Lay summary
Rainbow and Takatāpui elders in Auckland face significant barriers when seeking healthcare. Many avoid or delay care due to past experiences of discrimination, providers lacking knowledge of their health needs and dismissing their identities, or uncertainty about which services are safe and welcoming. This research works directly with Rainbow elders to co-create New Zealand's first community-vetted online directory of inclusive primary healthcare services.
Over two years, we will partner with Rainbow and Takatāpui elders to develop a co-created framework for assessing culturally safe healthcare. We'll explore what helps or hinders providers in delivering inclusive care, evaluate Auckland services against community-defined standards, and create a platform where Rainbow elders can find trustworthy, vetted providers with resources for practice improvement.
This Auckland-focused project creates a scalable model that shifts responsibility from individuals navigating unsafe systems, to making the health system accountable for providing culturally safe, accessible care for all New Zealanders as they age.