Te Uru Kahikatea: The Public Health Workforce Development Plan
Building a public health workforce for the 21st century 2007-2016
What is the PH WDP vision?
What are the high-level priorities?
How was the PH WDP developed?
What is the PH WDP structure?
The Public Health Workforce Development Plan (PH WDP) provides a national strategic framework for public health workforce development in New Zealand.
What is the PH WDP vision?
The vision is that inequalities will be reduced and the health of all peoples in New Zealand will be improved through public health and societal strategies that are:
- delivered by a properly configured, responsive, well-trained and competent(including culturally competent) workforce
- strengthened with core public health skills and knowledge
- supported by infrastructure and workplaces that actively encourage and develop the public health workforce.
What are the high-level priorities?
The PH WDP aims to further two high level government priorities; improving Māori health and reducing inequalities, particularly for Māori and Pacific peoples. Opportunities to further these two priorities, which sit at the heart of the PH WDP work, will be maximised in the implementation of all the PH WDP actions. A Māori public health workforce development framework will strengthen the capacity and capability of the whole of the public health workforce to respond more effectively to the health needs of Māori, and will positively influence inequalities in health status. Similarly, the PH WDP includes specific workforce development initiatives to improve Pacific health gain.
How was the PH WDP developed?
The PH WDP was developed on foundation research and sector feedback.
What is the PH WDP structure?
The PH WDP has a 10-year outlook. It has two overarching goals, which encompass nine objectives and corresponding actions for the first five-year term (2007-2011). An evaluation programme will monitor the development and effectiveness of the first term of implementation and inform the actions developed for the second five-year term (2012-2016) and beyond.
Doing policy work in an NGO is a really good option because my skills contribute to achieving important public health outcomes
Keriata Stuart, Senior Policy Analyst, New Zealand Drug Foundation
What is the implementation approach?
A summary of the PH WDP
What is the implementation approach?
The Public Health Workforce Development Implementation Plan (available 2007/2008) will identify key players and other workforce development activity planned or already occuring, relevant to the PH WDP action areas.
Implementation of the PH WDP will, over time, build a whole-of-sector systems approach to public health workforce development. The work builds on existing workforce development activities, will adapt to emerging challenges in the public health environment, and will link to and engage with workforce development happening in other sectors.
Successful implementation relies on a cohesive, sector-driven response to the PH WDP priorities, goals and actions: working collaboratively, drawing on best practice, encouraging innovation, sharing development opportunities and, where appropriate, co-ordinating work programmes.
A summary of the PH WDP
The PH WDP takes the sector forward in ways that are consistent with the recommendations of the former Health Workforce Advisory Committee. It adopts a future focus, while emphasising that a range of actions are required now to meet immediate priorities and in order to be well positioned to face future challenges. It is an evolving plan that over time allows for the work to adapt as the way we think about and deliver health care changes. While retaining a strong public health workforce focus, the PH WDP aims to support public health training and development for the whole health workforce, particularly the primary and community workforces.
The PH WDP Summary Framework is a reader friendly, condensed version of the PH WDP goals, objectives and actions for the next five years.