Health Workforce Capacity and Skills Development, Disability Care Workers - Essay Example

Running Head: Health Workforce Capacity and Skills Improvement [Name] [Professor Name] [Course] [Date] Abstract The health care sector should look for ways to increase their productivity while at the same time focusing on improving the health of their clients. Consequently, significant changes in the manner in which health care is delivered should be implemented. Furthermore, effective and efficient personnel are fundamental in influencing the way in which the health care system can be managed sustainably using a coordinated approach. This paper discusses to what extent the Health Workforce Australia Domain for Action has been successful in implementing and translating in the organisational level. Special emphasis is placed in the disability industry, specifically mental disability. The effectiveness of Domain for Action at the organisational level Health Workforce Australia (HWA) has been instrumental in determining the direction for establishing a sustainable health work force. While some researchers have attempted to examine their effectiveness in ensuring that health care systems deliver quality services to the people, others have focused on what part it has played in providing long term workforce. Indeed, Health Workforce Australia has contributed significantly to effective workforce and improved service delivery (Health Workforce Australia, 2013). At the Bloomfield Hospital, a mental disability hospital located in Orange NSW, health workforce organizational is in many ways a means to an end. The institution has ameliorated its regulatory, administrative, financial and service delivery arrangements, all of which can be evaluated on the basis of their contribution to the attainment of the wider health care goals (NSW, 2006). The extent to which HWA has influenced suitability and performances of health workforce at Bloomfield Hospital can be examined against some performance indicators, such as quality and safety measures, the extent of nature of evolution in the design of the job description, key competence skills, the adaptability of models of health care to the changeful disease burdens and lastly, improved productivity of the health workers (Zweck, 2012). All of which are pegged on the key domains and objectives of Health Workforce Australia. HWA is seen as having influenced the way in which the hospital institution places emphasis on the need for service growth across the entire organization. With regard to Bloomfield Hospital, HWA has facilitated the review and change of work practices at the mental health hospital to make use of the existing staff, create new practices of workflow, create new roles, as well as broadened assessment requirements for skill mix. The Health Directorate has in turn created an environment for growth of initiatives such as innovative service delivery and role extension. Today, Bloomfield Hospital has gained a reputation for its improved service delivery in providing interventions to the mentally disordered patients, an effective workforce and for its great policies. Domain 1 of the Health Workforce Australia has to a large extent influenced the way in which hospitals manage and motivate their workers. A case in point is the manner in which Bloomfield Hospital has progressively examined role extension and implemented recommended changes to meet the needs of patients, improve structures of clinical career and as well reduce pressure on its workforce. For instance, to keep its workforce highly motivated while at the same time revising their roles, Bloomfield Hospital allows non-physician clinicians to work as supplementing physicians in certain roles within the hospital institution. This is consistent with some studies which have seemed to suggest that reviewing of roles appears acceptable to physicians and patients. The Health Directorate has been active in conducting a number of researches to test, implement and evaluate extended roles, including of nurse practitioners who are registered nurses and who are permitted to work collaboratively and autonomously in higher and extended roles. Among these roles include assessing and managing clients using clinical expertise, such as direct referral of patients to other health practitioners, ordering for diagnostic analysis and making prescriptions. This action is consistency with domain one of the Health Workforce Australia which suggests for reforms to ensure more effective and accessible health care services (Health Workforce Australia, 2013). Health Workforce Australia and the principles associated with the institution have been highly instrumental in ensuring that hospitals train their workers in a bid to make them more effective and confident. In compliance with the principles of Health Workforce Australia, the number of allied health assistants has also been on the rise, with most assistants now possessing formal qualifications. Indeed there have been some studies which indicate that allied health assistants are increasingly caring for the clients. Bloomfield Hospital has been keen on using assistants to run up group sessions for those groups of individuals who have similar needs. For instance, it was found that the practice improved efficiency of the staff compared the standard practice. This action is in fulfilment of domain 2 of the Health Workforce Australia, which suggests that organizations should create a health workforce that is equipped with competences and that can provide collaborative models of care to clients. More and more hospitals in Australia are today emphasizing the need for a collaborative approach between the nurses and the doctors in health care services delivery. The Health Workforce Australia is highly regarded for having placed emphasis on the capacities of the workforce to ensure that improved health care service delivery is ensured. Within the organizational scenario, leadership is a greatly considered asset attributed to its potent influence in triggering certain controlled behaviors. Effective leaders are individuals capable of motivating their teams and achieving a common objective through improved performances. Bloomfield Hospital has tended to centre on these principles by encouraging leadership and motivation at all levels of hospital operations. Researchers argue that is crucial that individuals who make up the team be motivated and stimulated with an apparent suggestion of focus, this will enable them to direct their energies towards the predestined direction (Baumeister, 2004). Studies have shown that workers, even as they may benefit from a number of monetary rewards such as wages and salaries, need something more than leadership to keep them working persistently. Even though the salaries may offer sufficient incentive to keep them working, effective leadership is crucial in directing their energies towards a predetermined direction. Leadership is however lacking if the employee is not motivated. Furthermore, chances are the employee will not give his full commitment to the organization, since with this, then the employee’s quality of work would not end up deteriorating. Social theorists have expressed that individuals’ personality dimensions referred as locus of control. This variable depicts individual’s beliefs or perceptions on the location of factors that determine the kind of behaviour they should exhibit at certain instances. At one side of the continuum, are individuals (high internals) who believe that they reserve all the rights to control their behaviours. On the other side of the continuum, some individuals, (high externals) who believe that it’s the external factors that control or determine their behaviours. This is less surprising as externals, unlike internals, will tend to view the organization as unpredictable or that some powerful individuals control their destinies (Baumeister, 2004). It is on this basis that it can be argued that motivation is a psychological aspect that stimulated organisms to work towards the preferred goals, as well as elicit certain behaviors and restraints. Indeed, it can be regarded as a psychological drive that compels a response towards achieving a certain goal. This complies with domain 3, which specifies the need to create leadership capacities of the workforce. Effective coordination of the staff with reference to workforce training is a means of creating order at the workplace. Health Workforce Australia is seen as having played an integral part in ensuring that the hospital settings plan and coordinate the activities of the employees. Strategic planning has seen Bloomfield hospital’s key organizational management technique that it uses to ensure that the workforce work towards a common goal. Planning is a disciplined approach capable of generating crucial decisions and actions that can guide an organization towards its objectives. Indeed, experts have observed that effective planning communicates where an organization is headed and the issues to be addressed. To ensure that the workforce is kept focused, the hospital ensures that there is an effective means of communication. In addition, the hospital sometimes holds quarterly town halls get-togethers where its employees can celebrate their achievements and discuss plans and challenges. Indeed some theorists have posited that the impetus of employee’s appropriateness comes from planning and coordination, as well as holistic approach to recruitment and retention and to some circumstances on health. The workforce planning and coordination is consistent with domain 4. Health Workforce Australia has been instrumental in helping hospitals to develop policies and regulations that support the reform for health work force. While aiming to address smoking at Bloomfield Hospital to ensure the hospital setting becomes a smoke-free area. The essential ingredients to ensuring the change included ensuring sufficient lead-in time and most importantly staff training (Australian Government Productivity Commission, 2005). The staff were trained on the ways of managing nicotine dependence. However, a key successes to the accomplishment of the objective included asking clients on admission whether they smoked and whether they recognized the value of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). When a smoke free environment is ensured, then it presents a relaxed atmosphere appropriate for mental therapy. In addition, the staff has more time to attend therapeutic interventions and physical care. Bloomfield has created policies and offers to support the staff on the Department of Health policy (NSW, 2013). This practice is consistent with the Health Workforce Australia (Australian Government Productivity Commission, 2005). Conclusion To a large extent, the Health Workforce Australia is seen to promote nationally consistent policies that manage recruitments and retention of the health workforce. Australian government has underscored the need to comply with Health Workforce Australia by health institutions to ensure that are advanced services are delivered countrywide, through professionalism, commitment and care of the country’s health workforce(Mental Health Workforce, 2011). References Baumeister, R.F. & Vohs, K.D. (2004). Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications, New York: Guilford Press, p. 574, Health Workforce Australia. (2013) National Health Workforce Innovation & Reform Strategic Framework for Action. Retrieved from: [http://www.hwa.gov.au/work-programs/workforce-innovation-and-reform/strategic-framework-for-action] Accessed 21 April 2013 Zweck, M. (2012). Health Workforce Australia: An overview. Retrieved from [http://www.health.wa.gov.au/wactn/docs/HWA_presentation.pdf] Australian Government Productivity Commission. (2005). Australia's Health Workforce. Melbourne: Commonwealth of Australia Mental Health Workforce. (2011).Natonal Mental Health Workforce Literature Review. Melbourne: Department of Health NSW (2013). Addressing Smoking in Mental Health Case study - Bloomfield Hospital, Orange. Retrieved from [http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/PublicHealth/healthpromotion/tobacco/mh/bloomfield_hosp_case_study.asp] NSW (2006) Bloomfield Hospital: Conservation management plan. Retrieved from [http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/pdf/06_0111_appendix_2_bloomfield_cmp_vol1.pdf] Read More