Melbourne’s primary health care system can be difficult to access for people from culturally diverse backgrounds, potentially endangering care for some of the city’s most at-risk communities.
This report found that many frontline health workers – including doctors, nurses, mental health professionals and alcohol and drug counsellors – lacked the training or resources to properly service people who find the English language challenging.
In addition, a widespread lack of translated materials or culturally trained advisors means that many people from linguistically diverse communities aren’t properly inducted into primary health care services. The problem is particularly acute outside of normal business hours.
The report was prepared by ECCV in collaboration with Community-Owned Primary Health Enterprises (COPHE). The authors consulted widely with healthcare workers from a range of organisations – such as the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health, Victorian Transcultural Mental Health and Odyssey House – as well as with focus groups comprising community members.
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