Application
This unit describes the knowledge and skills required by a worker new to primary health care to work effectively with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander clients and their communities.
It enables the individual worker to understand the cultural and historical context surrounding issues facing Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities in order to support the delivery of primary health care.
This unit applies to all staff providing support to the delivery of primary health care. All work tasks are to be performed under supervision.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria specify the level of performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Work in the context of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander history | 1.1 Consider and respect local and national historical factors when working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and their communities 1.2 Consider the impact of social, political, economic and environmental factors on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and their health |
2.Work in a culturally safe manner | 2.1 Deliver services as directed in a culturally sensitive and safe manner and in line with organisation policies, regulatory requirements and community protocols 2.2 Maintain confidentiality of client information regardless of personal, family and community pressures or status 2.3 Consider and respect local community values, beliefs and gender roles when providing health care to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role.
There must be evidence that the candidate has:
worked effectively with at least three Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients by:
- using culturally safe and appropriate communication, including verbal and body language and gestures, with clients
- treating information obtained about a client with respect and confidentiality
- performing own work role in providing services with respect and consideration for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, their histories, cultures and current issues.
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task, under supervision, outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role.
This includes knowledge of:
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health issues and community beliefs, values, protocols and views on health needs
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander history, including:
- history, social structures, beliefs and values of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia
- effects of colonisation as experienced by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
- historical dilemmas faced by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
history of primary health care and community-controlled health
basic principles of primary health care
impacts of government policies and legislation on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities
rights and responsibilities of clients and workers including code of conduct and duty of care
issues and challenges for local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities which may impact on work role and delivery of services.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated working:
in a health service or centre
under supervision, as part of a primary health care team
with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.
In addition, simulations and scenarios must be used where the full range of contexts and situations cannot be provided in the workplace or may occur only rarely. These are situations relating to emergency or unplanned procedures where assessment in these circumstances would be unsafe or impractical.
Simulated assessment environments must simulate a real-life working environment where these skills and knowledge would be performed, with all the relevant equipment and resources of that working environment.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Assessment must be undertaken by a workplace assessor who has expertise in this unit of competency and who is:
an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker
or:
accompanied by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who is a recognised member of the community with experience in primary health care.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance. | |
Reading: | in order to interpret key information from policy and regulatory documentation |
Oral communication: | in order to communicate in a culturally acceptable manner with community members |
Learning | in order to locate, access and retrieve information on the impact of social, political, economic and environmental factors on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and in particular their health |
Other foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit.