Guide to Competency Frameworks

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Guide to Competency Frameworks
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FNHM Competencies Framework Project

• History
• Indian Health Policy (1979) and RCAP recommended
  to build more capacity in FN communities on
  health
• Announcement on Aboriginal Health Human Resources
  Initiative (AHHRI) mad at the 2004 First
  Ministers Meeting with Aboriginal Leaders
• AFNs Chiefs Committee on Health and FNIHBs
  Executive Committee made HHR a priority in March
  2005
• FNHM Advisory set up with nominations from the
  NFNHTN
• In AFN, reports through to the CCOH

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AHHRI

• Objectives
• Recruitment, retention and graduation of youth
  into health careers
• Visibility of health careers
• Cultural safety of post-secondary health programs
• Recruitment and retention of health workers
• Supportive and conducive work environments
• Research and data on Aboriginals in health
  careers
• Establish standards of practice for allied health
  workers

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FNHM Project

• Funded by AHHRI as a national project
• Activities
• Develop of a national set of FNHM Continuing
  Competencies that communities may wish to adopt
• Identify effective FNHM recruitment and retention
  strategies
• Develop a communication framework
• Identify potential opportunities and challenges
  relating to transition (i.e., adoption of
  continuing competencies framework)
• Identify training and educational needs and
  opportunities
• Establish of a national network of FNHM
• Develop an informative website and e-portal for
  FNHM

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Activities to Date

• First Nations Centre at NAHO
• Needs Assessment Environmental Scan of FNHM
• Literature review
• Regional focus groups
• Assembly of First Nations
• www.fnhealthmanagers.ca website
• Champion on Canadian Health Leadership Network
  (CHLNet)
• Regular updates to FN HHR Regional Coordinators,
  NFNHTN and CCOH
• Organization of this national forum

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Key Definition of FNHM

• Works in FN community or tribal council
• Have responsibility for management of health
  human resources, financial resources, and health
  programs.
• May also provide leadership and direction around
  resource planning, change management, and health
  and social program delivery.
• May have title of CEO, health director, health
  coordinator, or health manager
• May have the role of manager of a community
  health facility, health centre, and health
  programs

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Vocabulary

• A skill is an ability, usually learned and
  acquired through training, to perform actions
  which achieve a desired outcome.
• A competency is a standardized requirement for an
  individual to properly perform a specific job.
  It encompasses a combination of knowledge, skills
  and attitude utilized to improve performance.
• Core competencies are the set of cross-cutting
  skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to
  effectively manage a health facility, and its
  related health and social programs.
• Continuing competencies are defined as the
  competencies required to create a supportive work
  environment and to effectively adapt to a
  changing work environment. Continuing
  competencies are comprised of core competencies,
  but also include skills such as self-assessment,
  health human resource planning and change
  management.
• A Competencies Framework is a holistic document
  of continuing competencies that represents the
  work and potential in a given job.

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Ways to discuss a Framework

• Numerous ways to think about a Competencies
  Framework
• Individual career entry, progression and
  satisfaction
• Organizational clarification of duties,
  performance review
• Educational entry-level education, continuing
  education
• Systems reduce inefficiencies in the system
  such as wait-times and referrals
• Values include economic, people-centred, and/or
  client-centred
• Important to clarify the goal first what are
  the problem(s) to address with a Framework?

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Issues in FN HHR

• Issue of Continuum of health work
  paraprofessional to professional
• No clear line
• Strict regulation of professionals hinders a
  community-based approach with multi-tasking and
  taskshifting
• Risk of ghettoizing paras into the role, with no
  ability to move up into a professional role
• Jurisdiction and role confusion
• PT mandate post-secondary education, most
  professional accreditation
• Federal mandate funding for FN health
• FN community mandate balance the needs and the
  available funds
• Status quo versus planning for the future

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Intent of National Forum

• Review and comment on the work done to date by
  the First Nations Centre
• Learn about promising practices and procedures
  from across the country
• Network and build linkages