scholarly journals Who manages health workforce in the States of India: Profile, knowledge and perceptions of the team

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Khurana ◽  
S Roy ◽  
M Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Limited Resource ◽  
Role Clarity ◽  
Public Health Sector ◽  
Hrm Practices ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Problem Human resources in the public health sector is of prime importance in a limited resource setting country, who at times work in a high-pressure, limited resource environment and where skilled staff continue to remain in short supply. The role of Human Resource for Health (HRH) team responsible for managing this health workforce is crucial. They play an important role in improving the human resource practices and creating an enabling organizational culture for optimal resource utilization. The paper explores the profile of the HRH teams of the states of India, their knowledge levels, and perceptions of their role. Methods The participants were HR Managers from 29 states of India who look after HRH in National Health Mission and State Health Departments. Cross-sectional survey tool was used for data collection. Quantitative data analysis included univariate and bivariate analysis. One Way ANOVA test of significance and post-hoc tests using Tukey's method was used to ascertain the groups with significant difference. Results Most of the HRH team members are postgraduates or have management background. Their experience varies from <1year to > 25 years. Mostly of them perceive their role to be limited to implementing bare essential HRM practices, mostly administrative. The educational qualification of the members did not have any significant bearing on their technical knowledge related to HRM practices; but their experience in public health sector showed a significant association. Lessons This study lends evidence to the principle that professionals who have been in the system for long, know about HRH and the associated policies better, and hence may be better equipped to handle HRH and establish good HR Management (HRM) systems. Better role clarity among the HRH teams, expansion of their current scope of work to include advanced practices of HRM and continuous capacity building mechanisms are needed to help strengthen the development and management of HRH. Key messages This study, a first of its kind in the country, lend evidence related to the principle for deciding the profile of team who should be entrusted with managing and development of HRH. The Study gives evidence to focus on the role clarity of HRH to zero down their knowledge and skills gaps and enhance their competencies through better capacity building.

scholarly journals Human resources for health talent management contribution: A case for health systems strengthening in the public health sector

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-201
Author(s):  
Bernard Nkala ◽  
Charles Mudimu ◽  
Angelbert Mbengwa Mbengwa
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Talent Management ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Sector ◽  
Workforce Engagement

Talent Management is an essential component in transforming health systems if carefully implemented for the public sector especially in low income countries. In Zimbabwe public health sector, talent retention and engagement are viewed as amongst the challenges affecting the realisation of effective performance and productivity from the existing Health workforce. Largely, modern health care systems lack robust strategies to identify and utilize employee talent essential to help attain organisational citizenship. The study reviewed the relevancy and effectiveness of talent management practices in the public health sector using a case study of Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, one of the major referral hospitals in Zimbabwe. The study aimed at closing the talent pipe-line gaps as part of the Health Systems Strengthening initiative towards bringing about talent retention and engagement amongst the health workforce in public sector settings. The study assessed the impact of the existing talent management initiatives focusing on variables; recruitment and attraction perspective, compensation and rewarding component, health workforce succession management and implemented performance management system. The study obtained cross sectional data collected through a designed tool following a purposive (non-probability) sampling technique from a sample of n=200 existing health management team to assess the perception of implemented talent management approaches. The study further used responses from n=450 randomly selected health professionals recruited in the last 3 years prior to the survey to analyse the association between the variables on talent management practices namely (recruitment and selection, compensation and rewarding, succession management and performance management system) and the age of health workforce to employee engagement. The data on recruited cadres was obtained from the existing Hospital Human Resources for Health Recruitment Database. The research revealed that talent management in public health sector currently suffers from theoretical problems since the existing Human Resources for Health literature concentrates on anecdotal information. The human resource practitioners need to come up with more involving workplace activities to demystify the theory that millennials are generally finding it difficult to engage. In addition, the public sector succession planning strategies would need to be in place for the millennials well in time to adequately replace the considerable number of those at retiring stages. The Logistic regression analysis revealed recruitment and attraction perspective, and succession management positively influence health workforce engagement while adherence to implementing performance management system negatively affected employee engagement. Compensation and rewarding practices in a public health set up proved an insignificant variable to health workforce engagement hence study concluded further analysis on the impact on wider target group. The study revealed as the age increases, the health workforce become more engaged and self-motivated to develop their personal talent, thus theory suggests such are ‘Baby Boomers’ age group that do not need much push and are prepared to perfect their work talent for the benefit of the health system. The role of performance management system must be equally elevated within health system initiatives in order to achieve ultimate health workforce engagement. The study recommended the public health sector to incorporate in its human resources policy, a strategy for managing and utilisation of talent from the different health workforce generations within the health system. In improving the performance of public health systems, talent management need to be put forward in the health systems strengthening agenda in order to build highly engaged health teams. Talent management practices become essential and if carefully implemented, are likely to help public health systems retain rare skills especially in highly specialised functions. Furthermore, the organisations need to synchronise its strategic plan with the talent management strategy. There must be continuous capacity building of human resources departments to firstly own policies that influence talent management so as to ensure ultimate health workforce engagement.

Understanding human resource management practices in Botswana’s public health sector

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 1284-1300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Onalenna Stannie Seitio-Kgokgwe ◽  
Robin Gauld ◽  
Philip C. Hill ◽  
Pauline Barnett
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Health Sector ◽  
Resource Information ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the management of the public sector health workforce in Botswana. Using institutional frameworks it aims to document and analyse human resource management (HRM) practices, and make recommendations to improve employee and health system outcomes. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws from a large study that used a mixed methods approach to assess performance of Botswana’s Ministry of Health (MOH). It uses data collected through document analysis and in-depth interviews of 54 key informants comprising policy makers, senior staff of the MOH and its stakeholder organizations. Findings Public health sector HRM in Botswana has experienced inadequate planning, poor deployment and underutilization of staff. Lack of comprehensive retention strategies and poor working conditions contributed to the failure to attract and retain skilled personnel. Relationships with both formal and informal environments affected HRM performance. Research limitations/implications While document review was a major source of data for this paper, the weaknesses in the human resource information system limited availability of data. Practical implications This paper presents an argument for the need for consideration of formal and informal environments in developing effective HRM strategies. Originality/value This research provides a rare system-wide approach to health HRM in a Sub-Saharan African country. It contributes to the literature and evidence needed to guide HRM policy decisions and practices

Corrupt Practices in the Public Health Sector: A Focus on Metropolitan Local Government Areas of Kano State, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 149
Author(s):  
Mohammed Mustapha Namadi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Sector ◽  
The Government

Corruption is pervasive in Nigeria at all levels. Thus, despite recent gains in healthcare provision, the health sector faces numerous corruption related challenges. This study aims at examining areas of corruption in the health sector with specific focus on its types and nature. A sample size of 480 respondents aged 18 years and above was drawn from the eight Metropolitan Local Government Areas of Kano State, using the multistage sampling technique. The results revealed evidence of corrupt practices including those related to unnecessary-absenteeism, diversion of patients from the public health facilities to the private sector, diverting money meant for the purchase of equipment, fuel and diesel, bribery, stealing of medications, fraud, misappropriation of medications and unjustifiable reimbursement claims. In order to resolve the problem of corrupt practices in the healthcare sector, the study recommended the need for enforcement of appropriate code of ethics guiding the conduct of the health professionals, adoption of anti-corruption strategies, and strengthening the government monitoring system to check corruption in public health sector in order to ensure equitable access to healthcare services among the under-privileged people in the society.

scholarly journals Interprofessional collaboration among health professionals in cleft lip and palate treatment and care in the public health sector of South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phumzile Hlongwa ◽  
Laetitia C. Rispel
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Cleft Lip ◽  
Cleft Lip And Palate ◽  
Interprofessional Collaboration ◽  
Collaborative Leadership ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Group Function ◽  
Public Health Sector ◽  
Effective Group

Abstract Background Collaboration among different categories of health professionals is essential for quality patient care, especially for individuals with cleft lip and palate (CLP). This study examined interprofessional collaboration (IPC) among health professionals in all CLP specialised centres in South Africa’s public health sector. Methods During 2017, a survey was conducted among health professionals at all the specialised CLP centres in South Africa’s public health sector. Following informed consent, each member of the CLP team completed a self-administered questionnaire on IPC, using the Interprofessional Competency Framework Self-Assessment Tool. The IPC questionnaire consists of seven domains with 51 items: care expertise (8 items); shared power (4 items); collaborative leadership (10 items); shared decision-making (2 items); optimising professional role and scope (10 items); effective group function (9 items); and competent communication (8 items). STATA®13 was used to analyse the data. Descriptive analysis of participants and overall mean scores were computed for each domain and analysed using ANOVA. All statistical tests were conducted at 5% significance level. Results We obtained an 87% response rate, and 52 participants completed the questionnaire. The majority of participants were female 52% (n = 27); with a mean age of 41.9 years (range 22–72). Plastic surgeons accounted for 38.5% of all study participants, followed by speech therapists (23.1%), and professional nurses (9.6%). The lowest mean score of 2.55 was obtained for effective group function (SD + -0.50), and the highest mean score of 2.92 for care expertise (SD + -0.37). Explanatory factor analysis showed that gender did not influence IPC, but category of health professional predicted scores on the five categories of shared power (p = 0.01), collaborative leadership (p = 0.04), optimising professional role and scope (p = 0.03), effective group function (p = 0.01) and effective communication (p = 0.04). Conclusion The seven IPC categories could be used as a guide to develop specific strategies to enhance IPC among CLP teams. Institutional support and leadership combined with patient-centred, continuing professional development in multi-disciplinary meetings will also enrich IPC.

scholarly journals Identifying and bridging the knowledge-to-practice gaps in rehabilitation professionals working with at-risk infants in the public health sector of South Africa: a multimethod study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e039242
Author(s):  
Pragashnie Govender
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Critical Time ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Sector

IntroductionEarly childhood is a critical time when the benefits of early interventions are intensified, and the adverse effects of risk can be reduced. For the optimal provision of early intervention, professionals in the field are required to have specialised knowledge and skills in implementing these programmes. In the context of South Africa, there is evidence to suggest that therapists are ill-prepared to handle the unique challenges posed in neonatal intensive care units and wards with at-risk infants in the first few weeks of life. This is attributed to several reasons; however, irrespective of the causative factors, the need to bridge this knowledge-to-practice gap remains essential.Methods and analysisThis study is a multimethod stakeholder-driven study using a scoping review followed by an appreciative inquiry and Delphi process that will aid in the development, implementation and evaluation of a knowledge translation intervention to bridge knowledge-gaps in occupational and physiotherapists working in the field. Therapists currently working in the public health sector will be recruited for participation in the various stages of the study. The analysis will occur via thematic analysis for qualitative data and percentages and frequencies for descriptive quantitative data. Issues around trustworthiness and rigour, and reliability and validity, will be ensured within each of the phases, by use of a content validity index and inter-rater reliability for the Delphi survey; thick descriptions, peer debriefing, member checking and an audit trail for the qualitative data.Ethics and disseminationThe study has received full ethical approval from the Health Research and Knowledge Management Directorate of the Department of Health and a Biomedical Research Ethics Committee. The results will be published in peer-reviewed academic journals and disseminated to the relevant stakeholders within this study.

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