Abstract
Background: Peer health navigators have been demonstrated as effective in improving health equity and access to care by supporting individuals in navigating complex healthcare systems. However, in Australia, there has been no standardised framework to define the core capabilities required for these roles. This gap has limited the consistent recruitment, training, and integration of peer health navigators across healthcare organisations. The need for a structured framework is particularly important in ensuring navigators can effectively support underserved communities to reduce inequities and improve health outcomes.
Approach: To address this gap, we developed the first Australian Capability Framework for Peer Health Navigators using a rigorous co-design methodology. A diverse range of stakeholders contributed to this process, including healthcare consumers, volunteer peer health navigators, clinicians, managers, and academic experts. Engagement methods included interviews, workshops, and focus groups designed to capture broad perspectives. Special attention was given to CALD communities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and those with lived experiences of chronic and complex conditions who often face significant challenges accessing and navigating healthcare services. The iterative design process ensured the resulting framework was grounded in real-world needs, reflecting both the operational contexts of health organisations and the lived realities of the communities served by peer navigators.
Results: We conducted six bicultural community workshops, 16 interviews with patients with lived experience, eight interviews with managers, and eight interviews with national academic experts. Data were analysed thematically, resulting in a comprehensive framework outlining the core competencies, skills, and behaviours required for peer health navigators. The framework distinguishes between innate and tacit skills—such as empathy, cultural awareness, and resilience—and skills that require formal education and training. These include knowledge of health systems, effective communication, advocacy, motivational interviewing, and emotional support. In addition the framework identifies the importance of organisational integration, advocating for on-the-job training, structured mentoring, and ongoing supervision to ensure peer navigators are adequately supported in their roles. This holistic approach ensures that navigators not only possess the necessary skills but are also embedded within systems that enable their success.
Implications: This Australian Capability Framework provides a practical and adaptable tool for healthcare organisations to recruit, train, and support peer health navigators. By establishing clear competencies and integrating organisational support structures, the framework aims to improve equity in health outcomes across diverse populations. Future efforts will focus on embedding this framework within national healthcare systems, evaluating its long-term impacts on health equity, and adapting its principles to other roles within health navigation. Scaling its application could provide a consistent, evidence-based approach to enhancing health navigation services across Australia.