Recommendations for Implementation

This section details recommendations for establishing a leadership for this Framework and for the implementation of the Framework.

Recommendations for Implementation

This section details recommendations for establishing a leadership for this Framework and for the implementation of the Framework.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural and Health Training Framework > Implementation

These recommendations significantly address the challenges for governance and implementation identified in the development of this Framework. These challenges are listed ahead of the recommendations.

Considerations

There are small numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders within the College and a relatively small pool to draw from.
Ensuring leadership and input from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples requires sufficient lead in time with advanced planning.
Developing a whole of organisation engagement and accountability for the adaptation and implementation of the Framework.
Change management in the context of the guiding principles being seen as foreign concepts or not important enough to institute organisational change.
Managing dominant culture fragility when addressing systemic racism and privilege as barriers to training enhancements.
As awareness of the Framework increases across the RACGP, more pressure will be placed upon existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to fulfil all requirements of the Framework, over and above their existing roles.
Supporting the cultural and cognitive load for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and leaders during the implementation process.
Resourcing the implementation process effectively and efficiently including financial and people resourcing.
Evaluating the effects of the Framework on the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their experience of feeling culturally safe.

Recommendations

Leadership should be representative of a diverse range of voices across Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, communities and demographics.
The Framework supports accountability of the College to ensure equity of participation and delegation of authority.
All processes, programs or policies that are specifically aimed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples must be led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. There is a need to co-create from the beginning and create an alternate space and way of doing things.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander input and perspectives must be required for matters beyond Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lens and perspective across all key issues and how it may impact is required.
Clearly defined roles in governance and decision-making structures are required to ensure transparency around authority of roles.
RACGP need to support and mentor new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People coming up into leadership roles to encourage more people as they take on leadership roles. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People are asked to do additional leadership work, like cultural leadership work, on top of existing leadership roles and require additional support and resources to sustain this.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance and the Framework principles must be embedded into the systems and structures of the College to reduce the ongoing burden of having to repeat the work of cultural leadership repeatedly. There is an essential need to shift the burden from the people impacted, including those within the College, to structural change and the responsibility of all.
The RACGP must enhance sustainability and capacity building through investment in professional development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical educators, cultural mentors and cultural educators.
When consulting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, enough time must be agreed before the process commences to enable gathering diverse and different perspectives during consultation processes.
RACGP ‘s commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, equity and sovereignty must be formalised in key governance and strategic documents and should be explicit within organisational vision, mission statements, organisational values, strategic priorities, policies, processes, and budgeting systems.
KPIs for implementation of the Framework must be embedded within planning across all business units and leaders have KPIs to ensure accountability.
Professional health checks – all staff must have responsibility and accountability to reflect on their role in commitment to Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander values and Reconciliation Action Plan.
Resourcing of the work resulting from the Framework cannot only come from ‘business as usual’. There must be an appropriate level of budgeting and resourcing available to support the establishment and process of implementation and governance of the Framework across the College as well as the work it generates.
Responsibility for driving implementation should not fall only to a very few people and positions within the College. There needs to be a systematic, College-wide implementation plan.
An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led Implementation Working Group with representation from the relevant business units across the College and with decision making authority must be established to assist in planning and oversight of the implementation.