Evidence-informed primary health care workforce policy: are we asking the right questions?

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucio Naccarella ◽  
Jim Buchan ◽  
Peter Brooks
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Workforce Planning ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Health Care Workforce ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Workforce Policy

Australia is facing a primary health care workforce shortage. To inform primary health care (PHC) workforce policy reforms, reflection is required on ways to strengthen the evidence base and its uptake into policy making. In 2008 the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute funded the Australian Health Workforce Institute to host Professor James Buchan, Queen Margaret University, UK, an expert in health services policy research and health workforce planning. Professor Buchan’s visit enabled over forty Australian PHC workforce mid-career and senior researchers and policy stakeholders to be involved in roundtable policy dialogue on issues influencing PHC workforce policy making. Six key thematic questions emerged. (1) What makes PHC workforce planning different? (2) Why does the PHC workforce need to be viewed in a global context? (3) What is the capacity of PHC workforce research? (4) What policy levers exist for PHC workforce planning? (5) What principles can guide PHC workforce planning? (6) What incentives exist to optimise the use of evidence in policy making? The emerging themes need to be discussed within the context of current PHC workforce policy reforms, which are focussed on increasing workforce supply (via education/training programs), changing the skill mix and extending the roles of health workers to meet patient needs. With the Australian government seeking to reform and strengthen the PHC workforce, key questions remain about ways to strengthen the PHC workforce evidence base and its uptake into PHC workforce policy making.

Nursing Profession’s Contribution to Person- and People-Centered Primary Health Care

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 197-203
Author(s):  
Yukiko Kusano ◽  
Erica Ehrhardt
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Workforce Planning ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Integration Of Care ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Strategic Role

Background: Equity and access to primary health care (PHC) services, particularly nursing services, are key to improving the health and well-being of all people. Nurses, as the largest group of healthcare professionals delivering services wherever people are, have a unique opportunity to put people at the centre of care, making services more effective, efficient and equitable.Objectives: To assess contributions of nurses to person and people-centered PHC. Methods: Analysis of nursing contributions under each of the four sets of the PHC reforms set by the World Health Organization.Results: Evidence and examples of nursing contributions are found in all of the four PHC reform areas. These include: expanding access;addressing problems through prevention; coordination and integration of care; and supporting the development of appropriate, effective and healthy public policies; and linking field-based innovations and policy development to inform evidence-based policy decision making.Conclusions:Nurses have significant contributions in each of the four PHC reform areas. The focus of nursing care on people-centeredness, continuity of care, comprehensiveness and integration of services, which are fundamental to holistic care, is an essential contribution of nurses to people-centered PHC. Nurses’ contributions can be optimised through positive practice environments, appropriate workforce planning and implementation andadequate education and quality control though strong regulatory principles and frameworks. People-centered approaches need to be considered both in health and non-health sectors as part of people-centered society. A strategic role of nurses as partners in services planning and decision-making is one of the key elements to achieve people-centered PHC.

scholarly journals International and Russian Experience in Primary Health Care Organization

2018 ◽  
pp. 146-148
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Health Care Organization ◽  
The United States ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Care Organization ◽  
Care Provision ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Effective Instrument

In this study, they presented the analysis of current views on the important link in medical care provision to the population, namely, primary health care. According to the Alma-Ata Declaration on the organization of primary health care this type of medical assistance has made it possible to carry out reforms within this area in many countries, which has led to effective results (the reduction of infant mortality, the increase of life expectancy and a number of other indicators). In this paper, they performed the analysis of Russian and foreign sources of literature on the topic under study between 1978 and 2018. It has been established that primary health care is regarded as the most effective instrument of health protection than specialized medical care according to the experience of Russian Federation, a number of countries in Europe, Asia and the African continent, Australia and the United States. The performed analysis clearly shows that the experience of some countries demonstrates the correlation between the general coverage of primary health care and the achievement of public health indicative indicators. At the same time, the question is raised about the expediency of certain aspect replacement concerning the provision of specialized medical care by the doctors of general practice, i.e. primary health care. The obtained results can be interpreted as an evidence base for the necessity and an undeniable effectiveness of primary health care as a central link in the health care system.

Towards Integrated Service Delivery for Primary Health Care: Can Programs Meet People's Lives?

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Vivian Lin
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Health Care Policy ◽  
Unit Cost ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Integrated Service Delivery ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Integrated Service

The primary health care sector faces a number of challenges. Some of these are in the form of persistent problems which include, inter alia, health disparities in resources and outcomes, a fragmented health system, issues of power with respect to priority setting and resource allocation, and a poor information and evidence base with which to allocate resources and evaluate outcomes. These problems are perennially accompanied by a gap between the rhetoric of policy and the reality of implementation. Neo-liberal reforms present a series of challenges to primary health, with the introduction of unit-cost funding, competitive tendering and increased user pays. Changing epidemiological patterns, the rise of evidence-based medicine, and new information and communication technology all question accepted methods of practice. Eroding community confidence in government and professionals, and the growing polarisation of society are also cause for concern. Three areas for development in primary health care policy and practice may provide the keys for dealing with these challenges. These are, first, the development of integrated service delivery models, which move away from narrowly defined single purpose programs delivered by one provider. Second, the development of innovative policy and managerial tools that support the objectives of primary health care while addressing the concerns of policy makers. Finally, the development of a strategic research and development agenda that effectively links policy, research and practice.

scholarly journals The Pacific primary health care workforce in New Zealand: What are the needs?

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Ape-Esera ◽  
Vili Nosa ◽  
Felicity Goodyear-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Health Care Workforce ◽  
Pacific People ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Pacific Population ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
The Impact

AIM: To scope future needs of the NZ Pacific primary care workforce. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews with key informants including Pacific primary care workers in both Pacific and mainstream primary health care organisations and managers at funding, policy and strategy levels. Qualitative thematic analysis using general inductive approach. RESULTS: Thirteen stakeholders interviewed (four males, nine females) in 2006. Included both NZ- and Island-born people of Samoan, Tongan, Niuean, Fijian and NZ European ethnicities; age 20–65 years. Occupations included general practitioner, practice nurse, community worker, Ministry of Health official and manager representing mainstream and Pacific-specific organisations. Key themes were significant differences in attributes, needs and values between ‘traditional’ and contemporary Pacific people; issues regarding recruitment and retention of Pacific people into the primary health care workforce; importance of cultural appropriateness for Pacific populations utilising mainstream and Pacific-specific primary care services and both advantages and disadvantages of ‘Pacific for Pacific’ services. CONCLUSION: Interviews demonstrated heterogeneity of Pacific population regarding ethnicity, age, duration of NZ residence and degree of immersion in their culture and language. Higher rates of mental disorder amongst NZ-born Pacific signpost urgent need to address the impact of Western values on NZ-born Pacific youth. Pacific population growth means increasing demands on health services with Pacific worker shortages across all primary health care occupations. However it is not possible for all Pacific people to be treated by Pacific organisations and/or by Pacific health workers and services should be culturally competent regardless of ethnicity of providers. KEYWORDS: Pacific Islands, New Zealand, manpower, ethnic groups, Oceanic Ancestry Group, primary health care

scholarly journals Improving the evidence-base for access to primary health care in Canterbury: a panel study

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip J. Schluter ◽  
Paul Bridgford ◽  
Lynley Cook ◽  
Greg Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Primary Health
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