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Public Health Human Resources: A Comparison of British Columbia and Ontario Policies
Sandra Regan1, Diane Allan2, Marjorie MacDonald2, Cheryl Martin3, Peggy Li4
University of Western Ontario, Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing 1
University of Victoria, School of Nursing 2
British Columbia Ministry of Health 3
Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport 4
The “Renewal of Public Health Systems (RePHS) in BC and Ontario” is a five year program of research (2009-2014) led by Marjorie MacDonald and Trevor Hancock and funded by a CIHR Emerging Team Grant.
RePHS seeks to answer two major research questions:
1. To explore and understand the core public health functions implementation process and the contextual factors influencing it in BC and Ontario.
2. To examine and understand the impact and outcomes of core public health functions implementation at organizational, systems, and population levels in both BC and Ontario.
The following, cross-cutting themes will be examined within these research questions:
1. What are the implications of public health systems renewal for public health human resources planning related to workforce competency, skill development, and for basic and continuing education?
2. What are the relationships between public health and primary care sections within and across two exemplar core programs (chronic disease and STI prevention) and what effects do these relationships have?
3. How and to what extent is an equity lens integrated into the three core programs and with what impact?
Together these questions guide an integrated program of research.
Contact Diane Allan ([email protected]) ,RePHS Project Coordinator.
Select British Columbia and Ontario Public Health Documents
Document Analysis of BC and Ontario
Policies on Public Health Human Resources
“To ensure an effective public health system, capacity
should be maintained and strengthened through
investments at both the provincial level and by health
authorities in the following areas... Public health human
resource development to ensure that all public health
staff have the necessary core competencies... to carry
out core public health services. This requires programs
to prepare public health professionals, to continue to
educate and train staff, and to recruit and retain staff.
(p.47).
Objectives: One objective of the RePHS study was to
compare how each province is articulating their
provincial policy directions related to public health
human resources (PHHR).
Methods: Questions guiding this policy analysis were:
What specific aspects of PHHR policy, planning and
management are discussed in BC-Ontario government
and association documents, what are the contexts in
which PHHR are discussed, and to what extent are
these similar/different?
Publicly available and internal provincial government
and association policy documents we obtained for BC
(n= 21) and ON (n= 21). A coding scheme was
developed and informed by the national document A
Pan-Canadian Framework for Public Health Human
Resources Planning (Joint Task Group on Public Health
Human Resources,
200 5). A content analysis was conducted to compare
key aspects of PHHR policy, planning and management
including policy assumptions, collaborations, scope of
practice, competencies/education, and planning
approaches.
Results: Preliminary results of the content analysis
suggest the following:
a) There has been much documentation both publicly
available and internal-to-government regarding
PHHR;
b) While SARS was a catalyst for PH renewal,
provinces have taken up different processes and
approaches to articulating their vision for PHHR
policy, planning and management;
c) Both provinces have identified a vision for PHHR
planning and management aligned with their
approach to core functions/standards; and
d) Provinces are at different stages of articulating the
implications for implementation of the essential
Health Care Leaders
Association of British
Columbia. (200X).
Leaders for Life: Health
Leadership Capabilities
Framework.
BC Ministry of Health
Services. (2005). A
Framework for Core
Functions in Public
Health.
“It is intended that this map will be able to
facilitate the following functions:
•Maintain an information resource on public
health in BC;
•Survey the public health workforce and
community partners ;
•Stimulate discussion, debate, engagement ;
•Support advocacy for policies in public health
and the health of populations;
•Facilitate cross-sectoral and inter-disciplinary
engagement ;
•Raise understanding of public health
approaches and functions .” p. 2)
Public Health Association
of BC. (2007). BC map of
public health services.
“Key gaps in continuing education opportunities for
practicing public health professionals have been
identified and include, for example:
Community capacity-building, knowledge transfer,
health literacy, advocacy, how to apply the social
determinants of health within a public health
context, inter-professional collaboration, health
assessment and disease surveillance, application of
the population and equity lens to public health e.g.,
diversity and culture competency training and
Aboriginal health training, and most significantly
leadership training and mentorship.” (p.5)
Public Health
Association of BC.
(2008). Core and
technical competencies
for public health in BC
BC Ministry of Health
(2010). Public Health
Human Resources Plan
British Columbia
Ontario
Commission to
Investigate the
Introduction and
Spread of SARS in
Ontario. The SARS
Commission interim
report Part 1(2004)
and Part 2 (2005):
SARS and public
health in Ontario
Ontario Agency for Agency
Implementation Task
Force. (2006). From Vision
to Action: A Plan for the
Ontario Agency for Health
Protection and Promotion.
" Our vision for public health includes
health units that have the appropriate
number and mix of staff and volunteers,
working together under strong and
effective leadership. It is a system that
attracts and retains the "best and
brightest'· and provides a variety of
Ontario Ministry of Health.
(2008). Public Health
Standards.
" We are accountable to support health
care providers, the public health system
and partner Ministries in making informed
decisions and taking informed action to
improve the health and security of all
Ontarians through the transparent and
timely provision of credible scientific advice
and practical tools." ((p. 2).
Ontario Public Health
Association. (2008).
Fostering Leadership in
Public Health through
Mentoring: A Program
Resource Guide
Ontario Public Health
Association. (2009).
Ontario public health
performance management
competencies.
“Recently there has been an emphasis on
the development of the Public Health work
force to enhance Public Health’s abilities
to meet the population’s health
needs…Leadership capacity is a key area
that needs to be developed in Public
Health.” (p.6)