Introduction to the HLT07 Health Training Package

Content of the HLT07 Health Training Package

The endorsed (DRAFT) components of the HLT07 Health Training Package are presented as follows:

• Volume 1 — Training Package Overview and Assessment Guidelines
• Volume 2 — Qualifications Framework
• Volume 3 — Employability Skills Qualification Summaries
• Competency standards are presented as individual files.

Characteristics of work in the health industry

Assessment of competency in the health industry is unique in that it cannot rely solely on a measurement approach. Competency in the industry includes a complex interrelationship of duty of care, ethical behaviour, and personal values in the context of provision of high quality service to individual clients.
Thus, the nature and principles of work in the health industry provides the context in which assessment must occur. This includes:

• meeting duty of care, legal and statutory responsibilities (ethical behaviour)
• provision of a non discriminatory service
• a client centred approach

Due to the interaction with health professional registration legislation, consumer protection and health complaints legislation, public health legislation and the common law principles applicable to a treating practitioner/client relationship, it is essential that a learner/student completing a course of training by an RTO, based on the Health Training Package, has a sound understanding of the complex regulatory environment in which he/she will be working.

The Health Training Package has been constructed to ensure coverage of this essential component but the primary responsibility for these lies with the RTO and the assessor.

Working in the health industry includes:

1. Delivery of specific services to:

• individual clients
• the client’s family and carer/s
• groups
• the community

2. Focussing on the community be nefits of work undertaken

3. Unpaid and paid work

4. The ability to work successfully with a diverse range of clients including:

• females and males across a range of age groups
• people from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and clients
• people with mental and other health issues, and those with developmental differences

5. Understanding of the specific needs of individual clients

• Clients can not be addressed in isolation
• Successful service delivery will require the interrelationship of individuals, groups and community organisations

6. Meeting duty of care:
The ethical framework for working in the industry includes:

• understanding and compliance with relevant local, state, national and international statutory and legislative requirements including those relating to:
• workplace practices
• human and civil rights
• specific client service delivery
  

7. Compliance with accepted industry standards of ethical practice including those related to:

• client relationships
• financial management
• information collection, storage and dissemination
• workplace behaviours
• operation of community (and other) organisations

8. Reflecting an understanding and application of:

• knowledge about the changing social, economic and political climate as it impacts on the health industry
• the principles of social justice, human rights, anti-discrimination and confidentiality
• practices to address cross-cultural issues
• relevant OHS and EEO principles and practice
• relevant client safety issues and practices

9. Compliance with health legislation
There is a complex regulatory framework covering health care.

• All learners/ students need to have a sound understanding of their obligations under this legislative framework and effective compliance strategies. A potential area of concern is that a learner/student completing a training program based on the training package may utilise a competency in breach of such legislation.
• Health professional registration Acts prohibit a person (and in most situations, their employer or practice company) from representing to the public that they are a specified practitioner (eg. dentist, physiotherapist, nurse etc) unless they are registered under the applicable registration Act.