Generic Competencies for Public Health

Workforce Action: Ready for the Future

28 June 2007

Competency

the ability to apply particular knowledge,

skills, attitudes and values to the standard

of performance required in specified

contexts

Who works in public health?

•Health promotion and social participation •Health protection•Health situation monitoring and analysis•Epidemiological surveillance/disease prevention and control•Research, development and implementation of innovative public health solutions

•Human resources development and planning in public health•Development of policies and planning in public health•Strategic management of health systems and services for population health gain •Ensuring the quality of personal and population- based health services

Key PH issues

Focus on outcomes, determinants, systems

Improve health of populations

Reduce disparities within and between population groups

PH workforce – Vote: Health

2,000 positions

10% covered by HPCAA

83% with any tertiary qualification– 71% Maori with any tertiary– 45% highest is ug diploma

14% MPH/ pg DPH

PH workforce – Vote: Health

Of 2,000 people:

66% work for NGOs mostly Not For Profits

26% work in BMFM organisations

4% work in BPFP organisations

PH workforce – Vote: Health

Of 2,000 people:

11% in PH less than 1 year

43% in PH less than 5 years– 56% Maori

31% HPO in PH at least 20 years

PH workforce – Vote: Health

Of 2,000 people:

14% less than $30k– 25% of Maori less than $30k

Different training needs

1 Working now, need basic training, no relevant qualification

2 Working now, need rounding out

3 New to public health

Identify shared competencies across the public health workforce to provide a common framework for professional development and a foundation for skill development across specific public health issues.

Other key PHWDP priorities

• Maori workforce

• Pacific workforce

Who started this project?• Australasian Faculty of Public Health

Medicine

• Health Promotion Forum

• Māori Community Health Workers

• New Zealand Institute of Environmental Health

• Public Health Nurses Section of New Zealand Nurses Organisation

• Public Health Association

Generic competencies

• minimum baseline set of competencies

• necessary for the delivery of essential

services

• what everyone in public health needs to be

able to do in order to work effectively in the

field

What do we all need to have in common?

“we all”

=

all the people who work in public health

Benefits of generic competenciesMore effective public health work

• enhanced understanding across the different public health disciplines

• more effective integrated public health strategies

• clearer definition of what public health is and what are public health goals

• greater recognition and validation of work done by public health practitioners

The Generic CompetenciesPublic Health Knowledge 1. Health Systems

2. Public Health Science

3. Policy, Legislation, and

Regulation

4. Research and Evaluation

5. Community Health

Development

Public Health Practice 6. Te Tiriti o Waitangi

7. Working Across and

Understanding Cultures

8. Communication

9. Leadership, Teamwork, and

Professional Liaison

10. Advocacy

11. Professional Development and

Self Management

12. Planning and Administration

How do the generic competencies fit with

existing discipline-specific competencies?

PH competencies

• Many similar but different competency sets • Some groups have none• Some groups are in the process of

developing a set • Some employers use no competency set• Multiple training programmes

– many offer no recognised qualification

Relationship between generic competencies,Discipline X competencies and Discipline Y

competencies

What needs to happen

Training programmes – qualifications & consistency;

Employer support; Funding – training, now more highly

qualified staff; Support in contracts;Professional bodies and discipline support Body to manage, promote and support.

RPL / RCC

Recognition of prior learning /

Recognition of current competency

Needs trained and approved assessors

Risks

Existing disparities in workforce exacerbated– Employers fire, not up-skill– Training not accessible

Funding barriers– Training costs (including travel)– Locums/ output reductions– Higher pay for higher skilled staff

www.pha.org.nz

or Googleall the words

public health generic competencies