Kay Brumpton^1,2,3
Raelene Ward⁴, Rebecca Evans² and Tarun Sen Gupta²
1 RMEA
2 JCU
3 Griffith University
4 UniSQ

This medical education workshop aims to explore the assessment of cultural safety in primary care consultations for First Nations people by bringing together First Nations peoples, educators, academics, and primary care providers to share their experiences. 

Assessment of cultural safety in primary care consultations for First Nation patients is complex. Assessment needs to consider defined components of cultural safety, educational theory, social, historical, and political determinants of health. Furthermore, cultural safety must be determined by First Nations peoples. However, current community-derived definitions of cultural safety are very broad, and whilst describing cultural safety, do not provide specific, or measurable attributes to guide health professional (registrar or health professional student) assessment. This risks culturally safe care being intangible for medical learners. Consideration needs to be given to assessment design that amplifies First Nations peoples’ voices and reflects the complexity of cultural safety. 

The workshop will be facilitated by a multidisciplinary team of experts, including Indigenous healthcare professionals. Through their personal experiences and expertise, these facilitators will provide valuable insights into culturally safe practices and highlight the importance of respectful partnerships between healthcare providers and Indigenous communities. 

During this interactive and engaging 3-hour workshop, participants will explore the multifaceted dimensions of cultural safety by focusing on findings from a recent research project exploring how Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients perceive cultural safety in general practice (30mins). Facilitated discussions will be utilized to promote a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced in delivery and assessment of culturally safe care (90 minutes). Questions to be explored include: 

How does the presented data compare to the experience and the context of other workshop participants? 

How does person- or patient-centred care align with cultural safety in a primary care consultation? 

How can this be assessed? For example, are current patient-centred care metrics sufficient to assess cultural safety in a primary care consultation? 

What are the critical elements to include in assessment of cultural safety in primary care consultations? 

Is knowledge of issues like colonisation relevant to primary care consultations? Can / should this be incorporated into assessment of cultural safety? 

Furthermore, the workshop will emphasize the significance of developing cultural safety assessment tools that are community derived. Participants will generate debate and brainstorm ideas on an assessment tool for cultural safety in primary care that incorporates the patient perspective and includes strategies for ongoing self-reflection to promote a culture of continuous improvement (30 mins). 

This workshop offers a unique opportunity for healthcare professionals to consider the assessment of cultural safety. By the end of the workshop, participants will have developed an appreciation of the complexity of assessment of cultural safety in primary care consultations for First Nations people. They will have contributed their expertise and practical skills to creation of an assessment framework that promotes cultural safety (30 min wrap-up). 

All welcome. No limit on number of participants. 

References (maximum three) 

1. Brumpton, K., Sen Gupta T., Evans, R. et al. Assessment of cultural safety in a post- Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). AJGP 51(1-2):90-93. (2022). https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-08-21-6120 

2. Brumpton, K., Ward, R., Evans, R. et al. Assessing cultural safety in general practice consultations for Indigenous patients: protocol for a mixed methods sequential embedded design study. BMC Med Educ 23, 306 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04249-6