The Health and Community Services Workforce Council is working with the health industry in Queensland on a three years Skills Formation Strategy which began in July 2007.
This strategy is a major undertaking to facilitate an industry led and industry wide approach to critical workforce issues. A primary focus of the strategy is to provide opportunities for stakeholders from across the health industry and education and training sectors to work together to identify and implement workforce solutions designed to support sustainable health workforce practices.
The HSFS defines the health workforce as anyone working in the health system and the health system or industry as inclusive of any organisation and/or agency from across the government, non-government and private arenas including:
This strategy aims to support sustainable workforce practices by encouraging collaborative, innovative, industry-led solutions to workforce development challenges and by facilitating strategies to build workforce strength and capacity.
The HSFS is a project of the Health and Community Services Workforce Council and is funded by the Queensland Department of Education and Training and Queensland Health.
What is the HSFS doing?
A Health Workforce Action Plan was developed via a consultative approach with industry stakeholders and outlines key workforce issues and activities as identified by the health industry as central to reform for Queensland over the coming years. This Workforce Action Plan was endorsed by the Health Industry Leaders Group during the first year of the HSFS.
This broad industry workforce plan is ambitious and designed to act as an industry workforce reform plan rather than a HSFS project plan. As part of this workforce plan six key areas for action were identified:
This plan guides the activities of the HSFS.
Background
The health system in Queensland is facing an increase in demand for health services, driven by an increase in population, an ageing population and an increase in acuity levels. The health workforce is ageing and is facing acute skill and labour shortages and falling participation rates as workers are choosing a better work/life balance. At the same time, consumers are demanding greater access to quality health services including access to new and improved treatments.
In order to meet current and anticipated demands on the health system, within a tightening economic environment, stakeholders need to work together to identify and address critical workforce issues which affect the sustainability and growth of the health sector.
A research and consultation project was undertaken in 2006 ( Phase 1), prior to the initiation of the Health Skills Formation Strategy in July 2007, to provide information and recommendations from the industry about workforce issues and potential or required responses. During this phase industry stakeholders identified broad priority areas and over-arching principles as well as potential governance arrangements to guide and support a Skills Formation Strategy in the health industry. A Health Industry Reference Group was actively involved in this process.
