Latest news with #PuttingPatientsFirst
Scoop
30-04-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Regulators Removing Health Workforce Cultural Safety Risks Clinical Safety
Press Release – Te Tiratu Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board is calling on health regulators to immediately reject any proposal to remove cultural requirements from the regulation of healthcare professionals, saying such a move would be 'irresponsible, inequitable, and dangerous.' It is responding to the current Ministry of Health online survey Putting Patients First: Modernising health workforce regulation that closes just before midnight. One of the survey questions tests whether regulators should focus on factors beyond clinical safety — such as mandating cultural requirements. Te Tiratū, which represents 114,000 whānau Māori of the Tainui waka rohe, has submitted a formal response opposing the proposal to remove cultural requirements from regulation. The submission, Response to Proposal to Remove Cultural Requirements from Regulation was prepared by Board member Dr Mataroria Lyndon (MBChB, MPH, PhD), a Senior Lecturer in Medical Education at the University of Auckland, where he trains health professionals in cultural safety. Dr Lyndon emphasises that cultural safety is not an optional extra — 'You cannot have clinically safe care without culturally safe care. Cultural safety is not a parallel concern to clinical standards; it is foundational to them,' he said. 'Removing cultural requirements from regulation can compromise quality of care, deepen inequities, and breach our rights as tangata whenua under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 'When patients don't feel culturally safe, they may not share pertinent health information, and as a result diagnosis, treatment, and trust can all suffer. Cultural safety isn't just about respecting cultural values — it's about improving health outcomes, clinical quality, and patient wellbeing.' Te Tiratū fully backs this position. Without cultural safety, patients may not feel comfortable disclosing vital information or engaging with treatment plans — all of which undermines clinical outcomes. Cultural safety empowers patients — not providers — to define what 'safety' means in their care. Without it, patients, especially Māori and other marginalised communities such as takatāpui (LGBTQI+) and tāngata whaikaha (disabled) whānau, face disengagement, reduced access to services, and poorer health outcomes. The Council for Medical Colleges' Cultural Safety Training Plan, developed in partnership with Te ORA (Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa Māori Medical Practitioners), outlines how cultural safety must be embedded across training, clinical practice, governance, and at a systems level. Its principles are widely recognised by national health bodies, including the Australian Medical Council and Royal Australasian College of Physicians, which link cultural safety directly to clinical and patient safety. 'Culturally unsafe care is unsafe clinical care,' said Dr Lyndon. 'To remove these requirements would not only wind back decades of progress toward health equity — it would expose our communities to poorer quality care.' Research shows that cultural safety is an important pathway to health equity, supporting respectful and accountable engagement between practitioners and communities. It enables clinicians to work more effectively with Māori whānau by recognising and countering bias, racism, and harmful stereotypes — all of which contribute to more positive patient experiences in the health system. In September 2024, as part of its legislated functions under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, Te Tiratū delivered its Priorities Report to the government, which emphasised the importance of culturally responsive care. [1] In a separate Community Health Plan also handed to the Deputy Chief Executive of Te Manawa Taki region and senior officials, Te Tiratū reinforced the need for high-quality, community-led, culturally safe healthcare across the Te Tiratū rohe. [2] Even the government's own Te Pae Tata Interim New Zealand Health Plan reaffirms the importance of cultural safety training for the Te Whatu Ora workforce. [3] 'These are not new ideas — they are community-driven imperatives and government-endorsed priorities,' said Dr Lyndon. 'Contemplating removing cultural requirements from professional regulation flies in the face of both.' 'It's about ensuring our patients, whānau, and communities are seen, heard, and treated with dignity. Cultural safety is a critical lever to transform the system and structures that continue to disadvantage Māori who on average die between seven and nine years earlier than the general population.' He points to the recommendations in the groundbreaking 2019 Hauora Report from the WAI 2575 Health Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry, which affirms the Crown's binding obligation to ensure Māori have access to culturally appropriate healthcare. 'We are urging all regulators to uphold their obligations to Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to Aotearoa's wider commitment to equitable, patient-centred care.' 'This is not the time to retreat — it's time to double down on cultural safety, for the benefit of all.'
Scoop
30-04-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Regulators Removing Health Workforce Cultural Safety Risks Clinical Safety
Press Release – Te Tiratu Not The Time To Retreat Its Time To Double Down Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board is calling on health regulators to immediately reject any proposal to remove cultural requirements from the regulation of healthcare professionals, saying such a move would be 'irresponsible, inequitable, and dangerous.' It is responding to the current Ministry of Health online survey Putting Patients First: Modernising health workforce regulation that closes just before midnight. One of the survey questions tests whether regulators should focus on factors beyond clinical safety — such as mandating cultural requirements. Te Tiratū, which represents 114,000 whānau Māori of the Tainui waka rohe, has submitted a formal response opposing the proposal to remove cultural requirements from regulation. The submission, Response to Proposal to Remove Cultural Requirements from Regulation was prepared by Board member Dr Mataroria Lyndon (MBChB, MPH, PhD), a Senior Lecturer in Medical Education at the University of Auckland, where he trains health professionals in cultural safety. Dr Lyndon emphasises that cultural safety is not an optional extra — 'You cannot have clinically safe care without culturally safe care. Cultural safety is not a parallel concern to clinical standards; it is foundational to them,' he said. 'Removing cultural requirements from regulation can compromise quality of care, deepen inequities, and breach our rights as tangata whenua under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 'When patients don't feel culturally safe, they may not share pertinent health information, and as a result diagnosis, treatment, and trust can all suffer. Cultural safety isn't just about respecting cultural values — it's about improving health outcomes, clinical quality, and patient wellbeing.' Te Tiratū fully backs this position. Without cultural safety, patients may not feel comfortable disclosing vital information or engaging with treatment plans — all of which undermines clinical outcomes. Cultural safety empowers patients — not providers — to define what 'safety' means in their care. Without it, patients, especially Māori and other marginalised communities such as takatāpui (LGBTQI+) and tāngata whaikaha (disabled) whānau, face disengagement, reduced access to services, and poorer health outcomes. The Council for Medical Colleges' Cultural Safety Training Plan, developed in partnership with Te ORA (Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa Māori Medical Practitioners), outlines how cultural safety must be embedded across training, clinical practice, governance, and at a systems level. Its principles are widely recognised by national health bodies, including the Australian Medical Council and Royal Australasian College of Physicians, which link cultural safety directly to clinical and patient safety. 'Culturally unsafe care is unsafe clinical care,' said Dr Lyndon. 'To remove these requirements would not only wind back decades of progress toward health equity — it would expose our communities to poorer quality care.' Research shows that cultural safety is an important pathway to health equity, supporting respectful and accountable engagement between practitioners and communities. It enables clinicians to work more effectively with Māori whānau by recognising and countering bias, racism, and harmful stereotypes — all of which contribute to more positive patient experiences in the health system. In September 2024, as part of its legislated functions under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, Te Tiratū delivered its Priorities Report to the government, which emphasised the importance of culturally responsive care. [1] In a separate Community Health Plan also handed to the Deputy Chief Executive of Te Manawa Taki region and senior officials, Te Tiratū reinforced the need for high-quality, community-led, culturally safe healthcare across the Te Tiratū rohe. [2] Even the government's own Te Pae Tata Interim New Zealand Health Plan reaffirms the importance of cultural safety training for the Te Whatu Ora workforce. [3] 'These are not new ideas — they are community-driven imperatives and government-endorsed priorities,' said Dr Lyndon. 'Contemplating removing cultural requirements from professional regulation flies in the face of both.' 'It's about ensuring our patients, whānau, and communities are seen, heard, and treated with dignity. Cultural safety is a critical lever to transform the system and structures that continue to disadvantage Māori who on average die between seven and nine years earlier than the general population.' He points to the recommendations in the groundbreaking 2019 Hauora Report from the WAI 2575 Health Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry, which affirms the Crown's binding obligation to ensure Māori have access to culturally appropriate healthcare. 'We are urging all regulators to uphold their obligations to Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to Aotearoa's wider commitment to equitable, patient-centred care.' 'This is not the time to retreat — it's time to double down on cultural safety, for the benefit of all.'
Scoop
30-04-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Regulators Removing Health Workforce Cultural Safety Risks Clinical Safety
Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board is calling on health regulators to immediately reject any proposal to remove cultural requirements from the regulation of healthcare professionals, saying such a move would be 'irresponsible, inequitable, and dangerous.' It is responding to the current Ministry of Health online survey Putting Patients First: Modernising health workforce regulation that closes just before midnight. One of the survey questions tests whether regulators should focus on factors beyond clinical safety — such as mandating cultural requirements. Te Tiratū, which represents 114,000 whānau Māori of the Tainui waka rohe, has submitted a formal response opposing the proposal to remove cultural requirements from regulation. The submission, Response to Proposal to Remove Cultural Requirements from Regulation was prepared by Board member Dr Mataroria Lyndon (MBChB, MPH, PhD), a Senior Lecturer in Medical Education at the University of Auckland, where he trains health professionals in cultural safety. Dr Lyndon emphasises that cultural safety is not an optional extra — 'You cannot have clinically safe care without culturally safe care. Cultural safety is not a parallel concern to clinical standards; it is foundational to them,' he said. 'Removing cultural requirements from regulation can compromise quality of care, deepen inequities, and breach our rights as tangata whenua under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 'When patients don't feel culturally safe, they may not share pertinent health information, and as a result diagnosis, treatment, and trust can all suffer. Cultural safety isn't just about respecting cultural values — it's about improving health outcomes, clinical quality, and patient wellbeing.' Te Tiratū fully backs this position. Without cultural safety, patients may not feel comfortable disclosing vital information or engaging with treatment plans — all of which undermines clinical outcomes. Cultural safety empowers patients — not providers — to define what 'safety' means in their care. Without it, patients, especially Māori and other marginalised communities such as takatāpui (LGBTQI+) and tāngata whaikaha (disabled) whānau, face disengagement, reduced access to services, and poorer health outcomes. The Council for Medical Colleges' Cultural Safety Training Plan, developed in partnership with Te ORA (Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa Māori Medical Practitioners), outlines how cultural safety must be embedded across training, clinical practice, governance, and at a systems level. Its principles are widely recognised by national health bodies, including the Australian Medical Council and Royal Australasian College of Physicians, which link cultural safety directly to clinical and patient safety. 'Culturally unsafe care is unsafe clinical care,' said Dr Lyndon. 'To remove these requirements would not only wind back decades of progress toward health equity — it would expose our communities to poorer quality care.' Research shows that cultural safety is an important pathway to health equity, supporting respectful and accountable engagement between practitioners and communities. It enables clinicians to work more effectively with Māori whānau by recognising and countering bias, racism, and harmful stereotypes — all of which contribute to more positive patient experiences in the health system. In September 2024, as part of its legislated functions under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, Te Tiratū delivered its Priorities Report to the government, which emphasised the importance of culturally responsive care. [1] In a separate Community Health Plan also handed to the Deputy Chief Executive of Te Manawa Taki region and senior officials, Te Tiratū reinforced the need for high-quality, community-led, culturally safe healthcare across the Te Tiratū rohe. [2] Even the government's own Te Pae Tata Interim New Zealand Health Plan reaffirms the importance of cultural safety training for the Te Whatu Ora workforce. [3] 'These are not new ideas — they are community-driven imperatives and government-endorsed priorities,' said Dr Lyndon. 'Contemplating removing cultural requirements from professional regulation flies in the face of both.' 'It's about ensuring our patients, whānau, and communities are seen, heard, and treated with dignity. Cultural safety is a critical lever to transform the system and structures that continue to disadvantage Māori who on average die between seven and nine years earlier than the general population.' He points to the recommendations in the groundbreaking 2019 Hauora Report from the WAI 2575 Health Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry, which affirms the Crown's binding obligation to ensure Māori have access to culturally appropriate healthcare. 'We are urging all regulators to uphold their obligations to Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to Aotearoa's wider commitment to equitable, patient-centred care.' 'This is not the time to retreat — it's time to double down on cultural safety, for the benefit of all.'
Scoop
29-04-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Nearly 400 Doctors Call For Caution And Care In Health Workforce Reform
The New Zealand Women in Medicine (NZWIM) Charitable Trust is urging the Government to rethink aspects of its proposed health workforce regulation reforms, warning that patient safety, professional standards, and cultural obligations must not be compromised. NZWIM, the country's only pan-professional medical organisation which represents women working across all stages and fields of medicine, submitted detailed feedback on the Ministry of Health's "Putting Patients First" consultation released in March 2025. While NZWIM supports efforts to streamline regulatory processes, it stresses that reform must be part of a wider strategy to address workforce shortages, staff wellbeing, and the sustainability of healthcare services. 'We agree there are opportunities for improvement, but any regulatory change must prioritise patient safety, uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations, and maintain strong professional standards," says Dr Orna McGinn, Chair of NZWIM. "Changes alone won't fix workforce shortages, and deregulation could put patient care at risk." Key concerns raised by NZWIM include: The lack of evidence underpinning proposed changes and the document's framing, which appears to favour deregulation without considering the risks. The undermining of cultural safety training, despite its vital role in providing effective, equitable healthcare in Aotearoa. Leading and biased survey questions that limit meaningful consultation and undermine public trust. Premature government announcements that suggest decisions have been made before the consultation process has properly concluded. NZWIM recommends a collaborative approach to future reforms, aligned with the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, to create a unified regulatory framework that strengthens public safety, centres equity, and honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
