Addressing Racism in Health Care

South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) is committed to addressing racism and fostering a health system that is safe, inclusive and equitable for everyone.

Racism has significant impacts on people's mental and physical health and can affect how individuals access and experience health services. All forms of racism are harmful, particularly when they occur in health care settings, where they can undermine trust, safety and health outcomes.

To address these impacts, SESLHD launched its evidence-based Addressing Racism Strategy, Racism Harms: Act on It, in July 2020. The strategy was developed following the successful Racism and its Impact on Health: Research to Practice Forum held in 2018, where leading researchers presented evidence on the harmful effects of racism on health, particularly within health care settings. Building on this work, SESLHD hosted a second Research to Practice Forum in May 2024, Addressing Racism in the Health Care System: Actions for Equity and Cultural Safety, bringing together researchers and health professionals to strengthen action across the health sector.

The strategy comprises six domains of action: leadership; organisational development; communication; workforce development and resource development. Key initiatives include bystander intervention training for staff and a comprehensive intranet site with resources for staff on how to report and respond to racist incidents. Training is embedded into Corporate Orientation and is available to teams across the district on request.

Evaluation of the strategy and its bystander intervention training has demonstrated positive outcomes in increasing staff knowledge, confidence and willingness to act when witnessing racism.

For more information about the strategy's effectiveness, read our peer-reviewed article in Public Health Research & Practice here.

For further information, please contact the Equity and Prevention Service at SESLHD-EquityandPrevention-Admin@health.nsw.gov.au.