Developing Cultural Competency in Accordance with the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act

Abstract

The New Zealand health care system, like that of other countries from Europe to the Americas, does not pro-vide equal health outcomes to all members of its popu-lation.1-3 Poor health is disproportionately greater among those whose cultural background differs from the ma-jority population.4-7 Culture thus serves as a marker of special needs and, as such, awareness of culture is an important skill for a doctor to possess.