A matrix for identifying, measuring and monitoring institutional racism within public hospitals and health services

Based on current research, this is the first tool to be developed globally that can be used to externally and objectively identify, measure and monitor institutional racism within the public health system. Effectively it is a tool to measure Australian federal and state/territory Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health policy implementation and accountability and uses only publicly available information in the assessment process. Using a scoring system, the matrix can be used to rate and compare hospital and health services/local health districts in any Australian jurisdiction. The matrix can be adapted to assess other forms of institutional discrimination (gender, age, religion, disability, etc) and is currently of interest to public health administrators and Australia's human rights agencies. Following a matrix assessment of the Cairns & Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland established the Optimal Health Project Team to address issues raised by the matrix assessment with CHHHS representatives and senior representatives of local Indigenous community controlled health services