This strategy aims to produce consistency and quality improvement in matters of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and cultural safety across the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. It sets a clear direction and course of action for the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), National Boards and Accreditation Authorities, who together regulate Australia’s 740,000 registered health practitioners.

Key Findings:

• To ensure culturally safe and respectful practice, health practitioners must acknowledge colonisation and systemic racism, social, cultural, behavioural and economic factors which impact individual and community health.
• It was made clear that any strategy should address the workforce development needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the health professions as well as ensure non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals are more adequately equipped to provide effective health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
• There needs to be a consistent approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health across the National Scheme’s functions (professional standards, registration, notification, accreditation, etc).