Te Tiriti o Waitangi — Partnership in Clinical Practice

Hidden so they don't bias your answer. Score yourself first, then reveal them to compare.

• Partnership under Te Tiriti means working together respectfully, sharing decision-making, and not imposing a monocultural process on patients. A karakia takes under a minute and costs nothing; refusing it signals that the patient's cultural identity is irrelevant to their care. In practice, partnership might mean asking at the start of an encounter what the patient needs to feel safe, rather than waiting for them to ask. Strong answers acknowledge that the Treaty has legal and ethical force in the NZ health system — it is not optional.
• When addressing a supervisor: pick the moment carefully (after the patient has left, in private), use a curious rather than accusatory tone — 'I wasn't sure what to do when the patient asked for a karakia — could we talk about that?' Frame it as wanting to understand the team's approach. This is not capitulation; it is strategic communication. If the behaviour is part of a pattern or affects patient safety, you have an obligation to escalate through appropriate channels.
• The research evidence is clear: culturally unsafe care reduces health-seeking behaviour, reduces disclosure, and worsens outcomes. For Māori patients, who already face systemic health disparities in NZ, each encounter that feels unsafe adds to distrust. Mentioning specific data (e.g. Māori have lower life expectancy, higher rates of preventable hospitalisation) shows you understand the stakes. But avoid lecturing — answer the question, don't rehearse a sociology essay.