Cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are shaped not only by access to treatment, but also by the quality of relationships, trust and communication experienced throughout the cancer journey. Achieving equity in cancer care requires a workforce that is culturally responsive, community-connected and capable of supporting meaningful participation in healthcare decisions. Aboriginal Health Workers and Aboriginal Health Practitioners represent a critical, yet often under-recognised, component of that workforce.
As trusted members of their communities, Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners bridge the space between health services, patients, families and communities. Their contribution extends beyond care coordination and navigation. They facilitate understanding of complex information, advocate for patient and family priorities, support cultural safety within healthcare settings, and enable Shared Decision Making (SDM) by ensuring that clinical decisions are informed by individual values, cultural obligations, family considerations and lived experience, alongside clinical evidence.
Aboriginal communities consistently identify trusted Aboriginal workforce roles as fundamental to informed decision making, culturally safe care and equitable access to services. Through community engagement and co-design initiatives aimed at improving participation in cancer clinical trials, key priorities have emerged, including Aboriginal navigators, culturally appropriate communication, family-inclusive models of care, practical support pathways and Aboriginal leadership in service design and delivery. These priorities reinforce the central role of Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners in strengthening patient experience, participation and outcomes across the cancer continuum.
Workforce equity extends beyond representation. It requires recognition of Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners as clinicians, cultural leaders, advocates and integral members of multidisciplinary cancer care teams. Strengthening this workforce is not only a workforce development strategy, but also a quality, safety and equity imperative. Supporting Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners to lead, influence and thrive within the health system offers a significant opportunity to improve cancer outcomes, embed Shared Decision Making, and advance culturally safe and person-centred cancer care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.