4. Indigenous primary health care

Diploma of Indigenous Primary Health Care

(DipIndigPrimHC) KI001

Advanced Diploma of Indigenous Primary Health Care

(AdvDipIndigPrimHC) KI002

Overview

These courses aim to develop the knowledge, skills and practice of Australian indigenous health workers, specifically Aboriginal health workers, in providing health care to, and promoting the health of, their rural and isolated communities. The program’s three main objectives are: to provide the Australian indigenous health worker with the knowledge and practical skills to provide primary health care to and foster community development activities in their community; to develop the students’ knowledge and skills in the broader area of community development; and to prepare students for the final semesters of a bachelor degree and/or postgraduate studies in management, research or specific areas of health interest.

The course is intended to offer multiple certificated exit points at the completion of each section of study, a pathway that suites the study pattern and educational aspirations of indigenous students.

Students enrol in the Diploma in Indigenous Primary Health Care, which is completed after 2 years of full time study. Those not wishing to continue may exit with the diploma.

Students with a weighted average of a credit or above to this point will be invited to articulate to the Advanced Diploma in Indigenous Primary Health Care, completing a further 2 years of part-time study. Those students who have not maintained a credit average during the diploma and want to undertake the further study will be counselled and offered appropriate support if they can show good reason why they should be allowed to continue. Students successfully completing the appropriate units of study may exit with the Advanced Diploma in Indigenous Primary Health Care.

Students with a weighted average of a credit or above to this point will be invited to articulate to the Bachelor of Health Science (Aboriginal Health and Community Development), through Yooroang Garang, School of Indigenous Health Studies. Full credit would be given for their studies in the Advanced Diploma in Indigenous Primary Health Care, so a further three semesters of full-time study and units of study as determined by Yooroang Garang would be needed to complete the bachelor’s degree.

Both the diploma and the advanced diploma will be in block release mode, which is where an employer allows an employee to leave the workplace for a block of time, often a week or more, in order to undertake training and education that is related to the employee’s work.

Admission

Applicants will be considered for admission to the Diploma of Indigenous Primary Health Care where applicants and/or their employer can demonstrate: Aboriginality and acceptance by their community; community support for the student; commitment to two or more years of study; support of the employer, with local staff available to participate in teaching and support; and attachment to a health service with a primary health care focus.

Admission to the advanced diploma requires that students have completed the requirements for the Diploma of Indigenous Primary Health Care (or the past Associate Diploma in Community Health and Development). Students who have gained a weighted average of a credit or higher will be invited to articulate to the advanced diploma. Students wishing to proceed to the advanced diploma who have not gained a weighted average of a credit or higher, may be admitted if they can show good reasons for their being able to proceed. Candidates must remain attached to a health service with a primary health care focus, and have the support of the employer, with local health staff available to participate in teaching and support.

Structure

Wherever possible students will be full-time employees of a health service (even if funding comes from other sources) and are under the daily supervision and mentorship of health service staff. Employers will be asked to formally agree to the students' undertaking the course in advance, to provide professional advice and support to the student, and to ensure that the student has the resources (time, information, and access to community) that are necessary to complete the course.

Course objectives will be met by a series of one-week study blocks at the Broken Hill Department of Rural Health and study days in the community. All other workdays are being divided into both theoretical and practical hours and supervised by local health trainers. These hours are structured so that in the four years (two years for the diploma) the student will spend approximately one third of the time in study and two thirds of the time in developing competency in practical skills.

There are three weekly blocks each semester during the first two years and three three-day blocks each semester during the second two years, which will be part-time study.

There are a total of 24 units of study (16 of 3three credit points and eight of six credit points so total 96 credit points) to be completed in the first two years. These reflect the core competencies.

There are a further eight units of study, each of six credit points, to be completed during years three and four, including two electives in Primary Health Care in Practice.

All units of study in semesters 1–4 (the equivalent of the Diploma in Indigenous Primary Health Care) are compulsory. Year 1 of the advanced diploma has one core and one elective unit of study each semester and all units in Year 2 are core. Subjects are completed in the semesters (sessions) as outlined below, and each semester builds on the content of the semester before. Details of the units of study are given in chapter 7.

Units of study for the Diploma in Indigenous Primary Health Care

First year

Second year

Units of study for the Advanced Diploma in Indigenous Primary Health Care

First year: core

First year: electives

Second year

Further enquiries

Lyn Singleton
Phone: +61 8 8080 1200
Fax: +61 8 8087 1258
Email: