Working Towards Culturally Safe and Sensitive Hospital Social Work Practice in Northern Adelaide, South Australia

Aboriginal health consumer voices are rarely heard within Australian health systems. Racism is a barrier to accessing health services and improving health outcomes for Aboriginal health consumers. To improve health services and outcomes, social workers from NALHN sought feedback from Aboriginal health consumers on how to improve their practice within the confines of the hospital. Decolonising interpretive phenomenological sequential qualitative research methods were adopted. Non-probability purposeful and convenience sampling was used which was not intended to be representative. Focus group interviews (n = 2) and yarning circles (n = 4) were held with hospital social work practitioners (n = 17) and Aboriginal health consumers (n = 5), respectively. Thematic analysis was undertaken by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers and initial themes brought together. Aboriginal health consumers raised concerns about the stereotypes associated with social work, the importance of establishing a connection through finding out about Nation/Groups and family networks. Aboriginal health consumers requested engagement with family and a recognition of current personal circumstances, not past. Social workers were found to be aware of their privilege and the impacts of colonisation on their practice yet were unsure ‘how’ to put the knowledge they have into practice in the hospital setting. Constraints from the hospital environment were found to limit social workers ability to offer brief, timely, relational, culturally safe, trauma informed social work practice to Aboriginal health consumers. There is a need for the creation of a ‘third space’ within the confines of the hospital. A space where Aboriginal health consumers and social workers can come together assumptions can be challenged, providing opportunity for the development of relational, culturally safe, trauma-informed social work practice.