Table 1 Key established characteristics of cultural safety and competence
Term | Characteristics |
|---|---|
Cultural safety | • The person experiences that their culture is respected • The person experiences culturally and linguistically appropriate services • The person is supported to assert control over their own health and wellbeing. They make a decision and have the capacity to act on it |
Cultural competence | • Culturally and linguistically appropriate spaces are provided • Culturally and linguistically appropriate services are provided • The person utilises/demonstrates cultural and linguistic knowledge. In healthcare, this means the person promotes effective communication with patient and/or their family • The person utilises/demonstrates conviction of culturally and linguistically diverse knowledge/values/beliefs • The person identifies own biases and how biases could inform the way they treat others; then adjusts thoughts/language/behaviour to minimise influence of their inherent biases on others • The person demonstrates capacity for action to support culturally and linguistically diverse people, and to reduce inequity and inequality. In healthcare, this means the person provides equitable quality of care. |