Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to organise health support operations in a field deployment context in support of organisational operations. Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements are applicable to this unit.

Application of the Unit 

This unit of competency is applicable to logistic personnel who have a responsibility to organise and manage the delivery of health support in a field deployment context.

The candidate will usually be a clinician or a health care provider, and will bring management skills and leadership to perform the scope of this unit of competence. Health elements may be comprised of a range of health capability from different disciplines which when brought together form a comprehensive health support organisation. The composition of the health support organisation will be guided by the type and scale of operation. All activities are carried out in accordance with relevant organisational policy and procedures.

Employability Skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Prepare for health support operations 

1.1 Information is sourced and analysed to identify the health factors to be considered

1.2 The considerations of production/maintenance planning are applied to derive the most efficient employment of health element equipment and personnel

1.3 The maintenance of health equipment is scheduled within the constraints of delivering health support

1.4 The preparedness of health personnel is monitored to ensure personnel are competent, authorised and ready to provide health care

1.5 The principles of health support are applied to the preparation and planning of health support

1.6 Instructions are prepared and delivered to implement and coordinate health support operations

1.7 Technical advice is provided to management and stakeholders

2 Manage evacuation support 

2.1 Evacuation planning factors are taken into consideration when planning and compiling an evacuation task order

2.2 Evacuation assets are maintained in a state of high readiness to respond to evacuation tasking

2.3 Processes and procedures are established to enable the despatch and control of evacuation assets in response to tasking

2.4 Evacuation support is delivered to support the continuity of care to casualties requiring evacuation via the health element

2.5 Evacuation support is delivered within the constraints of the operational environment allowing for appropriate security and protection of evacuation assets

2.6 The reception and despatch of casualties with other evacuation modes is coordinated

3 Manage health support 

3.1 The interrelationship between health elements is managed to enable a continuity of care as the patient transitions through care agencies

3.2 Health care specialists and providers are consulted to ensure patient holding is appropriate and is balanced with the care they require and the need to maintain health element mobility

3.3 Patient tracking is managed to ensure an accurate picture of patient status at all times and to ensure the personnel administrative system is informed of the patient movements

3.4 Health records are maintained to enable an accurate record of care provided and a basis for review and ongoing treatment

3.5 Health logistics are managed to ensure the health resources available for care are consistent with the care required and the capability of the health element

3.6 Health related reports and returns are prepared and submitted to aid in organisational health planning and coordination

3.7 A knowledge of relevant conventions and laws (such as the Geneva Conventions and the Laws of Armed Conflict) are applied to the delivery of health support

3.8 The welfare and administration of patients and health element personnel is monitored

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

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

Required knowledge :

• The principles of health support

• Preparedness requirements of health personnel

• Policy and procedure relating to evacuation

• Tasks and composition of health elements and their points of interaction

• Health stores and equipment resupply systems and procedures

• Patient tracking and administration

• Requirements relating to the management of health waste

• Supply, handling, storage of blood products

• Legislative and regulatory environment as it pertains to materiel logistics

• Logistics support analysis principles and processes

• Organisational policy and procedures

• Organisational role relevant to specialist logistic support

• Planning processes

Required skills :

• Lead a team of medical experts as required

• Supervise a team of health care workers

• Apply a knowledge of health planning and coordination

• Apply health planning tools to inform health planning

• Identify the relationship between organisational goals and recognise how own planning contributes to the achievement of those goals

• Deliver clear, concise, accurate and authoritative instructions

• Use information technology and software

• Prepare health related reports and returns

• Work closely with a senior clinical officer to coordinate health support

• Liaise with external agencies to coordinate health support

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required knowledge and skills, the range statement and the assessment guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

• The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria of this unit

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

• Competency should be demonstrated on at least one occasion covering the scope of the unit of competence
• Resources for assessment include:

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or other simulated practical and knowledge assessment, and/or
• access to an appropriate range of relevant operational situations in the workplace

• In both real and simulated environments, access is required to:

• relevant and appropriate materials and equipment, and
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals

Method of assessment 

• Assessment of this unit must be undertaken by a registered training organisation
• As a minimum, assessment of knowledge must be conducted through appropriate written/oral tests
• Practical assessment must occur:

• through activities in an appropriately simulated environment, and/or
• in an appropriate range of situations in the workplace

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.

Health support may include:

• triage
• resuscitation
• surgical care
• nursing care
• primary health care
• evacuation (forward retrieval)
• pathology
• medical imaging
• dental care
• environmental health support
• psych support

Health elements may include:

• dental team
• environmental health team
• health assessment team
• field pathology team
• low/medium/high dependency nursing team
• primary health care team
• rehabilitation team
• resuscitation team
• surgical team
• laboratory team
• medical imaging team
• road ambulance evacuation team
• aeromedical evacuation team
• psych support team
• mortuary team
• ships medical emergency team

Preparedness of health element personnel may include:

• competent in generic organisational skills
• competent in health care skills
• fit and healthy
• have appropriate credentials for position
• have an authorised Red Cross card and armband
• familiar and confident with health element equipment and operating environment

Health support policy and procedure may include:

• health doctrine
• health instructions
• health policy directives
• standard operating procedures

The principles of health support may include:

• prevention
• conformity
• control
• continuity
• flexibility
• mobility
• proximity

Evacuation planning factors may include:

• casualty/patient estimates
• availability and capability of evacuation assets
• capacity, location and type of supporting health facilities
• level of expertise of health care personnel
• casualty exchange points along the evacuation chain
• protection afforded to health personnel, casualties, health units, evacuation assets
• communication plan
• airspace command and control

Evacuation assets may include:

• ambulance
• air/sea support
• vehicle adapted for casualty transport
• medical equipment
• pharmaceutical stores
• trained and competent personnel

Processes and procedures may include:

• standard operation procedures
• tasking information sheet
• pre-departure briefing
• in-vehicle communications
• check points/rendezvous points/way points
• navigation aids
• route clearances
• forward positioning of evacuation assets
• use of casualty exchange points

Evacuation support may include:

• casualty transport
• casualty retrieval
• on-site care
• en route care
• handover
• management of casualty property and effects
• compilation of evacuation records

Reception and despatch may include:

• movement to and from the despatch point via ambulance
• liaison with the mode of evacuation
• transfer to the other evacuation mode
• handover of the casualty to other evacuation modes

Other evacuation modes may include:

• rotary wing aircraft
• fixed wing aircraft
• boat/ship

Patient tracking may include:

• identification
• reporting on admission
• providing updates
• issuing notifications
• reporting on discharge
• maintaining a record of these occurrences
• reporting epidemiological morbidity data

Health record may include:

• medical records
• patient administrative information
• health reports and returns
• health treatment statistics

Health logistics may include:

• pharmaceuticals
• mortuary affairs
• blood
• health support services (maintenance, catering)
• general logistic support (supply, transport, waste)

Health related reports and returns may include:

• incident report
• casualty notification
• patient holding
• situation report
• stock holdings
• epidemiological morbidity data

Competency Field 

X - Logistics