Coinciding with the fifth National Day of Recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners, today, the Australian Medical Council (AMC) and the National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP) announced a significant new partnership aimed at supporting culturally safe clinical care for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The partnership between the AMC and NAATSIHWP reflects the two organisations shared commitment to health equity and community-led change. It will:
- continue the work to embed cultural safety as a foundational principle in medical education and professional practice
- support medical professionals to deliver continuous, respectful care to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples
- strengthen the recognition and integration of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners across the healthcare workforce
- enhance medical education and assessment through the inclusion of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander perspectives and cultural knowledge.
“This collaboration marks an important step forward in the AMC’s commitment to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples,” said Professor Geoff McColl, President of the AMC. “It recognises that real and lasting change comes from partnerships led by community expertise and grounded in cultural safety. Together with NAATSIHWP we are proud to launch a partnership that places cultural safety, workforce recognition and shared leadership at the centre of our work.”
Mr David Follent, NAATSIHWP Chairperson said, “Our partnership with the AMC represents a shared purpose to eliminate racism and build a health system that values the cultural knowledge, expertise and deep community connection that our workforce brings.”
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners are central to culturally safe care. With evidence linking the professions to better health and wellbeing outcomes across the life course, they are critical to accelerating progress toward improved health for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Yet despite their vital role, systemic barriers persist. Inconsistent scopes of practice, limited recognition of their full skillset, and exclusion from leadership and decision-making continue to restrict their contribution across many parts of the health system. These challenges can only be addressed by purposely forming partnerships that enable the workforce to shape systems and solutions. Partnering for a purpose involves taking deliberate action to share power, respect culture, and create space for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander leadership at all levels of the health system.
The launch of the AMC/NAATSIHWP partnership on this national day of recognition provides an opportunity to recognise their valuable contribution, and to reflect on the critical role these professionals play in delivering culturally responsive, community-centred care.
