Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit describes the competencies required to develop organisation policies and influence government policy development in ways that address community health care needs and organisation guidelines

Application 

This unit is intended to address skills and knowledge required by those who contribute to the development of health care policy for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities

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. Develop policies  for health related workplace

1.1 Identify government policies  that affect the workplace and its functions and document implications

1.2 Identify and document workplace policies needed to address government requirements

1.3 Discuss policy requirements with the community and associated health agencies

1.4 Develop and/or revise policies in consultation with the community 

1.5 Seek endorsement of key stakeholders for policy recommendations

1.6 Monitor and review workplace policies

2. Influence government policy development

2.1 Identify and document government policies that result in service duplication or gaps in community needs

2.2 Develop strategies for influencing government policies in consultation with the community and health agencies

2.3 Represent community views and needs to government

2.4 Discuss progress/outcome of representations with the community

2.5 Monitor and review strategies

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:

• National Aboriginal Health Strategy
• Relevant up-to-date national policies and reports, such as 'National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Oral Health Workshop - Report and Action Plan'
• Organisation policies and guidelines
• Commonwealth state/territory government policies and local government policies

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

• Develop workplace policies in relation to the provision of health services for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities
• Contribute to Government policy development and review on behalf of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people

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 clearly and effectively
• Negotiate and resolve conflict
• Represent the organisation, community and/or other positions in public speaking, meetings and in writing
• Write letters, submissions and reports

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 wellbeing, 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

Policies may be :

• Organisational
• Work unit
• Workplace
• Formalised policies
• Workplace guidelines
• Agreed directions for service delivery

Government policies may be at state , commonwealth or local government level and may , for example , include those relating to :

• Health
• Welfare
• Environment
• Housing
• Land
• Funding

Community may include :

• Key people identified by the local community and community controlled organisations
• Individuals
• Community councils
• Family

Relevant people who endorse policies may include :

• Organisational cabinet/board of management
• Management committee
• Community councils
• Community health councils

Review of policies may be :

• Informal discussions with individuals and key people in the community
• Formal review involving processes such as:

• public meetings
• interviews
• survey questionnaires

Strategies for influencing government policy may include :

• Lobbying
• Providing information to inform policy development
• Providing information to highlight gaps in policy and problematic policies