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Moving from ‘stigma reduction’ to ‘inclusion’: development of the inclusion collaborative at Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, New South Wales

Authors :
Louise Maher
Bronwyn Leece
Felicity Sheaves
Andrew Wilson
James Brown
Lauren O’Connell
Megan Carnegie-Brown
Linda Stanbury
Una Turalic
Deanna Mooney
Larissa Hoyling
Elena Cama
Carla Treloar
Source :
Harm Reduction Journal, Vol 21, Iss 1, Pp 1-7 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
BMC, 2024.

Abstract

Abstract This commentary outlines the development of an Inclusion Collaborative in a large health district in Sydney, New South Wales Australia. The Collaborative grew out of ongoing efforts to reduce stigma associated with blood borne viruses while recognising that there are many health conditions and situations where people feel judged when attending services for health care. The formation of the Collaborative drew in health workers in other sectors to create a critical mass of voices calling for stigma reduction, move beyond siloed responses to stigma and to reframe conversations about stigma to a more positive description of “inclusion”. The involvement of consumer representatives (paid for their time) was a key principle of the Collaborative. The members of the Collaborative identified the common experience of their clients being ‘othered’ by the mainstream services and that services can be unwelcoming or not supportive of difference, and therefore create a significant barrier to accessing healthcare. The group considered ways to highlight these issues among colleagues from mainstream services and community members who were not ‘othered’. The Collaborative designed and carried out a range of activities including a Festival of Inclusion, a series of seeding grants for staff and consumer-focused initiatives, promotion of diversity days and an audit of compliance with strategic priorities. The Inclusion Collaborative is an example of a structured approach for efforts to reducing stigma that draws on the ambitions of many parts of a large, complex public health service to deliver better outcomes for its staff and consumers.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
14777517
Volume :
21
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Harm Reduction Journal
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.17e9219c41844683ad6d2e0a2e94225e
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01080-0