MBA621 Healthcare Systems Case Study 2 Sample
Assignment Details
Your task
Individually, develop a 2000-word report and recommendations on the workforce challenges facing the aged care OR disability health care sector in Australia today.
The purpose of this individual assessment is to use a systems-thinking approach to analyse the workforce shortage facing the Australian aged care OR disability health care sector, and what it means to the various stakeholders.
Instructions
In the 2023 Australian Government’s Intergenerational report, both the aged care and disability sectors are predicted to be two of Australia’s fastest growing markets over the next 40 years. While this creates many opportunities, it adds more challenges to an already strained health care industry.
You are to write a report that critically articulates the workforce challenges for your chosen sector, and outline your recommendations to address this challenge.
Areas covered in your report should include:
1. A Cover page
2. An Executive Summary
3. A Table of Contents
4. An Introduction that summarises the purpose of the report.
5. A current overview of your chosen sector (Aged Care or Disability) today.
6. Based on a systems-thinking approach, critically review, explain and justify the current workforce shortages facing your chosen sector.
7. Discuss and justify two (2) detailed recommendations to address the workforce challenges for the next 5 years.
8. A conclusion
9. Reference List
You are required to use at least 12 sources of information (at least 5 of these should be academic journals) and reference these in accordance with the Kaplan Harvard Referencing Style. These may include websites, government publications, industry reports, census data, journal articles, and newspaper articles.
Solution
Introduction
This disability healthcare sector in Australia is vital to delivering specialized care to individuals with diverse needs. Moreover, this sector is experiencing significant workforce issues, including shortages high turnover rates, and inadequate workforce training. These issues signify the demand for services and the complexity of care required. With substantial government funding and initiatives such as the national disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the main sector struggles to maintain a skilled and stable workforce. This report explores the current workforce issues, analyzes their systemic causes, and offers recommendations to develop workforce development and improve service delivery in the disability sector.
A current overview of Disability sector
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Figure 1: Disability prevalence by age group in 2022
(Source: abs.gov.au, 2024)
There is a disability sector in Australia that is socially charged with the responsibility of catering to people with different disability forms especially as far as health is concerned. As per the statistical data for 2022, 542,000 individuals with disabilities aged 5–64 living in households needed help with a Health Care Activity (abs.gov.au, 2024). Among them, 24 per cent (127,000) were stated to have received only formal services, 17 per cent (93,000) had access to both formal and informal services, while the rest 47 per cent (252,000) had informal care only. Worryingly, 13 per cent of 70,000 respondents said that they never got any support at all (aihw.gov.au, 2024). As per the data around $220.89B is spent on the healthcare sector in the year 2020-2021, for university assignment help which describes the need for improved services to deal with health-related challenges (aihw.gov.au, 2022).
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Figure 2: Total expenditure in healthcare Australia 2020-2021
(Source: aihw.gov.au, 2022)
A total of 81 percent of these people had their health-care needs fully met but 19 per cent or 102,000 had their needs partially met or not at all. More specifically, there were gender differences in the patterns of receipt of help, Thus, 29% of female respondents and 19% of male respondents used only formal services, and 53% of male and 40% of female respondents relied on informal assistance. In addition to gender, another determinant of help received was age and level of disability. For instance, young people aged 5–24 years with disability depended on informal care 66 per cent more as compared with other age groups. The most significant proportion of the informal carers was found in clients with severe or profound disability (56%) among whom the proportion of those with intellectual disability was 61% (aihw.gov.au, 2024).
Distance was the other characteristic that affected the kind of care offered.
Those in outer regional and remote areas were more likely to rely on informal care (54%) than those in major cities (45%) (aihw.gov.au, 2024). Looking at health service attendance, people with severe/profound disability attended health services most frequently, 70% saw a medical specialist and 47% saw three or more health professionals for the same condition. Despite this, the respondents who belonged to this group identified certain challenges which they experienced, including a lack of effective communication between professionals (24%) and discrimination from health staff (8.9 %). Delay costs were again lower in people with severe disability compared to other categories for both GP (6.0 per cent) and dental practitioners (22 per cent) (aihw.gov.au, 2024). All the insights about the healthcare sector provide information related to ongoing challenges in maintaining adequate and equitable care for disabled people. According to the data on the disability care process, the major barriers are the cost of healthcare. The coordination of the care process and the waiting times also affect the overall healthcare process.
Review of Workforce Shortages in the Disability Healthcare Sector: A Systems-Thinking Approach
Australia's primary healthcare sector is a vital factor of the healthcare system, and it is currently grappling with workforce shortages. This issue is connected with the economic, societal, and policy factors, affecting the sector's ability to deliver vital services (Eagar, 2021, p.9). This analysis uses a systems-thinking approach that critically reviews workforce shortages and focuses on the main implications for policy-making and long-term planning development.
The Australian healthcare system is well-known for its high-quality outcomes and universal Medicare coverage and it faces significant workforce issues, specifically in the disability healthcare sector. The workforce shortages have significantly escalated due to the aging population increasing the demand for disability services and insufficient skilled workers. According to the Global Statista Report 2022 by the Australian Bureau of statistics, the healthcare sector signifies around 1.7 million people and the disability sector secures around 17% job vacancy rates that indicate a service delivery gap (statista.com, 2022).
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Figure 3: National health expenditure in Australia
(Source: Statista.com, 2022)
The systems-thinking approach reveals that workforce shortages set the connected challenges such as "limited training opportunities, high burnout rates, and inadequate compensation". The "National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)" expanded global access to services that have also intensified workforce demands without specific growth in training or wages (health.gov.au, 2022). Moreover, the sector's reliance on casual and part-time staff has led to high turnover straining the service provision.
Separation of Powers and Policy-making
The separation of powers between the federal and the state governments in Australia affects workforce policy-making. The federal government oversees Medicare and the "Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme", while the division can lead to fragmented policy responses creating gaps in workforce planning (Halcomb et al. 2020, p.560). As an example, "the National Primary Health Workforce Strategy (NPHWS) 2021-2031" aims to address the shortages but it struggles with the main coordination across global justifications that lead to inconsistencies in the future implementation.
“Big P policy Impact” such as NPHWS, influences the workforce shortages by setting overarching goals and necessarily address the local needs. The main strategy enhances training and recruitment; it lacks a robust framework for retaining workers in rural and remote areas, where shortages are most acute (aihw.gov.au, 2024). Moreover, the policy's focus on expanding the services through the NDIS has increased demand for PHC professionals without providing adequate resources to scale the workforce. "Primary health care One-year plan the "PHC Workforce Enhancement Plan 2024" is a sub-policy aiming to address immediate workforce issues through targeted initiatives. This factor includes increasing funding for training programs, offering incentives for rural placements, and improving working conditions (Dykgraaf et al. 2021, p. 10). Moreover systematic changes, such as better integration between federal and state policies and transformation towards value-based care, and the main plan to address the underlying issues.
The disability sector in Australia, which is primarily managed by the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the national disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), is facing an important workforce shortage. These shortages are particularly evident with the (NDIS), which requires a skilled and diverse workforce to deliver vital services to the participants (Halcomb, et al. 2020, p. 1558). The key shortages include disability support workers allied health professions and specialized care providers. As an example, the year 2022 highlights that Australia needs an additional 80,000 workers in the year 2024 to meet NDIS demands. This shortage signifies low wages, high turnover rates, and increasing complexity of care required by the NDIS participants. In 2021, people with disability aged 15–64 used mainstream health services more frequently than those without, including GPs, specialists, and hospitals, but visited dentists slightly less (aihw.gov.au, 2024). From the "Systems-thinking perspective" these workforce shortages indicate interconnected factors such as insufficient training programs, lack of career progression, and limited recruitment from rural and remote areas. The ripple effects are profound and lead to delays in service delivery, decreased quality of care, and increased pressure on the existing workers. Addressing these shortages in training and professional development and policy reforms to develop job security and career prospects.
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Figure 4: Australian government experiences in the disability sector
(Source: health.gov.au, 2024)
The Australian aged care sector faces significant workforce shortages due to a rapidly growing elderly population and increasing demand for services. Around 1.5 million aged care consumers and rising costs, the sector struggles to attract and retain staff for substantial government funding. The "Support at Home" initiative allocating $172 million over four years for the home care reform, aims to address these challenges (aihw.gov.au, 2024). Moreover, a systems-thinking approach reveals that workforce shortages signify inadequate training, high turnover rates, and insufficient support structures.
Recommendations
Recommendation 1: Implement a Comprehensive Workforce Development Program
Addressing the workforce issues in Australia's healthcare sector for comprehensive recommendations that expand and develop targeted workforce development programs for disability for all support workers (Cosgrave, p. 8). This approach aims to build a more skilled and stable workforce to address key issues such as insufficient training, high turnover rates, and inadequate career progression.
“The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) workforce development fund”
The NDIS workforce development fund is a targeted initiative that focuses on improving the skills and capabilities of the workers within the disability sector. By signifying a specialized training program, this fund has aimed to develop the core competencies of disability support workers.
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Table 1: Implementation plan
(Source: Self-created)
Recommendation 2: Training and professional development programs
The Australian healthcare sector should increase investments in training programs to equip disability support workers. Necessary skills and knowledge of allied health professionals to fulfil the requirements of NDIS participants with development initiatives. A clear career progression module ensures the skills of healthcare professionals, with the higher qualifications of the retained workers. By focusing on rural and remote areas, organisations can expand access to high-quality training programs. The disability healthcare sector needs to expand access to the full spectrum for NDIS participants with the integration of practical experience. There should be enough opportunities for professional growth and clear career pathways to retain skilled workers by reducing the rate of employee turnover. Certification programs can help to identify additional skills and expertise of individual staff. Integration of assistive technology can improve the treatment quality of staff (Ahadi et al., 2024, p. 225). Additionally, mentorship and leadership programs can foster a culture of continuous improvement of mid-level professionals. Managerial and supervisory roles ensure a steady pipeline with professional growth, create regional training centres tailored to unique challenges and ensure accessibility with online training options. Moreover, healthcare sectors should offer scholarships to relocate assistance to encourage trainees to work in remote areas. It should incentivise rural placements tied to a commitment to work in undeserved areas.
The healthcare sector needs to revolutionize the delivery of disability care in remote areas to access services by leveraging technology (Lassig et al., 2024, p. 1710). The healthcare sector needs to expand telehealth services and overcome geographical barriers to ensure effective care. Integration of telehealth can be done to encourage continuous monitoring and support with therapy sessions and routine check-ins. Assistive technologies enhance the quality of service care by improving efficiency and reducing the workload of healthcare professionals. Cutting-edge assistive devices empower individuals with mobility aids and communication tools that reduce reliance on support workers. Training can be provided on assistive technology usage to ensure proper skill development of healthcare professionals. healthcare sectors should implement electronic health record system to streamline care coordination to improve communications among healthcare providers (Hiew and Murray, 2024, p. 673). data-driven approaches facilitate data collection and analysis to make informed decisions. Additionally, investing in predictive analysis tools helps to manage workforce requirements to prevent crises and ensure resource allocation effectively.
Conclusion
The disability healthcare sector of Australia faces significant challenges in the workforce due to the shortage of staff, high turnover rates and inadequate training. National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) addresses the challenges effectively to focusing on workforce development, training and leverage innovative technologies. Adoption of assistive technologies and expansion of telehealth services modernize service delivery in rural and remote areas This helps to ensure the Australian disability sector can build a resilient and capable workforce.
References
Census data
statista.com, 2024 Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/628491/australia-national-health-expenditure/#:~:text=About%2010%20percent%20of%20Australia's,in%20the%20financial%20year%202022. [Accessed on: 24.8.2024]
Industrial report
health.gov.au, 2022 Available at https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2022/11/financial-report-on-the-australian-aged-care-sector-2020-21-financial-report-on-the-australian-aged-care-sector-2020-21.pdf [Accessed on: 24.8.2024]
Government report
abs.gov.au, 2024. 5.5 million Australians have a disability. Available at: https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/55-million-australians-have-disability#:~:text=Australian%20Bureau%20of%20Statistics%202024,australians%2Dhave%2Ddisability%3E. [Accessed on: 24-08-2024]
aihw.gov.au, 2022. Health Expenditure Australia 2020-21. Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/health-expenditure-australia-2020-21/contents/main-visualisations/spending-by-state[Accessed on: 24-08-2024]
aihw.gov.au, 2024 Available at https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/disability/people-with-disability-in-australia/contents/health/access-to-health-services [Accessed on: 24.8.2024]
aihw.gov.au, 2024. People with disability in Australia. Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/disability/people-with-disability-in-australia/contents/health/access-to-health-services [Accessed on: 24-08-2024]
New paper article
theguardian.com 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jun/26/a-finite-resource-as-australia-recruits-overseas-health-workers-their-home-nations-bear-the-cost
Journal article
Ahadi, A., Bower, M., Lai, J., Singh, A. and Garrett, M., 2024. Evaluation of teacher professional learning workshops on the use of technology-a systematic review. Professional development in education, 50(1), pp.221-237. https://researchers.mq.edu.au/files/315070378/184761642_AV.pdf
Dykgraaf, S.H., Desborough, J., de Toca, L., Davis, S., Roberts, L., Munindradasa, A., McMillan, A., Kelly, P. and Kidd, M., 2021. “A decade’s worth of work in a matter of days”: the journey to telehealth for the whole population in Australia. International journal of medical informatics, 151, p.104483. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8103781/
Halcomb, E., McInnes, S., Williams, A., Ashley, C., James, S., Fernandez, R., Stephen, C. and Calma, K., 2020. The experiences of primary healthcare nurses during the COVID?19 pandemic in Australia. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 52(5), pp.553-563. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7436753/
Halcomb, E., Williams, A., Ashley, C., McInnes, S., Stephen, C., Calma, K. and James, S., 2020. The support needs of Australian primary health care nurses during the COVID?19 pandemic. Journal of Nursing Management, 28(7), pp.1553-1560. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/medrxiv/early/2020/06/20/2020.06.19.20135996.full.pdf
Hiew, W. and Murray, J., 2024. Enhancing Huber’s evaluation framework for teacher professional development programme. Professional Development in Education, 50(4), pp.669-683. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/19415257.2021.1901236
Lassig, C., Poed, S., Mann, G., Saggers, B., Carrington, S. and Mavropoulou, S., 2024. The future of special schools in Australia: Complying with the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 28(9), pp.1701-1719. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/228729/1/106452572.pdf
Book
Cosgrave, C. 2020. The whole-of-person retention improvement framework: a guide for addressing health workforce challenges in the rural context. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(8), 2698. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/8/2698
Eagar, K. 2020. Health planning: Australian perspectives. Routledge. https://api.taylorfrancis.com/content/books/mono/download?identifierName=doi&identifierValue=10.4324/9781003115878&type=googlepdf
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