Community Health Services Teaching and Research Program Model

1
Community Health Services Teaching and Research
Program Model

• Hal Swerissen
• Jenny Macmillan
• Alex Butler

2
Student Placements Current Issues for
Universities

• Large and rising student numbers
• Competition for placements
• Crowded curricula
• Clinical requirements

3
Current Student Placements in Community Health
Services

• Almost all CHSs take students
• Wide variety of placements
• Available data limited

4
Stakeholder Views General

• CHSs can provide valuable learning environment
• CHSs could play greater role
• CHS placement processes not optimal

5
Stakeholder views

• Universities
• Pressure for student placements
• Must respond to future workforce needs
• See CHSs as minor players
• CHS CEOs
• Support greater role for CHSs
• Want closer relationships with universities
• Inadequate incentives in current arrangements

6
Issues in Model Development Health Sector
Environment

• Workforce shortages
• Cost pressures
• Ageing population
• Shift in emphasis from inpatient/acute focus to
  primary/ambulatory care

7
Issues in Model Development Universities

• Size and complexity of the health education system

8
Issues in Model Development CHSs

• Relatively small agencies
• Structure of primary health sector
• Primary focus on service delivery

9
Priority Program Objectives

• Increase quality and number of student placements
• Assist recruitment and retention in CH
• Increase understanding of CH sector
• Enhance CHS role in education and research

10
Model Characteristics 1

• Wide range of disciplines
• Inclusive
• Rural and metro
• Geographic aggregations of agencies
• Focus on learning organisations
• Partnerships between unis and CHS
• Research component

11
Model Characteristics 2

• For student placements
• Coordination and structure
• Formalised CH education

12
Model Limitations

• University and registration requirements
  difficult to change
• CH small player with particular focus
• Funding
• Current placement arrangements
• Continuing pressure for service delivery

13
Model Structure

• Statewide leadership
• Sub-regional networks
• Individual CHSs

14
Network Structure

• Sub-regional networks organised around Primary
  Care Partnership catchments
• Network Teaching Coordinator located at auspice
  CHS

15
Criteria for network inclusion in program

• Minimum number and range of placements
• Capacity for expansion
• Management and infrastructure capability
• Agreed policy on teaching and research and
  network structure
• Current accreditation

16
Placement Description

• Formal agreements including learning contracts
• Minimum placement duration
• Multidisciplinary opportunities maximised
• Participation rather than observation
• Structured teaching component
• Clinical supervision

17
Research and Workforce Development

• Potential for collaborations between universities
  and CH to deliver
• research outcomes
• workforce development

18
Resourcing

• Student placements
• Statewide coordination (DHS responsibility)
• Networks (DHS)
• CHS (primarily universities)
• Research and workforce development
• Variety of options (universities)