious beliefs

Cultural or religious beliefs were respected

2.2.4a

NSW Adult Admitted Patient Survey

2021

Updated

2.2 - Treated respectfully

iv) Respect for cultural or religious beliefs

Midwife/doctor checked if wanted cultural practices in birthing plan

2.2.4b

Qld Maternity Outpatient Clinic Experience Survey

2017

Survey has been discontinued

2.2 - Treated respectfully

iv) Respect for cultural or religious beliefs

Special dietary needs/suitability of food

2.2.4c

NSW Adult Admitted Patient Survey

2020

Data item was not collected in the 2021 collection period

2.3 - Unfair treatment and cultural barriers

i) Unfair treatment and discrimination

Treated unfairly by healthcare staff

2.3.1a

AATSIHS

2012-13

Survey has been discontinued

2.3 - Unfair treatment and cultural barriers

i) Unfair treatment and discrimination

Patient or family racially discriminated by doctors, nurses or medical staff

2.3.1b

Australian Reconciliation Barometer

2022

Updated

2.3 - Unfair treatment and cultural barriers

ii) Avoided health care due to poor treatment

Avoid seeking health care for being treated unfairly

2.3.2

AATSIHS

2012-13

Survey has been discontinued

2.3 - Unfair treatment and cultural barriers

iii) Did not access health care due to cultural reasons

Did not access health services when needed due to cultural reasons

2.3.3

NATSIHS

2018-19

NATSIHS is run approximately every 5-6 years

2.4 - Empowerment

i) Involved in health care decisions

Involved in decisions about care or treatment

2.4.1

NSW Adult Admitted Patient Survey

2021

Updated

2.4 - Empowerment

ii) Provided with information about patient rights

Received information about rights as a patient

2.4.2

NSW Adult Admitted Patient Survey

2014

Data item no longer collected through this survey

2.5 - Family inclusion

i) Family members were informed and included

Family had an opportunity to talk to a doctor

2.5.1

NSW Adult Admitted Patient Survey

2014

Data item no longer collected through this survey

2.5 - Family inclusion

i) Family members were informed and included

Right amount of information given to family

2.5.2

NSW Adult Admitted Patient Survey

2021

Updated

2.6 – Leave events

i) Admitted patient leave events

Hospitalisations where patients left against medical advice/were discharged at own risk

2.6.1a

2.6.1b

National Hospital Morbidity Database

2020-21

Updated

2.6 - Leave events

ii) Emergency department leave events

Public hospital emergency department patients who left at their own risk or did not wait

2.6.2

National Non-admitted Patient Emergency Department Care Database

2020–21 and 2021–22

Updated

3.1 - Preventive health services

i) Rates of immunisation

Proportion of children fully immunised 

3.1.1a, 3.1.1b, 3.1.1c

Australian Childhood Immunisation Register

2021

Updated

3.1 - Preventive health services

ii) Participation rates for breast screening

BreastScreen participation rates

3.1.2a, 3.1.2b

BreastScreen Australia

2019-2020

Updated

3.2 - Primary health care

i) Indigenous health checks

Proportion of Indigenous Australians who had an MBS Indigenous health assessment

3.2.1a, 3.2.1b, 3.2.1c, 3.2.1d

Medicare Benefits Schedule data

2020–21

Updated

3.2 - Primary health care

ii) Access to antenatal care

Proportion of women who gave birth who attended five or more antenatal visits

3.2.2a, 3.2.2b

National Perinatal Data Collection

2020

Updated

3.2 - Primary health care

iii) Potentially preventable hospitalisations

Rates of potentially preventable hospitalisations

3.2.3a, 3.2.3b, 3.2.3c, 3.2.3d

National Hospital Morbidity Database

2020-21

Updated

3.3 - Hospital services

i) Access to hospital procedures

Proportion of hospitalisations with a procedure reported

3.3.1a, 3.3.1b, 3.3.1c

National Hospital Morbidity Database

2020-21

Updated

3.3 - Hospital services

ii) Waiting times for elective surgery

Waiting times for admissions from waiting lists for elective surgery

3.3.2a, 3.3.2b

National Elective Surgery Waiting Times Data Collection

2021-22

Updated

3.3 - Hospital services

iii) Emergency department waiting times

Proportion of emergency presentations seen on time, by triage category

3.3.3a, 3.3.3b

National Non-admitted Emergency Department Care Database

2021-22

Updated

3.4 - Specialist services

i) MBS specialist services

MBS specialist services claimed

3.4.1a, 3.4.1b, 3.4.1c

Medicare Benefits Schedule data

2017-18

This measure is calculated using VII data, which has not been updated

3.4 - Specialist services

ii) Treatment of kidney failure

Total patients with kidney failure

3.4.2

Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry

2021

Updated

3.4 - Specialist services

iii) Rheumatic heart disease

Incidence and treatment of rheumatic heart disease

3.4.3a, 3.4.3b

National Rheumatic Heart Disease data collection

2017-2021

Updated

3.4 - Specialist services

iv) Cataract surgery

Rates of hospitalisation for cataract surgery

3.4.4a, 3.4.4b

National Hospital Morbidity Database

2020-21

Updated

3.5 - Overall health system

i) Avoidable deaths

Avoidable mortality

3.5.1a, 3.5.1b, 3.5.1c, 3.5.1d

National Mortality Database

2021

Updated