Healthcare Worker Cultural Safety Working Group
Cultural safety in Australian workplaces, particularly within the healthcare sector, remains a significant challenge. According to the Medical Training Survey, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees are more likely to experience bullying, harassment, discrimination and/or racism at work than the national average. This data has spurred the need for comprehensive cultural safety programs, which are critical to ensuring a respectful and supportive workplace for all employees.
Working Group Chair
Dr Louis Peachey
Dr Louis Peachey is a Girrimay and Djirribal man from the Djirribaligan language group (Rainforest People) of North Queensland. He is a Senior Medical Officer at the Atherton District Hospital where he works as a Rural Generalist Anaesthetist, and runs a regular clinic at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre. Dr Peachey was the founding President of AIDA, and is a former Board member of the ACRRM. Dr Peachey also served on the National Board of Headspace between 2012 and 2016.
Curriculum Design Working Group
The Curriculum Design Working Group will design a universal curriculum structure for training and skills development for all career stages, starting before graduation. The Working Group is comprised of doctors, trainees, medical students, educators, consumers and a broad range of reference group members to give perspectives across the career spectrum.
Working Group Chair
Dr Rhea Liang
Rhea Liang is a general and breast surgeon on the Gold Coast, medical educator, clinical Sub Dean at Bond University, and systems change leader. She combines 17 years of consultant clinical practice with BA(Ed), MSurgEd, FAcadME and experience as past chair of the RACS Operate With Respect Education Committee to the A Better Culture project.
Leadership Diversity Working Group
The formation of the Leadership Diversity Working Group was driven by concerns about the homogeneity of healthcare leadership, which often results in a lack of representation and diverse perspectives. The Working Group also seeks to demonstrate that diverse leadership is essential for fostering inclusivity, innovation and improved decision-making through an evidence-led and practice-informed approach.
Working Group Chair
Dr Nicole Higgins
Dr Nicole Higgins is the current President of the Royal Australasian College of General Practitioners. She is also a business owner, director, supervisor, medical educator and working parent. Having previously worked with Tropical Medical Training and RVTS in medical education and training, Nicole has been recognised for her entrepreneurship and innovation in her workplaces. Nicole is the recent ex-chair of GP Supervision Australia and has had directorships from the old days of the Divisions of General Practice through the PHNs.
Working Group Chair
Dr Nisha Khot
Dr Nisha Khot is the Vice President of RANZCOG and Clinical Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Peninsula Health in Melbourne. She has a special interest in migrant and refugee women’s health and chairs the board of the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health. She is a passionate advocate for equity & diversity in healthcare leadership.
Individual Interventions & Reporting Pathways Working Group
The Individual Level Interventions and Reporting Pathways Working Group has been established to investigate the intervention options for incidents of bullying, harassment, discrimination and racism, both on the individual level and system-wide. The group will define and promulgate mechanisms for individual-level intervention based on “just culture” concepts with clear delineation of blameworthy acts, identify requirements of effective reporting systems and develop recommendations.
Working Group Chair
Michael Gorton AM
Michael Gorton AM is a senior partner at Russell Kennedy Lawyers and has more than 30 years’ experience advising the health and medical sector, assisting boards of health organisations to understand their legal obligations for effective governance structures, governance policies and implementing risk management strategies. He is the Chair of Peninsula Health, Chair of Wellways Australia and Chair of Holmesglen Institute (TAFE) and Board member of Latrobe Regional Hospital. He is the former Chair of Alfred Health, a past Board member of Ambulance Victoria and is the former Chair of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and former Board member of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. He is a former Chair of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.
Workplace Behaviour Expectations Working Group
The Workplace Behaviour Expectations Working Group will analyse contributory and casual factors that drive negative workplace conduct and develop a consensus statement. The consensus statement will put forth model behaviours and capabilities that should underpin colleague relationships and organisational leadership in all healthcare workplaces.
Working Group Chair
David Clarke
David has had an extensive career in the leadership of not-for-profit industry associations and peak bodies across the disability, mental health, parks and environment, and workplace health and safety fields – his immediate past role being CEO of the AIHS for 8 years, where he introduced widespread long-term reforms. His current role is CEO of the Australian Patients Association. David has also consulted and held board positions for not-for-profits, worked in government and been involved in small business.