The health centre: the policies

What is policy

The different levels of policy

• National policies, such as the National Aboriginal Health Strategy
• State or Territory policies, such as the NT Aboriginal Health Policy
• Territory Health Services policies, such as the Aboriginal Public Health Strategy; The Code of Practice for Safety in Remote Areas; the Aboriginal Employment and Career Development Strategy
• Regional and local service area policies, such as those contained in the Health Centre Atlas for Remote Areas (Central Australia), Regional Directions Papers
• Local Health Centre Policies, such as the use of bush medicine as standard treatment option for a range of skin infections

Policies and planning

Health centres are expected to develop and work to annual business and action plans. Plans often include details of joint activities and are the work of a multi-disciplinary team. These plans map out health centre strategies and activities and set overall goals.

These plans are informed by:

• ongoing community needs assessment and community priorities, with input from a community health committee, regional health board or similar group
• 'Community Health Profiles' which have been prepared for that community by THS or developed within the community
• THS Corporate Plan
• NT Government, THS, regional and local policies, protocols and guidelines

Policies that guide the work of the health centre

It is important to be familiar with the following major policies as they will:

• guide and support your every day work
• provide the rationale for your every day work
• provide information about government's intentions and goals
• inform health centre planning
• inform the development of local policies so they are consistent

NT Government policies

The following policies have been endorsed by Cabinet:

The Northern Territory Aboriginal Health Policy (1996)
For a copy contact: 8999 2527

THS Corporate Plan: Strategy Twenty First Century Strategic Intent (1999-2003)
For a copy contact: 8999 2964

The NT Food and Nutrition Policy 1995-2000
For a copy contact: 8999 2424

The Northern Territory Government Aboriginal Family Violence Strategy (1995)
For a copy contact: 8999 2752

The NT Living with Alcohol Framework for Action (1991)
For a copy contact: 8999 2691

The NT Cattle Stations Health Policy (1996)
For a copy contact: 8999 2891

The NT Disability Services Five Year Strategic Plan (1997)
For a copy contact: 8999 2809

Territory Health Services policies

The following policies have been endorsed by THS Executive:

The Aboriginal Public Health Strategy and Implementation Guide 1997-2002
For a copy contact: 8999 2720

The THS Aboriginal Employment and Career Development Strategy (1997)
For a copy contact: 8999 2707

The Policy and Code of Practice for Safety in Remote Areas (1997)
For a copy contact: Central Australia 89 515154 Top End 89 995679

If you have access, view some of these policies on the THS Intranet

Access to legislation and policies

		View Northern Territory Government Legislation on the NTPS Intranet
		For more information, contact THS Legal Services on 8999 2963
		If you do not have access to the Intranet, order copies from Government Printing Service on 8999 4000 or fax 8999 4001
		View the THS Policy Register on the THS Intranet
		If you do not have access to the Intranet, contact Ministerial Liaison on 8999 2635 for a printout of the Register

Local health centre policies

Health centres may develop policies in response to local needs. Local health centre policies are general statements that describe what should or should not happen. Local policies are developed by the people most affected by the policy and endorsed by the local council or health board. Local health centre protocols and guidelines are the step-by-step process for how the policies are to be actioned.

Written policies

There are a number of benefits attached to having written policies:

		the policy is written down for all to see so that people are clear about expectations and rules
		they help to keep things running smoothly, efficiently and safely
		everyone has a chance to follow the same rules or guidelines
		there is a much greater chance that the quality of the service will remain the same even when staff change
		decisions and actions are strengthened

But you can have too much of a good thing. Too many policies for little things can become very restrictive and make it difficult for people to be flexible and responsive.

Working with policy at the local level
The attached table provides guidance about how to use policy effectively.

How to develop a local health centre policy
If the health staff or the community think that a particular issue or problem needs to have a policy, the attached steps can be used.

		Consider keeping local policies and their protocols together as a local health centre operating guide. This guide will need to be updated regularly
		See the section on operating guides later in this section

Case study: local health centre policy

In a Health Centre in the Barkly area staff saw the need to manage public expectations of the health centre. At times staff were called at night for services they did not consider to be an emergency.

Staff decided to do two things:

1. they let the community know exactly what they considered to be an emergency;
2. they worked on educating the community about the after-hours policy. The following messages were printed in the local newsletter and on posters.

When staff were still being called by the occasional non-emergency call out, they put out the following message.

Local health centre operating guides

Local operating guides are put together at the health centre. They are regularly updated in order to inform staff and others about important, local systems and practices. They describe the how, why, what, when and where of doing things (or not doing things). They contain copies of local policies and protocols and other useful information.

		Keep the policy folder and relevant manuals together with the local operating guide in a handy place