pathways to inclusion - metro south health · pathways to inclusion: metro south health aboriginal...

Pathways to inclusion: Metro South Health

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Workforce Strategy 2018-2022

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging

Metro South Health

We at Metro South Health are committed to growing employment, training and career development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

towards providing more culturally accessible, quality healthcare.

Encompassing the largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population amongst Queensland’s Hospital and Health Services, our diverse community expects – and deserves – to see reflected in our workforce their own faces and hear their own voices and stories informed by lived cultural insights. More employment, training and career development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients’ experience and access to

our healthcare services, while realising for us the proven benefits of workforce diversity in the form of greater employee engagement, empowerment and innovation through embracing different perspectives. The Pathways to Inclusion: Metro South Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Strategy 2018-2022 represents our shared commitment to increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation from about 1 per cent of our workforce to 3.5 per cent over the coming four years.

Connecting communities with opportunities

We will better connect with our communities to promote employment and training opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. To do this, we will both join with our community partners to open up proven engagement and employment pathways, and utilise the close relationships our people and partners have with our communities to engage our future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce.

These connections will also drive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s increased access to our healthcare services.

Actions:» Promote Metro South Health as an employer of

choice, emphasising flexible work arrangements and opportunities to make a difference to our communities’ health and wellbeing

» Implement Health Service-wide student and family engagement strategy to promote careers

» Launch clinician mentor program for 3rd year tertiary students

» Establish employment partner committee with Job Active, training and education providers

» Appoint Metro South Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recruitment champion/s

» Implement targeted attraction strategies across Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entry pathways (school traineeships, apprenticeships, casual relief pools, clinically qualified roles, high performing external recruits)

» Incentivise hiring managers to employ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through pre-tested applicant pools reducing time to fill vacant roles

Success measures:» Achievement of annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander workforce growth target towards achieving our 3.5 per cent target by 2022 (MOHRI data)

» Increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school traineeships, apprenticeships, casual relief pools, clinically qualified roles, high performing external recruits

» Increase in the number of job applicants identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Improving employment opportunities

At Metro South Health, we commit to improving access to jobs and progression opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We seek to become an employer of choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare and support workers, recognising and rewarding formal qualifications, lived cultural experience and the value communities place on our people’s work.

We acknowledge the importance of flexible work arrangements to support our people in engaging with communities to improve healthcare outcomes.

Actions:» Establish governance committee including employees and

Elder/community organisation representation to oversight implementation of Pathways to inclusion: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Strategy 2018-2022

» Improve recruitment processes and systems (application guides, role descriptions, merit assessment methods, panel training, Elder/community organisation involvement in panels)

» Champion change in classification structures, balancing recognition of qualifications, cultural expertise/lived experience and our communities’ value of our healthcare and support workers

» Review role requirements, scope of practice and pay equity across work streams to ensure role clarity and career advancement opportunities

» Map and promote internal inter-disciplinary progression pathways to identify career advancement opportunities

» Audit identified positions towards increasing the number of these roles

» Promote flexible work arrangements including to engage in community and cultural commitments (e.g. Sorry Business)

» Review management systems to better recognise our people’s community engagement work



» Increase in the number of job applicants identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

» Increase in the number of identified positions year on year for the life of the strategy

» Improved take up of flexible work arrangements

metrosouth.health.qld.gov.auArtwork produced for Queensland Health by Gilimbaa

Metro South Health

Supporting our future leaders’ pathways

We cannot grow our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce without retaining our current employees. Our people’s experience as employees of Metro South Health will both shape our reputation as an employer in our communities and determine whether our own people remain within us.

Improved orientation, training and development, networking and wellbeing initiatives will ensure the best employee experience so our people are better supported to make a difference to our communities’ health and wellbeing.

Actions:» Review casual and temporary employees for conversion

to permanency

» Roll-out consistent orientation and induction modules

» Introduce mentoring, reverse mentoring programs

» Establish Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employee network and consider launching annual conference

» Review and promote culturally safe training, capability development and leadership opportunities

» Implement individual development plans linking with internal progression pathways

» Fill and backfill identified roles to better manage workload and make available mobility opportunities

» Actively promote mobility opportunities at level and in higher duties roles to support professional development

» Support employees to complete higher qualifications by providing salary support to complete clinical placements

» Provide timely support in application and resume writing, and interview techniques

» Tailor a wellbeing program to provide employees with culturally appropriate support through loss of patients, dealing with racism or discrimination and other issues

» Offer Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Counsellors through the employee assistance scheme



» Conversion to permanency for employees with more than two years’ employment

» Achieve target of 90%+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees with individual development plans

» Improved results for key engagement, support and capability developments ratings in Employee Opinion Survey

Achieving an inclusive culture and leadership

Respect for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their rich culture is critical to improved patient and employee experience. Cultural capability amongst our leadership and visible support for a more inclusive culture will shine a light on any institutionalised racism and drive transformation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experience of our Health Service. This will help realise the benefits of a diverse and inclusive culture within Metro South Health.

Actions:» Adopt cultural capability and cultural reflection programs

across Metro South Health

» Ensure inclusive leadership module is mandatory in leadership capability programs

» Mandate cultural competency training for supervisors, managers and Executive

» Model Executive support through regular communiques, wearing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander motif corporate apparel at key corporate and community events

» Consider creation of an Executive leadership role to champion Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander strategies

» Inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation on key governance committees

» Ensure accountability for implementation of Pathways to inclusion: Metro South Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Strategy 2018-2022 through Executive Director and Director performance plans



» Achieve target of 100% participation in inclusive leadership module for those undertaking leadership capability programs

» Achieve target of 90% participation in cultural competency training for supervisors, managers and Executive

» Executive messages or divisional presentations promoting Pathways to inclusion: Metro South Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Strategy 2018-2022 at least quarterly

» Achieve target of 90% Executive Director and Director performance plans committing to drive implementation of Pathways to inclusion: Metro South Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Strategy 2018-2022

pathways to inclusion - metro south health · pathways to inclusion: metro south health aboriginal...

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