Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit describes the competencies required to supervise a group of workers who function as a team to provide health services to the community

Application 

This unit is intended to address skills and knowledge required by those involved in the supervision of groups or teams of workers providing health related services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities

Workers in such groups or teams may function across a range of disciplines and workers within the team may or may not be located together

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Facilitate networking and information exchange amongst workers

1.1 Identify existing networks  for workers and their use supported

1.2 Set up new networks and /or information exchange processes  as required to facilitate achievement of identified outcomes

1.3 Provide workers with information to support their access networks and information exchange

1.4 Support use of networks and information exchange processes in the work environment

2. Set unit and individual worker objectives 

2.1 Access organisation, program and action plans and identify priorities/issues for the unit in line with organisation requirements

2.2 Set unit objectives in consultation between workers and supervisor in line with organisation requirements

2.3 Develop individual objectives in consultation with workers to address unit objectives and action plans and in line with legislative requirements

3. Identify staffing gaps

3.1 Identify staffing gaps in consultation with supervisors and/or other workers

3.2 Determine needs for additional staff and/or training/ development of existing staff in terms of skills required to achieve identified work outcomes

3.3 Communicate staffing and training needs to relevant organisation authority for action

4. Supervise daily work schedule

4.1 Develop duty roster and/or daily work schedule for the team

4.2 Monitor and adjust work schedules as required to meet action plan needs

5. Work with management

5.1 Consult managers on work issues

5.2 Keep managers informed of work and team issues

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge :

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes knowledge of:

• Organisation guidelines on supervising staff
• Relevant requirements of:

• Industrial Relations Act
• EBAs (where they exist)
• union documents/guidelines/policies
• OH&S legislation and guidelines
• awards and conditions of services

• Organisation human resource management policies
• Strategies to meet staff training needs
• Networking and information exchange processes
• Community support mechanisms
• Existing program policy

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Provide supervision and support to a team of workers involved in provision of primary health care services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients
• Maintain the team competencies, information exchange, objectives and daily activities in line with management objectives

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes the ability to:

• Communicate effectively (verbal essential, written may not be essential)
• Network, negotiate
• Resolve conflict
• Represent personnel as required

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects of assessment :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace
• Where, for reasons of safety, space, or access to equipment and resources, assessment takes place away from the workplace, the assessment environment should represent workplace conditions as closely as possible

Conditions of assessment :

This unit includes skills and knowledge specific to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander culture

Assessment must therefore be undertaken by a workplace assessor who has expertise in the unit of competency or who has the current qualification being assessed and who is:

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander him/herself

or:

• accompanied and advised by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who is a recognised member of the community with experience in primary health care

Context of assessment :

Competence should be demonstrated working individually, under supervision or as part of a primary health care team working with Aboriginal and/or
Torres Strait Islander clients.

Assessment should replicate workplace conditions as far as possible.

Related units :

This unit may be assessed independently or in conjunction with other units with associated workplace application.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Cultural respect 

This competency standard supports the recognition, protection and continued advancement of the inherent rights, cultures and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

It recognises that the improvement of the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must include attention to physical, spiritual, cultural, emotional and social well being, community capacity and governance

Its application must be culturally sensitive and supportive of traditional healing and health, knowledge and practices

Community control 

Community participation and control in decision-making is essential to all aspects of health work, and the role of the health worker is to support the community in this process

Supervision 

Supervision must be conducted in accordance with prevailing state/territory and organisation legislative and regulatory requirements

References to supervision may include either direct or indirect supervision of work by more experienced workers, supervisors, managers or other health professionals

A person at this level should only  be required to make decisions about clients within the organisation's standard treatment protocols and associated guidelines

Legislative requirements 

Federal, state or territory legislation may impact on workers' practices and responsibilities. Implementation of the competency standards should reflect the legislative framework in which a health worker operates. It is recognised that this may sometimes reduce the application of the Range of Variables in practice. However, assessment in the workplace or through simulation should address all essential skills and knowledge across the Range of Variables

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers may be required to operate in situations that do not constitute 'usual practice' due to lack of resources, remote locations and community needs. As a result, they may need to possess more competencies than described by 'usual practice circumstances'

Under all circumstances, the employer must enable the worker to function within the prevailing legislative framework

Teams may include :

• Groups of workers who function as a team to provide health services
• Program managers and/or team leaders, supervisors/managers/coordinators
• Volunteers, community members

Networks and or information exchange processes may include :

• Staff and team meetings
• Newsletters, memos, information, flyers
• Telephone and CB radio hook ups
• Verbal and written reports and letters/faxes
• E-mail and other formal and informal structures

Unit and worker objectives may be based upon :

• Work group or service plans
• Project plans
• Individual work tasks, duties and action plans
• The workers' and/or work groups' goals and aims

Action plans may be operational or strategic and may include :

• Specific plans for achieving specific outcomes
• The resources required
• Training plans to develop the required knowledge and skills
• The time frame for achieving the outcomes