In this section
Collaborative Indigenous Research Initiative
Print this page
  1. UC Website
  2. Research
  3. Collaborative research networks
  4. Collaborative Indigenous Research Initiative
  5. UC CIRI Projects
  6. Restorative Health
  7. Benefits from this Research

Benefits from this Research

This research aims to achieve the following outcomes:

  • Integration and diffusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices throughout the governance of hospitals in Canberra through establishing Yarning Circles as a routine practice for partnering with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This restorative practice infuses each of the impacts of the research.
  • A Charter for Restorative Health Care (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander equivalent) defining the terms of reference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement in the corporate governance of the hospitals. In effect, the Charter would sit alongside of the hospital’s incorporation documents. For example the Charter could recommend that each of the Hospital’s key governance committees (Board, Executive, Medical, Ethics, and Finance) have an Aboriginal orTorres Strait Islander person as a member or an observer.
  • An implementation and evaluation framework for sustaining and measuring the impact of the use of restorative practices in a new hospital. This can accompany the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQH) Standards (especially Standard 1 – Governance, and Standard 2 – Partnering with Consumers).
  • Guidelines and methodology to enable non-Indigenous academics and health professionals to learn to create environments that feel culturally safe for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the wider community. These can accompany the corporate governance training of hospital directors, a companion document.
  • Data measurement and monitoring. As part of the NSQHS Standards, hospitals are required to establish mechanisms for routine data collection and reporting. We will work with the hospitals alongside their implementation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander component of the NSQHS Standards (for implementation in 2018) to assess that data against the performance criteria developed for the Restorative Healthcare Framework. This may also include other performance criteria not collected by the hospital (as current data is not going to be all congruent with Restorative Practice). We will review key performance indicator policy and literature (such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework, and do they have one for the new Implementation Plan?). Performance indicators for accountability and safety for Indigenous people and their families.
  • A student and staff cultural self-assessment tool. The benefit contributes to the cultural awareness of non-Indigenous staff and students and processes for strengthening and competence across health disciplines and the university.
  • Working with health professional associations (and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) to encourage the integration of a Restorative Health Care Framework into existing training and education materials.
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aesthetic integrated into the hospitals' architecture, in the form of commissioned art, use of local native plants, restorative wall commemorating the history of Aboriginal people at the site and around Canberra; use of Ngunnawal language in communications; naming of meeting rooms in traditional language; flying the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags; and other such aesthetic aspects that create a welcoming space and promote Aboriginal identity.
  • New knowledge about the potential for Restorative Health Care to enable improved health care access and satisfaction for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, disseminated through hospital and University of Canberra Websites. This promotes evidence-based practice development for hospital staff who undertake training for communication and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and for the Canberra community. These outputs will have national and international significance.