A Detailed Report: Addressing Health Inequality in Healthcare

This report addresses health inequality, particularly within the context of Aboriginal health in Australia. It begins by differentiating between equality and equity in healthcare, highlighting the vital role of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) in addressing health inequities. The report uses examples of ACCHO programs and services to illustrate the comprehensive primary health care model. It then examines strategies hospitals can implement, based on NSQHS standards, to improve cultural awareness and monitor service quality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and discusses how these strategies can improve patient outcomes. Finally, the report explores the importance of cultural safety principles for nurses and midwives, including self-reflection and client engagement, and how these principles can be integrated into practice to reduce health inequalities and improve patient outcomes.

Addressing Health Inequality
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Table of contents
PART 1............................................................................................................................................3
PART 2............................................................................................................................................4
PART 3............................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
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PART 1
A equality vs equity
In health care equity and equality are two different concept. Usually, equity means that
giving people what they need to reach their best health and equality means that giving same thing
to everyone. It is found that in ACCHO there occurs health inequality. Thus, ACCHO plays vital
role in addressing the issue in effective way. Here, it is found that ACCHO have recognized the
health determinant of ACCHO community (McFarland, & MacDonald, 2019).. Along with that,
they have followed a bio medical model of care. By that they provide basic and holistic health
care services to them. In addition, ACCHO also ensure that community gets high quality care
services and their needs are fulfilled. Moreover, they are able to find out needs of individual.
Also, then organisation also identify area in which health inequality exist. Then., range of
primary health activities is carried out to address social determinants of health. ACCHO also do
some research work and focus on reducing the gap. They try to make local partnership with
people to initiate programs for clients. So, with that work force planning is done. This also
support in making locals aware about what health determinants and how their life can be
improved with that.
B improving health and well being
The Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative is a local ACCHO which operate in city of
Shepparton in Australia. It provides various types of services to Aboriginal community to
address health inequality issues. ACCHO provide services related to health. The services offered
are medical clinic, dentist and oral health, social and emotional well being, counselling for
alcohol and drug use, etc. with these services the Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative improve
the primary care needs of community. In addition, the model of comprehensive primary care
seeks to improve quality, access and efficiency of primary care (Salmi 2017). In this practice in
both tracks is done and then change in made by which care services is delivered. Thus, focus is
on basic function of CPC that are access and continuity, care management, etc. here, Rumbalara
Aboriginal Co-operative not only provide social and mental support but they also help in
physical and emotional well being of community. For example- in RAC medical services is
delivered through Woongi danga practitioner. They do it in Yorta language that is in their own
way. With this way they are able to fulfil persona health needs. Also, this fulfil social and
financial needs as well. Therefore, in this way RAC follow holistic approach to health care.
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Another example is Galyan yakurrumdja. It is integrated service model in which service is
delivered to live healthy lives. This is also holistic approach that is followed in it. So, in this all
health care needs that is social, financial, physical, etc. are provided to people.
PART 2
On the basis of standards and actions related to improvement of health care service for
Aboriginal & Strait Islander peoples. Hospitals have been chosen two important actions as
follows:-
Action-1: the health service organisations has implemented strategies to improve cultural
awareness, competency of workforce. in order to meet the specific needs of Aboriginal & Torres
Strait Islander patients.
Description- in context of cultural and competency of workforce improvement, hospitals has
been focused on the specialist or quality of medical professionals, because these plays important
role in order to understand the specific demand of patient. That’s why, Different healthcare
enterprises will be conducting the training session for professionals where they can enhance their
skills in the treatment of aboriginal peoples (Lethborg & Braddy, 2021). On the basis of action
implemented by hospitals to aboriginal people which needs to be identified the perception,
interest and demand of patient. So as, it is important to implement training strategies for
professionals where they will be creating a positive culture or environment. Moreover, it may
support to achieve desirable goal or objective.
Action-2: the health service enterprise has implemented the strategies to monitor or track the
safety, quality service for Aboriginal & Torres strait Islander people.
Description- on the basis of action-2, hospitals or health service organisations are basically
implemented strategy of improving system. this kind of strategy is related to human factors and
ergonomics in both huge, critically important aspect in hospital setting. in order to monitor or
track the safety and quality of aboriginal people where it needed to change the facilities or
services (Lethborg & Braddy, 2021). In most of cases, health care organisations would include
improvement to medications in context of formularies, protocols and use of information
technology. The use of care bundle and daily goals to organise for Aboriginal peoples. In this
way, it provide the best quality of treatment facilities or services.
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The discussion on different selected actions-1, action-2 where it will support for hospitals,
medical professionals to improve patient outcome. According to action-1, health care enterprises
are basically focused on the improvement of cultural aspect which means that target staff
members, those are already working in the hospitals. Before giving the best treatment to
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people, it is important to create an effective environment or
culture in the hospitals (Nuru-Jeter 2018). Therefore, it provide equal opportunity for people
where they can get a better treatment services. This can possible by implementation of action in
regards of cultural improvement awareness, competency of workforce.
According to action-2, health service organisations are mainly focused on the monitoring
activities towards health service quality or safety. This kind of action is useful for patient who
have already suffering from chronic disease. This is because of giving the right direction of
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people where they can select or choose the best quality of
treatment options in the hospitals. In this way, it has concluded that suitable action improve the
patient result or outcome.
PART 3
The nurses and midwives play vital role in delivering health care services to people. There is
need to maintain cultural safety so that health inequality is reduced. Besides that, there are
certain principles of health cultural safety that needs to be followed by nurses and midwives.
This is because it helps in working in effective way. The 2 principles defined are :
Reflect on own practice – it state that nurse should reflect on their own practice. Here, nurse can
use reflection model to reflect their own experience. Another strategy that they can use is
analysis of their practice through Kolb model (Dutta, 2018). It will enable nurse to examine their
practice. Thus, this can be incorporated by nurse in specified time period that is 3-4 months nurse
can use model to reflect on practice. With that they can incorporate this principle. This strategy
will help nurse to examine their own behaviour and action taken in providing health care services
to patient. With use of reflection model it will enable midwives to find out issues and then
improve them. It will enable them to make changes in their action and delivering care. Hence, in
this way it will allow in improving patient outcomes. Furthermore, there will be improvement in
their behaviour and communication way. Therefore, effective health care services is provided to
indigenous Australians.
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Engage in discourse with client- this is another principle that can be followed by nurses and
midwives. It state by communicating or sharing ideas with patient cultural safety is maintained.
The strategies by which this principle can be incorporate is nurse can take feedback from patient
and client. By that they can get engaged with them and find out what issues they faced, how
other behave with them, etc. (Babbel 2019) This will improve patient outcomes as midwives will
find out what cultural gap exist and how it can be resolved. Alongside, nurse will be able to
understand feelings and needs of patient and provide care accordingly. Another strategy that can
be followed is improving communication skills. in this nurse can enhance communication so that
he or she can engage with patient. By that it will allow to continuously interact with people, etc.
and find out that how to recognise patient needs. in this way it mental and social support can be
provide to patient. Thus, their needs are fulfilled from it. Moreover, nurses and midwives can get
to know that what are policy and guidelines that is followed in maintaining cultural safety. If this
strategy is applied then nurse will be able to work as per policy and guidelines. They will engage
with patient to provide them social support. In this way effective outcomes are obtained from it
(Kay, 2017). By engaging with patient social support can be given to them by maintaining
cultural safety as well.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Babbel, B., Mackenzie, M., Hastings, A., & Watt, G. (2019). How do general practitioners
understand health inequalities and do their professional roles offer scope for mitigation?
Constructions derived from the deep end of primary care. Critical Public Health, 29(2),
168-180.
Dutta, M. J. (2018). Culture-centered approach in addressing health disparities: Communication
infrastructures for subaltern voices. Communication Methods and Measures, 12(4), 239-
259.
Kay, T. (2017). Bodies of knowledge: connecting the evidence bases on physical activity and
health inequalities. In Sport, Physical Activity and Public Health (pp. 7-26). Routledge.
Lethborg, C. & Braddy, L. (2021). Culturally Informed, Codesigned, Supportive Care for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People With Cancer and Their Families. Australian
Social Work. 1-15.
McFarland, A., & MacDonald, E. (2019). Role of the nurse in identifying and addressing health
inequalities. Nursing Standard, 34(4).
Nuru-Jeter, A. M., Michaels, E. K., Thomas, M. D., Reeves, A. N., Thorpe Jr, R. J., & LaVeist,
T. A. (2018). Relative roles of race versus socioeconomic position in studies of health
inequalities: a matter of interpretation. Annual review of public health, 39, 169-188.
Salmi, L. R., Barsanti, S., Bourgueil, Y., Daponte, A., Piznal, E., Ménival, S., ... & AIR Research
Group. (2017). Interventions addressing health inequalities in European regions: the AIR
project. Health promotion international, 32(3), 430-441.
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