Health Workforce Australia Bill 2009
Additional Comments
The Australian Greens
The Australian Greens support the need for a more
sustainable and responsive approach to the co-ordination and leadership of
training for Australia’s health workforce. There has long been a need for more
effective, streamlined and integrated clinical training arrangements and
workforce reform initiatives. The Health Workforce Australia Bill provides the
mechanisms to oversee funding, planning and co-ordination of clinical training
and we welcome the proposed $1.3 billion which could substantially improve the
availability and effectiveness of clinical education placements. However, we
are concerned by the lack of clarity in some parts of the Bill. In particular
we have concerns around the lack of detail with reference to stakeholder
engagement; overlap and conflict with existing professional training
associations and colleges; mechanisms for the maintenance of accurate and
timely workforce data and definitions of powers and authority which lack
sufficient reference to stakeholder engagement and consultation with the
existing professions.
Stakeholder engagement
The Greens understand this is essentially a structural Bill,
providing the legislative framework in which Health Workforce Australia will be
established. In setting out its ‘functions’ the Health Workforce Australia Bill
refers to the provision of support for clinical training and the development
and evaluation of strategic advice on matters relating to the health workforce.
However, the Greens believe that the role played by existing professional associations
and colleges should be given greater acknowledgement in the Bill. In its
current form, we are concerned that the invaluable knowledge within these
stakeholders groups may be lost in unnecessary duplication or separation of
functions.
Workforce Data
The use of data to model and improve levels of workforce
planning is to be welcomed however the Greens believe the Bill needs to include
greater detail about data collection, storage, types of data to be collated and
other aspects of the data process which should be agreed by the key
stakeholders.
Definition of Power
The Greens welcome the need for a national focus to oversee
multiple jurisdictions to provide a consistent approach to the provision of a
health workforce. However, we are concerned by the broad definition of ‘power’
in the Bill and would like to see some assurance that the needs of local
stakeholders are not subsumed by unnecessary bureaucracy. We agree with the
Australian Nursing Federation that it would be a mistake to cut out those who
‘both professionally and industrially have the best interests of their
professions and their consumers at the forefront of [their] minds’.
Recommendations
- More
effective governance arrangements for institutional and regulatory structures
for the health workforce should be established in collaboration with existing
education providers to ensure their knowledge and expertise is not lost,
duplicated or ignored.
- Data
management to ensure improved levels of understanding of the needs of workforce
and the demands placed upon the health system should be agreed among all
stakeholders with particular emphasis on the need for timely and accurate
information.
- When
determining power and authority the Bill needs to be clear about hierarchies so
that existing professional associations and colleges are clear on lines of
communication and accountability.
Senator
Rachel Siewert
Australian Greens
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