Supporting consumer diversity and equity
Person-centred care must recognise and respect individual needs, beliefs and culture. Understanding the diversity of consumers seen in your organisation can help you design systems that support staff to better meet their needs.
Person-centred care is particularly important among vulnerable or disadvantaged populations, such as the young, elderly, disabled or mentally ill; those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, or rural and remote areas; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For many of these people, communication and collaboration with health professionals can be difficult and necessarily involves carers, friends, family, spiritual and pastoral advisers, or the broader community. Person-centred care principles and approaches are an opportunity towards addressing the inequity these populations can experience.
Healthcare organisation resources
- Meeting the healthcare needs of diverse populations
A US study of best practice by The Joint Commission
Consumer resources
- Health translations tool for consumers
Translated information about health and wellbeing, available by topic and language, developed by the Victorian Government - Finding good health information online
Guidance and translations that support finding good health information online - Australian Charter of Health Care Rights resources