Cultural Safety

 All people should feel respected and safe when interacting with the healthcare system. Cultural safety is an environment that is safe for people: where there is no assault, challenge or denial of their identity, of who they are and what they need. It is about shared respect, shared meaning, shared knowledge and experience, of learning, living and working together with dignity and truly listening. Williams, R 2008. Cultural Safety what does it mean for our work practice? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 23(2): 213-214)

Cultural safety requires reflexivity by the health professional on their own culture and their values, beliefs and assumptions that consciously or unconsciously influence their behaviours and interactions with people from different cultural groups. It also includes actions to address unconscious bias, racism and discrimination that act as barriers to optimal health, wellbeing and safety of Aboriginal people. 

These resources link to the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet and other organisations, to support health professionals to critically reflect on the concept of cultural safety and to deliver safe, accessible and responsive healthcare that is free from racism.