This unit describes the required skills and knowledge to undertake planning for an organisation or for specific program areas in line with the organisation’s strategic directions.

It involves developing work plans for either a team within a health care organisation, or for the whole organisation, and then developing individual work plans for staff to implement and support the broader work plan.

This unit applies to senior Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers overseeing clinical aspects of the delivery of primary health care services and/or managing the overall delivery of primary health care services and programs to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role.

There must be evidence that the candidate has:

prepared at least one work plan for a whole organisation or for a team within an organisation, in line with priorities of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities in relation to the provision of health services. The candidate should have effectively addressed strategic initiatives and business plans by:

accessing and analysing relevant information as a basis for planning, including budgets and previous planning documents

using culturally safe and appropriate communication skills to liaise with relevant staff member to determine scope, outcomes and focus of work plan

networking, negotiating and resolving conflict as required

communicating outcomes of the plan to relevant staff members to obtain feedback for review

adjusting the plan as appropriate

documenting the final work plan according to organisational procedures and policies

prepared work plans for at least three individual staff members to effectively address strategic initiatives and business plans arising out of the developed team or organisational work plan by:

using culturally safe and appropriate communication skills to liaise with each staff member to determine scope, outcomes and focus of the individual work plans

networking, negotiating and resolving conflict as required

identifying training opportunities as part of the work plan for each staff member

documenting each individual work plan according to organisational procedures and policies

reviewed the performance of at least one team/organisational work plan and at least one individual staff member plan by:

gaining feedback from community and staff as to the outcomes of the work plan

identifying successes and areas for improvement in each work plan

reporting outcomes of review as required by organisational procedures and policies.

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role.

This includes knowledge of:

National Aboriginal Health Strategy

relevant up-to-date national policies and reports, such as ‘National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Oral Health Workshop – Report and Action Plan’

relevant organisational policy and guidelines

Commonwealth, state /territory and local government policies

existing strategic and work unit plans

community networks and planning processes

Skills must be demonstrated working:

in a health service or centre

as a senior member of and/or supervising a primary health care team

with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients.

In addition, simulations and scenarios must be used where the full range of contexts and situations cannot be provided in the workplace or may occur only rarely. These are situations relating to emergency or unplanned procedures where assessment in these circumstances would be unsafe or is impractical.

Simulated assessment environments must simulate the real-life working environment where these skills and knowledge would be performed, with all the relevant equipment and resources of that working environment.

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

Assessment must be undertaken by a workplace assessor who has expertise in this unit of competency and who is:

an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker

or:

accompanied by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who is a recognised member of the community with experience in primary health care