RHP&EO is the electronic journal of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education

Cultural Change In Health Promoting Organisations

Cecily Boas

25 Dallas Street, Keiraville, New South Wales, Australia, 2500

Health promotion requires a change in the culture of organisations. As expressed in the Ottowa Charter, it is necessary to shift from illness prevention to a wellness orientation. This involves professionals themselves and their organisations in reflection on how they operate within the health arena.

Health promotion in some health cultures is still seen as & fringe activity. Teams of health promotion professionals have brought about pockets of change. Many of their efforts have been hampered by a lack of deep level cultural change in organisations.

In order for health promotion to go further, and indeed, survive, it. is essential that cultural change occur within health organisations. This can only happen when there is commitment from all those involved, and a coordination of approaches and actions are taken.

This systems approach to change, also espoused by the Ottowa Charter, involves the complementary use of a variety of actions, both personal and organisational, in moving towards cultural change. This can include the development of an understanding of how 'teams' function, and what internal and external influences affect them. Training, when it is integrated and ongoing, can add another important dimension to the cultural change process.

Senior management and boards of governors must be committed to cultural change, and provide leadership for the deep level personal changes that are required to underpin structural and cultural change necessary for the achievement of the Ottowa Charter's goals. Without this auspice the deep personal and structural changes required are unable to be achieved. This commitment provides the basis for developing and implementing processes which enable implementation of effective health promotion.

Development of processes in the corporate world can inform health professionals on possible directions for deep cultural change.

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