Cultural responsiveness framework
Page contents: Overview | Standards for cultural responsiveness | Download documents
The Cultural responsiveness framework: Guidelines for Victorian health services, was launched at the Participate in Health Conference on September 21, 2009.
Overview
This new framework is designed to improve and extend the cultural responsiveness performance of Victorian health services. The cultural responsiveness framework specifies six clear standards across the four quality and safety domains of organisational effectiveness, risk management, consumer participation and effective workforce.
The framework encompasses a strategic and whole- of-organisation approach and is designed to be aligned with health services’ strategic planning processes.
It specifies six standards and improvement measures for culturally responsive practice.
Standards for cultural responsiveness
Standard 1
A whole-of-organisation approach to cultural responsiveness is demonstrated
Standard 2
Leadership for cultural responsiveness is demonstrated by the health service
Standard 3
Accredited interpreters are provided to patients who require one
Standard 4
Inclusive practice in care planning is demonstrated, including but not limited
to dietary, spiritual, family, attitudinal, and other cultural practices
Standard 5
CALD consumer, carer and community members are involved in the planning,
improvement and review of programs and services on an ongoing basis
Standard 6
Staff at all levels are provided with professional development opportunities to
enhance their cultural responsiveness
These standards bring together key legislative, policy, governance and accreditation frameworks which apply to all Victorian public hospitals, and are a clear and decisive strategy to align cultural responsiveness with quality and safety in health care delivery. Health services are guided to achieve the standards by a range of measures and sub-measures which can be tailored to the needs of individual health services and their communities.
Health services are required to develop and submit a Cultural Responsiveness Plan covering at least a three year planning cycle to the Quality, Safety and Patient Experience Branch.
Reporting on achievements towards the standards is staggered over time and commences in 2011 in health services' Quality of Care Reports, the guidelines of which can be found on the Victorian Government's Consumer website.
