Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit develops the skills necessary to contribute working with a particular population/sub-group of interest /community in the assessment of their health needs

It develops the ability to source and develop information and data to assist in reviewing aspects of the problem being targeted and to assist in defining the health needs of the population of interest

This in turn, guides the design, planning and evaluation of Population Health projects or interventions

Application 

This unit applies to work in a public health context and must be applied in compliance with relevant legislation and regulations

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. Assist in conducting a literature review

1.1 Identify organisation reports and key documents and assess for relevance to the aims of the literature review

1.2 Consult key stakeholders from the community and other relevant bodies for sources of information relevant to the literature review

1.3 Identify and source information and data at local, state or regional level that may assist in defining and assessing the health needs  of a community

1.4 Provide feedback to the work team or team leader on sources of information and stakeholder views

2. Participate in a consultation  process with the target community

2.1 Contribute to discussions with key stakeholders regarding the health problem, its causes and appropriate interventions/solutions

2.2 Provide briefing materials throughout the consultation process to identify and clarify issues of interest/concern to stakeholders and own organisation

2.3 Provide feedback  to the team leader or work team on the results of the consultation process

3. Contribute to activities that assist the community to identify their health needs

3.1 Make positive contributions to activities that develop an understanding of the factors contributing to the health problem of the community 

3.2 Provide feedback to team members/leader to facilitate discussion and clarify issues arising from the review of literature and consultation process with the community and relevant stakeholders 

3.3 Collect further information and data  when needed for input into the analysis and presentation of results arising from the review of literature and consultation process

3.4 Recommend activities that would build the capacity of the community to identify their health needs to relevant stakeholders

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:

• Equity issues in population health
• Evidence-based practice
• National, State and local health policies, goals, targets and priorities
• Overview of the stages in population health project planning
• Quality assurance
• Relevant international charters/declarations and documents (e.g. Alma Ata, Ottawa Charter, Jakarta Declaration, The Solid Facts by WHO)
• Social change and advocacy processes
• Theory and practice of population health including health promotion, health protection and prevention of communicable and non communicable diseases

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability 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:

• Apply effective communication and interpersonal skills including:

• high level written or verbal communication
• negotiation and liaison
• consultation
• conflict resolution and mediation

• Apply analytical thinking, problem solving and critical appraisal
• Engage and work collaboratively and/or in partnership
• Facilitate and contribute effectively to meetings, forums and other networks
• Identify and source relevant data and information
• Provide feedback in a comprehensive and logical manner
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and/or autonomously
• Work planning and management

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 for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this competency unit :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills

Access and equity considerations :

• All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• This unit may be assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace under normal conditions
• The unit may be assessed in the classroom and may contain a strong theoretical emphasis
• Access to:

• a range of government and non government policy documents and reports and statistics
• journals, books and external expertise
• documents and other materials (charters, declarations, discussion papers, etc.) from international conferences on population health
• a range of government and non government policy documents and reports and statistics
• organisation policies and procedures

Method of assessment 

• Observation of performance
• Written tasks
• Interviewing and questioning
• Formal appraisal systems
• Staff client feedback
• Portfolio/CV
• Supporting statement of supervisors
• Evidence of relevant work experience/formal or informal learning
• Case studies and scenarios as a basis for the discussion of issues in population health project planning
• Project, exercise or investigation with relaxed time restraints requiring a significant part of the work to be carried out without close supervision and requiring the completion of a project report

Related units :

This unit should be undertaken and assessed in conjunction with the following units:

• HLTPOP303C Contribute to population health project planning
• HLTPOP304C Contribute to evaluating a population health project

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.

Health need is defined as :

• State, conditions or factors in the community which, if absent, prevent people from achieving the optimum of physical, mental and social well-being 1 

Types of need :

• Normative need (based on expert opinion)
• Expressed need (based on inferences made from observation of use of health services)
• Comparative need (derived from examining the services provided in a similar population)
• Felt need (based on what members of the community say they need)

Health problem and community being targeted may be identified through one of the following ways :

• Consultation with supervising Population Health professional
• Position/job description
• Policy documents/legislation detailing national, state or local health goals

Means of finding relevant literature may include :

• Web searches for publications and research reports from relevant organisations
• Catalogue searches

Briefing materials may include :

• Written summaries of issues or opinion
• Pamphlets, brochures, charted and tabled data
• Collections of reports, articles or research results

Feedback may include :

• Written reports
• Brief commentary or summary presentations

Consultation may take the form of one of the following :

• Interviews (personal, phone, formal or informal)
• Nominal group process
• Questionnaires
• Delphi Method
• Focus groups
• Forums

Relevant sources of information include :

• Books
• Journals
• Hospital records
• Notification systems
• Registers
• Sentinel recording systems
• Surveys
• Annual public health reports
• Existing epidemiological/socio-demographic data
• National Population Health and Health Promotion agencies and organisations
• General practitioners/primary care service
• Local health authorities
• Councils
• Voluntary agencies
• Relevant databases, such as HEAPS
• Publications of Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
• Experts in the field (practice and academia)
• Target group representatives

Key stakeholders may include :

• Representatives of relevant health agencies operating in the local community
• Community advocates or change agents
• Representatives/leaders of the target population
• Population health professionals/Supervisors
• Federal, State or local health service and population health planners
• Federal, State or local health service providers
• Other health and/or non-government organisations

Data may be :

• Qualitative
• Quantitative

Types of data required about the target group may include :

• Demographic characteristics (e.g. age, sex, ethnic composition, residence, education level achieved)
• Patterns of behaviour
• Lifestyle

Ethical considerations that guide data collection and consultation processes may include :

• Privacy and confidentiality
• Responsibility to help a community respond to needs they identify which might not necessarily coincide with stated priority health needs