Aim: The project examined health literacy in the Prince of Wales Hospital Diabetes Centre (DC) with a particular interest in people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The study adopted a view of health literacy as a personal ‘asset’, examining the resources diabetes educators and patients could draw on in order to maintain the health and well-being following their diagnoses of type 2 diabetes.Method: The study adopted a qualitative approach including 12 semi-structured interviews with the DC multidisciplinary team to examine how the staff identified and responded to the health literacy needs of the patients. It also included 23 observations of one-to-one clinical educational sessions between the diabetes educators and the patients. Following each session, patients were interviewed to identify their perceptions on how they managed with their diabetes, what resources they drew upon and how they responded to the education and assistance provided at the DC.  The interviews and observations were conducted by researchers from the University of Technology of Sydney.Results: The clinical encounters and patient interviews were analysed using the OPHELIA¹ approach which identifies nine domains of health literacy.  The patient observation and interview data were presented as patient scenarios under the heading “what does health literacy mean for people attending the DC?”  The DC team analysed the scenarios to reflect on ‘practice wisdoms’ (i.e. what they think contributes to patient managing well or not so well and what else might be useful for the patient) and to identify strategies that could improve patient outcomes.   Themes have been identified and used to review educational-clinical practice.

 Conclusion:  The patient scenarios and observations insights enabled the DC to identify service improvements at a clinical, educational and organisational level.  The staff interviews also informed an understanding of how staff identify and respond to the health literacy of patients.