Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada

1
Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada
Public Health Association of Nova Scotias
Translating the Core Competencies for Public
Health into Action Workshop September 23, 2009
2
Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada
Release 1.0
3
ONE...PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCES

• A public health practitioner is able to
• 1.1 Demonstrate knowledge about the following
  concepts the health status of populations,
  inequities in health, the determinants of health
  and illness, strategies for health promotion,
  disease and injury prevention and health
  protection, as well as the factors that influence
  the delivery and use of health services.
• 1.2 Demonstrate knowledge about the history,
  structure and interaction of public health and
  health care services at local, provincial/
  territorial, national, and international levels.
• 1.3 Apply the public health sciences to
  practice.
• 1.4 Use evidence and research to inform health
  policies and programs.
• 1.5 Demonstrate the ability to pursue lifelong
  learning opportunities in the field of public
  health.

4
TWO...ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS

• A public health practitioner is able to
• 2.1 Recognize that a health concern or issue
  exists.
• 2.2 Identify relevant and appropriate sources of
  information, including community assets and
  resources.
• 2.3 Collect, store, retrieve and use accurate
  and appropriate information on public health
  issues.
• 2.4 Analyze information to determine appropriate
  implications, uses, gaps and limitations.
• 2.5 Determine the meaning of information,
  considering the current ethical, political,
  scientific, socio-cultural and economic contexts.
• 2.6 Recommend specific actions based on the
  analysis of information.

5
THREE...POLICY AND PROGRAM PLANNING,
IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION

• A public health practitioner is able to
• 3.1 Describe selected policy and program options
  to address a specific public health issue.
• 3.2 Describe the implications of each option,
  especially as they apply to the determinants of
  health and recommend or decide on a course of
  action.
• 3.3 Develop a plan to implement a course of
  action taking into account relevant evidence,
  legislation, emergency planning procedures,
  regulations and policies.
• 3.4 Implement a policy or program and/or take
  appropriate action to address a specific public
  health issue.
• 3.5 Demonstrate the ability to implement
  effective practice guidelines.
• 3.6 Evaluate an action, policy or program.
• 3.7 Demonstrate an ability to set and follow
  priorities, and to maximize outcomes based on
  available resources.
• 3.8 Demonstrate the ability to fulfill
  functional roles in response to a public health
  emergency.

6
FOUR...PARTNERSHIPS, COLLABORATION AND
ADVOCACY

• A public health practitioner is able to
• 4.1 Identify and collaborate with partners in
  addressing public health issues.
• 4.2 Use skills such as team building,
  negotiation, conflict management and group
  facilitation to build partnerships.
• 4.3Mediate between differing interests in the
  pursuit of health and well-being, and facilitate
  the allocation of resources.
• 4.4 Advocate for healthy public policies and
  services that promote and protect the health and
  well-being of individuals and communities.

7
FIVE...DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVENESS

• A public health practitioner is able to
• 5.1 Recognize how the determinants of health
  (biological, social, cultural, economic and
  physical) influence the health and well-being of
  specific population groups.
• 5.2 Address population diversity when planning,
  implementing, adapting and evaluating public
  health programs and policies.
• 5.3 Apply culturally-relevant and appropriate
  approaches with people from diverse cultural,
  socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, and
  persons of all ages, genders, health status,
  sexual orientations and abilities.

8
SIX...COMMUNICATION

• A public health practitioner is able to
• 6.1 Communicate effectively with individuals,
  families, groups, communities and colleagues.
• 6.2 Interpret information for professional,
  non-professional and community audiences.
• 6.3Mobilize individuals and communities by using
  appropriate media, community resources and social
  marketing techniques.
• 6.4 Use current technology to communicate
  effectively.

9
SEVEN...LEADERSHIP

• A public health practitioner is able to
• 7.1 Describe the mission and priorities of the
  public health organization where one works, and
  apply them in practice.
• 7.2 Contribute to developing key values and a
  shared vision in planning and implementing public
  health programs and policies in the community.
• 7.3 Utilize public health ethics to manage self,
  others, information and resources.
• 7.4 Contribute to team and organizational
  learning in order to advance public health goals.
• 7.5 Contribute to maintaining organizational
  performance standards.
• 7.6 Demonstrate an ability to build community
  capacity by sharing knowledge, tools, expertise
  and experience.

10
The Need to Strengthen the Public Health
Workforce

• Numerous reports assessing advising on
  strengthening public health systems in Canada
• Importance of competency-based workforce
  development initiatives across the country are
  moving forward with this perspective

11
Workforce Challenges

• Lack of
• qualified public health professionals in Canada -
  aging workforce uneven distribution of existing
  practitioners (especially in rural remote
  areas)
• common measure data to quantify the gap
• surge capacity of public health practitioners
  in the case of an emergency
• skills development training opportunities for
  existing public health practitioners

12
Public Health Agency of Canada

• Anticipate respond to the health needs of
  Canadians
• Ensure actions supported by integrated
  information knowledge
• Develop a dedicated, professional workforce
  provide the required tools leadership within a
  supportive culture

13
(No Transcript)
14
WHAT are Core Competencies for Public Health in
Canada?

• Set of essential skills, knowledge
  attitudes necessary for the broad practice of
  public health
• Basic building block to develop the workforce
• Independent of discipline program

15
Process to Develop
2005 Pan-Canadian Framework for Public Health Human Resource Planning recommends development
2005 Draft statements/preliminary consultation
2006 Revised draft statements, glossary of terms
2006/7 National consultation
16
Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada
Release 1.0 (2007)
17
Where are we now?

• Build awareness knowledge
• Develop tools resources to support use
• Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada
  Orientation Module (www.corecompetencies.ca)
• Tools to demonstrate Core Competencies in
  practice
• Performance assessment management tools for
  individual practitioners organizations
• Skills Online continuing education program
• Evaluation plan
• Continue to work collaborate with partners
• Working with public health disciplines to develop
  discipline-specific competencies
• pan-Canadian Environmental Scan to explore ways
  Core Competencies are being used integrated

18
pan-Canadian Environmental Scan

• Purpose to explore ways Core Competencies are
  being used integrated
• Target audience local/regional public health
  organizations, provincial/territorial governments
  public health associations
• Methods
• Survey
• Key informant interviews

19
pan-Canadian Environmental Scan preliminary
results

• N 37
• Type of organization
• 70 local/regional health or public health
  unit/authority
• 22 provincial/territorial government agency
• 8 public health association or society
• Geographic area served
• 67 urban/rural mix
• 14 rural
• 11 urban
• 8 remote/isolated

20
Preliminary results activities to build
awareness knowledge

• Disseminate print materials, website, etc to
  staff, decision makers
• Inform senior management
• Information made available on organizations
  intranet site newsletter
• Integrate into staff orientation processes
• Formal adoption or endorsement e.g., Public
  Health Association of Nova Scotia Public Health
  System Leadership Team

21
Preliminary results activities to build
awareness knowledge

• Collect personal stories of public health
  professionals to illustrate competencies
• Presentations at staff meetings workshops with
  focus on competencies
• Support staff to attend presentations,
  conferences, to be part of core competencies
  consultation
• Asset mapping projects where staff identify
  perceived level of knowledge related to
  competencies continuing education required to
  strengthen knowledge skills

22
Preliminary results strategies, approaches
tools for integration

• Incorporate into strategic, operational program
  plans
• Identify lead position within organization to
  champion competencies work
• Develop dissemination implementation plans
• Develop job postings, position descriptions
• Incorporate into interview processes (recruitment
  strategies)
• Develop competency-based performance management
  frameworks tools
• Ensure that language is being used in performance
  appraisals
• Incorporate into plans for ongoing professional
  development

23
Preliminary results opportunities

• Core Competencies used as a foundation for other
  work e.g., discipline, program-specific
  competencies, managerial/leadership mentorship
  programs
• Networking with other public health
  units/regional health authorities across the
  country
• Work with Human Resources to on job analysis for
  staff positions (frame job descriptions
  postings)
• Increased support for staff to participate in
  professional development, e.g., increased
  participation in Skills Online modules

24
Preliminary results challenges

• Lack of time to reflect on how to use other
  competing demands
• Lack of resources to make a priority
• Lack of public health expertise within policy,
  management executive levels to move from
  awareness to implementation
• Lack of support seen as an add-on rather than
  essential
• A concept to many not sure if/when they are
  being demonstrated
• Many questions that impedes implementation e.g.,
  who are they intended for (individual or team)
  what are the minimum proficiency levels expected
  who is responsible for their proficiency
  (individual or organization)
• Meshing public health competencies with other
  Municipal/District Health Authority competencies
  performance review processes

25
Preliminary results collaborations, partnerships
networks

• Participate in competency-based research pilot
  projects
• Links with academia helps to support integration
  of competencies into curriculum
• Informal networks across the country
• Develop working groups
• Within agencies e.g., Core Competencies Reference
  Group
• Across jurisdictions e.g., pan-Territorial
  Advisory Committee
• Within a province/territory e.g., Living the Core
  Competencies Working Group Performance
  Management Steering Committee planning committee
  for this workshop