Media release from Canterbury DHB

A unique collaboration between the Canterbury health sector and tertiary education institutions has been given the seal of approval.

The Minister of Health Tony Ryall joined with representatives from the University of Otago, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, University of Canterbury and the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB), to celebrate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding last week.

The approach will accommodate the learning and development needs of the health workforce as a whole, including both clinical and non clinical staff.

CDHB chief executive David Meates says this Memorandum of Understanding signals a new chapter in the relationship between the tertiary education institutions and the CDHB and work is underway to design, develop and deploy a core curriculum in management and leadership for the wider health workforce.  

"Underpinned by the CDHB Leadership Capabilities Framework, the health workforce curriculum will be informed by best practice research, teaching and learning in the areas of health management and leadership," Mr Meates says.

"It will be designed to provide the skills, knowledge understanding and applied behavioural changes in the workforce required both now and in the future. Through this combined approach the workforce will realise a more coherent and unified set of outcomes that will result in learning aligned to the New Zealand Qualifications Framework."

This alignment will enable greater transportability of learning achievements from the University and Polytechnic sector, and allow for enhanced recognition of the investment in workforce development, he says.

"We are excited that we have the support of our tertiary education partners working with us to develop a sustainable and transportable curriculum in health management and leadership."

Learning will be delivered, over time, through a flexible and blended approach utilising both face to face experiences and the use of technology.  

"This will see us working in different ways to engage with our colleagues and learn from each other, while at the same time applying our newly acquired knowledge to our workplace environment and working towards nationally recognised qualifications in health management and leadership," Mr Meates says.