Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to apply current context, philosophy and key principles of population health to work in the sector.
This unit applies to work in a public health context and workers at this level will work under supervision within established guidelines.
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.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria specify the level of performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Plan for work in population health | 1.1 Research current and historic concepts of health and its determinants 1.2 Identify key principles to a population health approach and use to assess current work approach |
2. Gather information on the organisations that support population health work | 2.1 Identify relevant local, State/Territory and national organisations supporting population health work 2.2 Clarify each organisation’s contribution to population health work |
3. Work within the context of the population health approach | 3.1 Incorporate consideration of the historical, social, political and economic context into own work 3.2 Apply key principles of population health approach to own work 3.3 Check all work to ensure it complies with relevant legislative and regulatory frameworks |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in the 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:
identified at least 3 organisations that support population health work and their contributions
identified and researched context and key principles of population health approach relevant to work with at least 1 community or project and identified how work will incorporate context and key principles.
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
recent public health strategies and relevant local codes of practice, legislation and regulatory frameworks
health determinants, including:
political
biological and genetic factors
physical environment
socio-economic factors, including:
social gradient
stress
social exclusion
work
unemployment
social support
addiction
food
transport
housing
behavioural
cultural
quality of health services
historic concepts of health
concepts and models of health, including:
medical model
salutogenic model
social view of health
academic and professional
historical, social, political and economic context of population health work and how it relates to and affects environmental health and the subsequent impact on individual and community needs
principles of health promotion
principles of population health, including those focused on working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities
equity issues in population health
national, State/Territory and local health initiatives and priorities
the major organisations involved in population health in Australia and their contributions
different models of work in the population health sector, including:
early intervention and/or disease prevention
community development and education
health promotion
working with individuals
working with families and the community
original and/or Torres Strait Islander environmental health worker (community funded and/or government funded)
multi-sectoral and multi-strategic approach to population health.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. Where simulation is used, it must reflect real working conditions by modelling industry operating conditions and contingencies as well as using suitable facilities, equipment and resources.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.