Queensland Health organisational cultural competency framework
Queensland is a culturally and linguistically diverse state. More than one third of Queenslanders was either born overseas or had a parent who was born overseas, and these people speak more than 270 different languages. Queensland Health recognises that in order to achieve its purpose of providing safe, sustainable, efficient, quality and responsive health services for all Queenslanders, it is important to ensure that the services it provides are culturally competent.
To achieve organisational cultural competency, Queensland Health has developed an organisational cultural competency framework as part of the Queensland Health Strategic Plan for Multicultural Health 2007-2012. This framework identifies the eight core outcomes which require action and four foundation areas which are necessary to achieve organisational cultural competency. It also shows how these elements align with the whole of government action areas outlined in the Queensland Government Multicultural Policy 2011.
Action in these core outcomes and foundation areas is essential to the development of a culturally competent organisation.
Action areas
| Interpreter services |
 | Resource development and translation |
 | Inclusive recruitment and retention A culturally competent organisation implements strategies to develop a workforce that reflects the diversity in the general population. Queensland Health is committed to increasing the workforce participation of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, across all occupational streams and areas in the organisation. |
 | Leadership and partnership Culturally competent organisations provide leadership and support partnerships with key stakeholders to support service provision to culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Queensland Health works in partnership with Multicultural Affairs Queensland and the community sector to improve the health status of culturally and linguistically diverse communities in the state. Queensland Health strategic plans recognise the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities. |
 | Culturally competent staff Culturally competent organisations build the cross cultural capabilities of their staff. Queensland Health has identified five cross cultural capabilities which encompass the skills, knowledge and behaviours Queensland Health expects in its workforce. Queensland Health is committed to providing staff with access to this information through mandatory cultural diversity orientation and standard cross cultural training packages. |
 | Data collection and analysis Culturally competent organisations work to improve data collection and analysis for culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Queensland Health collects data about culturally and linguistically diverse clients and analyses the results to inform service development. |
 | Community engagementA culturally competent organisation engages with culturally and linguistically diverse communities in the development of services. |
 | Special needs populationsA culturally competent organisation recognises and responds to specific disadvantaged populations. Queensland Health recognises refugees, Pacific Islanders and Australian South Sea Islanders as populations with special needs. |
Foundation areas
Action in these core outcome areas is most effective when underpinned by:
- Management commitment - a commitment to developing organisational cultural competency
- National quality standards - a commitment to meeting these standards to improve the quality of health services to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- Culturally inclusive systems and services - a commitment to making all systems and services culturally inclusive
- Cross-cultural capabilities - a definition of the cross cultural knowledge and skills that Queensland Health expects its staff to develop.
