Application
The application of this unit in the workplace includes performing an environmental appreciation, identifying tasks and courses of action to support formation level operations, and developing detailed environmental health plans which complement the activities being supported and which promote the health of personnel. This unit of competency is applicable to preventive medicine supervisors. This function is limited to the performance of tasks in accordance with organisational policies and procedures. This person may also be responsible for supervising other personnel assisting in the planning process. |
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA | |
1. Conduct an environmental health appreciation | 1.1 Situation in which environmental health support is to be provided is determined, to appreciate the scope and context of support required 1.2 Health intelligence sources are accessed and reviewed to inform the environmental health appreciation 1.3 Health threat assessment is conducted to identify the key health threats that exist and which require attention during environmental health planning 1.4 Environmental health tasks to address each determined health threat are identified to form the basis for course of action identification 1.5 Courses of action are determined that incorporate the identified tasks and are suited to the scope and context of support required 1.6 Courses of action are compared using responsiveness to potential obstacles and key health threats as a basis for comparison 1.7 Health appreciation findings are formulated into a brief and are presented to relevant personnel for critique and guidance on the course of action to be adopted for development | |
2. Develop environmental health plan | 2.1 Environmental health teams are identified for specific tasking within the plan 2.2 Environmental health assets are allocated within the plan along with the need to re-allocate environmental health assets and the need to obtain additional assistance outside of integral assets to support the plan 2.3 Environmental health tasking is prioritised and sequenced within the plan to minimise the health threat to the organisation and to enable sustained environmental health support 2.4 Principles of health support are applied to the plan to ensure the plan complements the nature and circumstances of the activity being supported 2.5 Plan is developed in detail to minimise oversight and to ensure it can survive changing circumstances and be adaptable to situations presented 2.6 Plan is documented and presented to relevant personnel for approval 2.7 Points of adjustment advised by relevant personnel are integrated into plan to ensure plan complements the higher operational objectives | |
Required Skills
This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. |
Required Skills |
accurately interpret information from a range of sources so it may be drawn together to form balanced judgements and opinions to aid health support planning communicate complex issues and ideas in a logical and persuasive manner facilitate input from others to develop well considered and robust health support plans form judgements about balancing health support with operational imperatives make decisions that maximise the effective implementation of health support plans manage basic projects manage time with competing interests negotiate complex issues and ideas to arrive at a common understanding prepare complex verbal or written health assessments for communication to others that can be readily understood research information to aid health support assessment use problem solving skills |
Required Knowledge |
Geneva conventions health support logistics health support planning process health support resources capabilities health threat analysis injury risk assessment and management Laws of Armed Conflict organisation standing and routine orders organisational policies and procedures pertinent to own capability organisational structure, and lines of authority and communication within the organisation principle of health support structure and function of the ADF Health Services team leadership management principles theory of health support vectors of disease |
Evidence Required
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Assessment must confirm the ability to: accurately determine the health threats to an organisation tailor the allocation of environmental health assets to address the key health threats and to complement the organisation being supported demonstrate redundancy in the plan and to modify the plan to adapt to changing circumstances. Consistency in performance Competency should be demonstrated over a minimum of two assessment scenarios. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Context of assessment Competency should be assessed in an actual workplace situation or in a simulated situation or scenario. Specific resources for assessment Access is required to: actual situation or scenario requiring environmental health planning, with all supporting information equipment required to perform environmental health planning well developed health intelligence. |
Range Statement
The Range Statement relates to the Unit of Competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the Performance Criteria is detailed below. | |
Situation may include | Enemy situation: communicable disease in enemy forces enemy public health capabilities enemy sanitation levels immunisation status level of field sanitation training nuclear, biological and chemical capabilities Friendly situation: operational situation potable water quality/quantity preventive medicine resources equipment status of preventive medicine - individual and unit supplies types of rations used unit preventive medicine readiness Characteristics of dependent organisation: acclimatisation clothing and equipment fatigue/resistance to disease immunisation status numbers organisation structure presence of disease status of nutrition Characteristics of operating area: climate and weather flora and fauna local population terrain |
Health intelligence sources may include | Country briefings Doctrine Health intelligence reports and databases Health research Manuals and textbooks Organisation intranet sites Organisational policy and procedure World wide web |
Health threats may include | Environment health threats: animal disease terrain vegetation weather Occupational health threats: industrial injury road traffic accident Operational health threats: chemical/biological injury combat injury psychiatric injury |
Environmental health tasks may include | Epidemiology Disease vector control Field sanitation Food sanitation Occupational hygiene Waste management Water purification |
Relevant personnel may include | Activity commander Environmental health officer Senior health officer Senior planning officer Team leader |
Environmental health assets may include | Environmental health team Environmental health platoon Health assessment teams Vector control team |
Principles of health support may include | To provide immediate first aid to an injured person To facilitate the provision of resuscitation by a medical officer within an hour of being injured To facilitate the provision of initial wound surgery within three hours of being injured To prevent injury and illness To ensure conformity of the health plan with higher operational plans To enable control of health resources by technically qualified personnel best placed to employ them To ensure continuity of health care between levels of treatment and between different agencies involved in treatment To maintain flexibility to adapt the health plan to the changing circumstances of ADF operations To ensure that health support maintains mobility with the activity of the group being supported To ensure that health support maintains its proximity to the activity being supported |
Sectors
Not applicable.
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. | |
Pre-requisite Unit/s | Nil |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.