Cultural safety programs aim to ensure a continuous high standard of care by promoting awareness of cultural differences, beliefs, traditions, and preferences. This may include modules and training on inclusive language, communication with patients from diverse backgrounds, addressing unconscious bias, understanding the impact of discrimination, racism and stigma on healthcare access, and supporting self-determination and care preferences. The implementation of these programs will ensure that all cancer consumers can expect the same level of respect, inclusion, and safety regardless of their individual background.

This 5-year action expands upon Action 5.2.3 Evaluate and extend cultural safety training programs to cancer service providers, including through community-based partnerships with priority population groups. Routine integration of cultural safety programs may include:

• ongoing monitoring and evaluation of cultural safety programs to ensure they remain appropriate, relevant, trauma-aware and healing-informed
• frequent renewal and refresher training for those who have previously completed the program to ensure their knowledge remains up to date and comprehensive
• prioritised investment in programs that address and integrate cultural safety for those who identify as belonging to multiple priority population groups
• establishing place-based learning and education locations across metropolitan, regional, rural, and remote areas to deliver cultural safety programs.

Trusted community-based partnerships are critical to implementation, particularly to incorporate the lived experiences of priority populations into training programs and ensure information provided is accurate, representative and up to date. Implementation of this action should consider the different jurisdictional approaches to cultural safety training and align with pre-existing standards in different states and territories. It may also consider expanding current approaches to be nationally consistent to ensure all Australians receive high-quality, culturally safe care, regardless of location. This action should be implemented in a way that is nuanced and considers the needs of the members of specific priority population groups.