Working in the Indigenous Health Sector

This subject is not offered in 2016.

170 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website.

This subject will build on the foundations provided by the core Public Health Leadership and Management subject offered in the MPH. It provides students with specific knowledge for leading effective organizational and programmatic responses towards Closing the Gap in Indigenous health status. It examines models of leadership and management that support Indigenous health service delivery, including comprehensive primary health care and Aboriginal community control, primary health care partnerships and related regional structures. It includes leadership in Indigenous contexts including the management of stakeholder relationships and community accountability and examines related implications for organizational leadership and management. It examines organizational theory and management, financial management and human resources management, highlighting particular challenges in Indigenous primary health care contexts. It includes strategies for managing internal and external accountabilities, multiple funding providers, service contracts, short-term funding cycles, and staff performance in resource and capacity limited organizational environments.

It is intended that students completing this subject will be able to:

• Compare key elements of a comprehensive primary health approach within diverse Indigenous contexts;
• Advocate specific primary health care service delivery structures and associated funding strategies to enable equitable access for Indigenous clients in a specific urban, regional or remote setting;
• Describe the diverse accountabilities required of managers of Aboriginal community-controlled health services;
• Analyse the feasibility of participation in a contemporary Indigenous health policy and program initiatives for a specific Aboriginal community-controlled health service;
• Develop a mediation policy for Aboriginal community-controlled health service staff in relation to difficulties regarding organizational change, family obligations or professional role development.

• Group oral presentation (15 minute with accompanying 500 words abstract and PowerPoint notes) due on last day of the Intensive {hurdle requirement} (40%)
• Essay (3,000 words) {hurdle requirement} due at the end of Semester (60%)
• Intensive Attendance (minimum of 75% attendance required) {hurdle requirement}(Pass/Fail)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject students should have developed the following generic skills:

• Critical thinking and analytical skills
• Working with others and in teams
• Problem-solving Initiative, autonomy and organizational skills
• Oral communication skills
• Leadership skills