The General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC) has developed a new suite of resources to assist GPs in providing inclusive, trauma informed and culturally safe care to patients from diverse backgrounds. These resources, each developed in collaboration with GPs, a carer representative and a consumer representative, are designed to support Mental Health Treatment Plans, offering practical tips to build trust, ask sensitive questions respectfully, and recognise when to proceed with caution.
The guides also recognise and acknowledge the importance of intersectionality among these and other populations.
The Specific Populations Resource Hub contains 5 individual resources, each focusing on a different population:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders – which addresses important cultural aspects such as the kinship system, sorry business, connections to Country and more
- Veterans – which focuses on Veteran specific care, such as PTSD and trauma, working alongside DVA resources, Veteran-specific administration guides, and more
- Refugees – which addresses various topics, such as disruption of education or health care, family separation, migration and resettlement, interpreter services, visa guides, and more
- LGBTQIA+ – which provides advice on how to use affirming and inclusive language, addresses relevant stigmas, intersectionality, and more
- CALD – which addresses topics relating to those of culturally and linguistically diverse populations, such as how to use culturally sensitive language, acknowledging different cultural beliefs and values, accessing interpreter services, and more