Achieving Equity
This policy is for Cornerstone practices only. Practices should send us an outline of their services/initiatives that promote equity. If needed, an action plan template is available at the bottom of this page. |
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"In Aotearoa New Zealand, people have differences in health that are not only avoidable, but also unfair and unjust. Equity recognises that different people with different levels of advantage require different approaches and resources to get equitable health outcomes." Source: Ministry of Health: Equity |
Policy
Do you want to change the text in the next two paragraphs?
If you are an organisation with an equitable purpose, e.g. a kaupapa Māori health provider, you should include information about it here.
We are committed to improving health equity outcomes for all patients and family/whānau, including Māori as tangata whenua (indigenous people). Equity in health care is underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
We embrace diversity, inclusion and equity, and ensure that all our patients and visitors receive appropriate care in an environment where they feel safe and comfortable.
We have zero tolerance for 
discrimination and seek to recognise and eliminate it wherever possible. We understand that discrimination takes many forms.
We pursue health equity because it is a human right:
- For Māori as tangata whenua, equitable outcomes are enshrined in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
- All people in New Zealand have a right to equitable health outcomes under human-rights legislation:
- New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990
- New Zealand Human Rights Act 1993
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948
We also pursue health equity because it is justified on a needs basis. Māori and other priority groups experience significant proven inequities across multiple health and social indicators.
See also Māori Health Equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Equitable outcomes
Our thinking, planning, and actions to achieve equity are underpinned by the New Zealand government's Māori health framework for the health and disability sector:
To pursue equitable health outcomes for every patient, we:
- have a designated equity champion to drive equity initiatives and provide an equity perspective
- link with other organisations or services if needed to support specific needs
- offer professional development opportunities to strengthen cultural capability and ensure cultural safety
- ensure team members understand the principles of health equity, and their role in reducing inequity
- use patient information and data to deliver targeted equitable services for our Māori population and address Māori health priority areas. These are outlined in our Māori Health Plan.
- engage with other organisation and partners to design health care that meets the needs of our community
- allocate time for staff to run equity audits and work on equity plans and projects.
See also Diversity, Cultural Safety, and Patient Data.
Equity champion
Who is your designated equity champion? If you have more than one person in this role, tell us who they are.
Our on-site equity champion is the practice manager. |
The equity champion:
- orientates and mentors team members about equity and our organisation's goals
- understands the breakdown of marginalised/under-served groups in our population
- provides the clinical governance group with information on equity initiatives and areas of concern
- promotes and progresses equitable health outcomes
- oversees regular audits of patient ethnicity data.
Our management team empower the equity champion to raise issues of inequity and take steps to address any concerns. We allocate time and resources for them to work on equity issues.
Clinical governance
Equity is a core area of clinical governance. The equity champion is part of our clinical governance group and equity is a standing item on the meeting agenda.
See also Clinical Governance.
Leadership
Our leadership team are committed to being a pro-equity health provider and embedding equity throughout our organisation.
We do this by:
- setting targets and documenting our actions and progress towards equity
- recruiting team members with pro-equity values and a commitment to equity
- developing our team to understand:
- the importance of equity in health care
- concepts such as racism and discrimination, conscious and unconscious bias, access, and cultural safety.
See also Recruitment and Vetting, Bias, Access, and Cultural Safety.
Collaboration and partnership
We listen to and engage with organisations and partners to help us design services that improve health equity.
See also Collaboration and Partnership.
Equity action plan for our practice
The Equity Action plan must meet all requirements from the RNZCGP Cornerstone module.
Do you have a list of services/initiatives that promote equity.
You can amend our action plan template, or send us another document that includes this information, e.g. Māori health plan or strategic plan.
Our equity action plan establishes our targets and documents the steps we're taking to address health equity.