Standards for First Nations Cultural Safety Review
The standards for First Nations Cultural Safety Review is gathering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, lived experience and expertise to strengthen cultural safety and address systemic racism in hospitals.
Register your interest to help inform options for standards for cultural safety and progressive drafts of the NSQHS Standards (third edition).
Expressions of Interest now open: standards for First Nations Cultural Safety Review
The standards for First Nations Cultural Safety Review is focused on strengthening cultural safety and addressing racism in hospital systems, including how health leaders are accountable for embedding and monitoring cultural safety across systems to improve First Nations health outcomes.
The Review is exploring research, evidence and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s experiences of cultural safety in hospitals to inform the development of options for standards for cultural safety.
Expressions of interest close Thursday 30 July 2026.
Complete the Expression of Interest
For more information you can also email the First Nations Health Team.
What this Review is about
The standards for First Nations Cultural Safety Review is a national project focused on cultural safety, racism and accountability in hospital systems. It is looking at what needs to change so Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience safer, more respectful and more accountable hospital care.
The Review will gather research, evidence, lived experience, cultural knowledge, workforce insight and system perspectives. This will inform options and recommendations for the most appropriate model for a national standard for cultural safety in late 2026. Information gathered through the Review will also be used to inform the development of progressive drafts of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (third edition).
This phase of the Review will not implement a new standard or immediate system changes. It will develop evidence, options and recommendations to inform future reform and development of the preferred model.
Why this matters
Cultural safety cannot be achieved without naming and addressing racism. The Review focuses on what drives system-level accountability in hospitals beyond compliance activity and what needs to change to reduce racism and prevent harm for First Nations peoples.
First Nations peoples’ experiences, cultural knowledge and expertise are essential to understanding what culturally safe hospital care should look and feel like, where the system is falling short, and what needs to change.
How this work is being done safely and properly
This work is guided by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, cultural governance, data sovereignty and lived experience.
This phase of the Review involves targeted engagement activities, designed to support culturally safe participation and to gather insights to inform the Review’s evidence base and emerging directions.
The consultation approach has been designed to support culturally safe participation and will be strengths-based and trauma-aware. Engagement activities will be structured to support respectful discussion of experiences, perspectives and system challenges, including sensitive topics such as racism and cultural safety.
Where possible, participants will be offered different ways to contribute, including virtual sessions and written feedback.
This phase represents an initial stage of engagement, with further opportunities for input expected as the work progresses.
How to take part
The first step is to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI). The EOI is not the consultation itself. It will help us understand who is interested in participating, the perspectives they bring, and how they may be able to contribute.
Responses will be used to plan targeted engagement activities and ensure a mix of perspectives across stakeholder groups.
Complete the Expression of Interest
Please note that this will be a targeted form of engagement. We will contact you directly if there is an opportunity for you to take part in this phase. There will be more opportunities in the future, and we will update you as these become available.
We will contact you directly if there is an opportunity for you to take part in this phase. There will be more opportunities in the future, and we will update you as these become available.
Ways to take part may include:
- small group virtual sessions
- written feedback
After the EOI closes, we will review responses and send further information about registration and participation opportunities. Organisations may also be invited to identify appropriate representatives to participate to contribute to this work.
Key dates
| Stage | Indicative timing | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Expression of Interest opens | Early July 2026 | Stakeholders are invited to express interest in participating and indicate how they may be able to contribute. |
| EOI review and planning | Mid – late July 2026 | Responses are reviewed to support planning, stakeholder selection and session design. |
| Registration | Mid – late July 2026 | Selected participants are invited to register for sessions. |
| Consultation window | August 2026 | Targeted virtual engagement sessions and written feedback pathways are delivered. |
| Synthesis and validation | Early September 2026 | Feedback is analysed, de-identified and validated where appropriate. |
| Options and recommendations | 30 September 2026 | The Review will develop options and recommendations to inform future work. |
Who should complete the EOI
We are seeking input from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, as well as broader health system stakeholders with relevant experience, knowledge or perspectives.
We welcome contributions from people with:
- lived experience of hospital care, including racism and trauma
- cultural knowledge and community leadership
- workforce and clinical experience
- expertise in cultural safety, governance, standards or accreditation
- experience in data, measurement, evaluation or system reform
This may include:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, consumers, families and carers
- Elders, cultural leaders and community representatives
- First Nations peak bodies and health organisations
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers, practitioners, clinicians and workforce representatives
- Hospital and Local Hospital Network / Health Service representatives
- Governments, policy stakeholders and system leaders
- Consumer organisations and advocates
- Researchers, evaluators and other subject matter experts
Relationship to the NSQHS Standards (third edition) consultation
This Review is being delivered alongside the broader NSQHS Standards (third edition) consultation, but it is a separate process with a different purpose.
| The standards for First Nations Cultural Safety Review consultation | NSQHS Standards (third edition) consultation |
|---|---|
| Led by the Commission’s First Nations Health Team. | Led by the Commission’s National Standards Team. |
| Purpose: explore options for the most appropriate model for a standard on national cultural safety. | Purpose: gather feedback on the draft third edition of the NSQHS Standards. |
| Focus: cultural safety, racism, accountability and what needs to change in hospital systems. | Focus: the standards as a whole, including draft Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander actions. |
| Approach: deeper discussion and culturally grounded engagement. | Approach: broader standards consultation. |
| Participants: First Nations stakeholders, consumers, workforce, organisations and subject matter experts. | Participants: broad health system stakeholders. |
| Output: informs Review findings, options and recommendations in late 2026. | Output: informs progressive drafts of the third edition NSQHS Standards. |
Stakeholders may choose to participate in one or both processes. Coordination across the two processes will help reduce duplication, avoid consultation fatigue and support consistent messaging.
How information will be used
Information shared through the EOI will be used to plan engagement and contact people about participation opportunities.
Information shared through consultation will be used to inform de-identified themes, findings, options and recommendations for the Review.
The Commission will:
- be clear about what information is collected and why
- seek consent before using stories, quotes or identifiable information
- de-identify information by default where appropriate
- respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP)
- apply Indigenous Data Sovereignty and data governance principles
- use information only for the purposes of this Review
- provide feedback loops where possible, including “what we heard / what changed”.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standards for First Nations Cultural Safety Review?
The standards for First Nations Cultural Safety Review is a national project led by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.
The Review is focused on strengthening cultural safety and addressing racism in hospital systems. It will explore research, evidence and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ experiences to understand what needs to change and inform options for standards for cultural safety.
Is the EOI the consultation?
No. The Expression of Interest (EOI) is a planning step. It helps us understand who would like to participate, the perspectives they bring, and how they may be able to contribute.
Responses will be used to plan targeted engagement activities. Consultation opportunities will follow.
How is this different from the NSQHS Standards consultation?
The NSQHS Standards (third edition) consultation gathers feedback on draft standards across the health system.
The standards for First Nations Cultural Safety Review is a separate process focused specifically on cultural safety, racism, accountability and what needs to change in hospital systems for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Can I participate in both consultations?
Yes. Stakeholders may choose to participate in one or both processes.
How will my information be used?
Information shared through the Expression of Interest (EOI) will be used to plan engagement and contact people about participation opportunities.
Information shared through consultation will be used to inform de-identified themes, findings, options and recommendations for the Review.
Will stories or quotes be used?
Only with clear permission. Information will be de-identified by default where appropriate. The Commission will seek consent before using stories, quotes or identifiable information.