Generic Public Health Competencies Implementation: Issues for consideration

 
Report Summary
 
This is a report to the Ministry of Health from the Public Health Association (PHA) in association with a coalition of key public health groups on the development and implementation of the generic public health competencies (GPHCs) for public health in New Zealand.

Generic competencies for public health
The GPHCs are the minimum baseline skills and knowledge that all people in public health practice need to have.  This report presents the key recommendations to support the implementation of the GPHCs in Aotearoa.

The Key recommendations for implementing the GPHCs
Education and training
An analysis of the training needs of the current workforce demonstrates a need for training that is readily accessible, affordable, provides for recognising current competence, and leads to a qualification outcome.  In order to meet these needs, the following steps are required:

1. Establish a relationship with an Industry Training Organisation (ITO) and develop the GPHCs into unit standards and a corresponding National Certificate of Public Health (Level 4) that can be accessed through either:
   “in-house” workplace training; and/or 
   tertiary education organisations such as institutes of technology, polytechnics and   wānanga.
2. Revise existing qualifications in public health to include the GPHCs and ensure all new qualifications in public health include the GPHCs.

Employers

1. Use the GPHCs and integrate them into workplace policies, standards and practices.
2. Ensure all employees are public health competent.
3. Support employees in accessing relevant training.

Funding for training and development 

1. Modify funding agreements/contracts to include, for example, staff training costs, costs of locums and/or variance in outputs, audit and monitoring tools, training for managers.
2. Establish a funding pool to support training especially for employees without a recognised qualification at Level 4 and above.
3. Use workforce development budgets to assist staff to acquire the GPHCs.

This report also provides an estimate of the funding needed for training and development based on one of the possible training options:  the “in-house training” model. 

Inclusion of GPHCs in contracts to deliver public health services

1. Include the GPHCs in the funding and planning of any contract that delivers essential public health services including health promotion in Primary Health Organsations.  

Public health disciplines and professional bodies

1. Support the implementation of the GPHCs.
2. Ensure the GPHCs are included within discipline-specific competency sets and qualifications.

 
A cross- disciplinary body

1. Establish a cross- disciplinary body to manage the GPHCs and promote and support training and professional development across the sector. The New Zealand Population Health Charitable Trust and the Public Health Association are possible candidates for this role.

Also noted in this report are recommendations for:

1. A set of dedicated Māori cultural competencies
2. A set of dedicated Pacific cultural competencies, and
3. A mechanism for updating the competencies.