Exploring anti-racism within the context of human resource management in the health sector in Aotearoa

Abstract

Compelling evidence continues to demonstrate that racism is a modifiable determinant of health inequities. Despite growing recognition of this it is less clear how from a human resource perspective to engage in effective anti-racism.
 
 Through a review of human resource and anti-racism literature, the white, Indigenous and racialised authors examined existing approaches to anti-racism applicable to the health system in Aotearoa.
 
 Two systemic organisational approaches were identified: diversity training and dismantling institutional racism. Recruitment processes, talent management and retention were human resource specific sites for interventions. Insights from anti-racism scholarship including upholding te Tiriti o Waitangi and engaging in decolonising to enable transformative change.
 
 Power-sharing remains at the heart of anti-racism praxis. A health sector response needs to be co-created with Māori and those with the political will to enable transformation. Given racism has a geographic specificity, solutions need to be informed by the cultural, political, social, and historical context.

Evaluating the impact of ‘Ask the Specialist Plus’: a training program for improving cultural safety and communication in hospital-based healthcare

“…The format increased opportunities for staff to have positive contact experiences with First Nations people outside of the stressful clinical environment. Increasing positive contact experiences, a key feature of anti-racism training, generated empathy and encouraged perspective taking which assisted healthcare providers to develop their critical consciousness: this is the personal development work required to address racism in healthcare [ 66 , 82 , 83 ]. We encourage cultural safety trainers to invest in training formats such as podcasts, videos, virtual reality experiences and face to face workshops.…”