Page 312 - Week 01 - Thursday, 14 February 2019
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(3) Which ACT Health operational areas deal with CALD consumer or community groups, and what has the result of liaising and facilitating the engagement of these operational areas.
(4) What is the current status of the plan to maintain and publish a multicultural health calendar, which includes religious or other cultural days of significance.
Mr Rattenbury: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) The ACT Health Directorate has established a Multicultural Health Reference Group which has resulted in improved communication and collaboration between the Directorate and other organisations providing services and/or support to people from CALD backgrounds or with limited English proficiency. Membership of this Group includes the ACT Government Office of Multicultural Affairs, Companion House and the Migrant and Refugee Resettlement Service.
The ACT Health Directorate is providing additional financial support to Canberrans with a CALD background through a service funding agreement with Companion House to provide primary health care services, including mental health counselling and advocacy, to refugees and migrants who have experienced torture and trauma.
(2) As well as the organisations noted above, Ethnic Disability ACT is a member of the Multicultural Health Reference Group, as are the Health Care Consumers’ Association and the Mental Health Consumer’s Network. All of these organisations advocate for and promote the health and wellbeing of migrants and refugees residing in the ACT and surrounding areas. In addition, many of the non-government organisations funded by the Directorate provide support and services to residents of the ACT with a CALD background.
(3) Operational areas within Canberra Hospital, Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, University of Canberra Hospital and community health services are the main interface with health consumers, including those from a CALD background. Liaison and engagement with these areas is ongoing and continues to improve access and health literacy amongst CALD consumers.
The Canberra Health Service and ACT Health Directorate’s Staff Development Unit makes available diversity training for all staff. This includes various components on cultural competence, cross-cultural communication, and working with interpreters. Information is available to patients/consumers about the availability of interpreter services and Canberra Health Service staff also make people aware of these services. The publication ‘Using Health Services in the ACT’ strongly promotes the availability of free interpreter services to patients/consumers. This publication, which is available in hard-copy as well as electronically, includes a complementary flyer of key information available in seven languages.
(4) The ACT Health Directorate has not pursued development of a multicultural health calendar as it was found that the Harmony Day calendar of cultural and religious dates is comprehensive. It includes events held in Canberra such as the National Multicultural Festival and the ACT Multicultural Awards. The Harmony Day calendar provides a brief description of each cultural and religious celebration to assist and enhance users experience with the calendar, which can be viewed at https://www.harmony.gov.au/events/calendar/
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