As a doctor practising in Australia, each year you are required to allocate CPD time to consider and develop your Culturally Safe Practice according to your scope of practice and role(s).

AHPRA's National Scheme's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Cultural Safety Strategy 2020–25 defines cultural safety as:

Cultural safety is determined by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities. Culturally safe practice is the ongoing critical reflection of health practitioner knowledge, skills, attitudes, practising behaviours and power differentials in delivering safe, accessible and responsive healthcare free of racism.

Whilst the focus of Culturally Safe Practice is on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, it can also apply to other cultures and cultural issues.

Getting started

When planning your annual CPD, we suggest starting with the Good Medical Practice: A code of conduct for doctors in Australia, which describes what is expected of all doctors registered to practise medicine in Australia.¹

You determine your own priorities and CPD hours, however you must complete at least one activity each year relating to Culturally Safe Practice. Completing the reflection outlined in your annual Professional Development Plan (PDP) will help you meet this requirement. To complete your PDP, log in to myCPD home and open the PDP tool.

Consider connecting with organisations, attending cultural events or exploring cultural training options in your local area, and reflect on your experiences for your program-level requirements.

For ideas on how to meet this requirement, refer to the RACGP's Culturally Safe Practice resource.

Footnote
[1] The Medical Board of Australia, 2023.