PUBH6007 Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation Assignment Sample

Introduction

Concerning the prevailing contingencies within the global business environment, there is an apparent need for enterprises to effectively decipher the gaps that bar them from achieving the desired goals. Besides, excessive reliance on the use of the needs assessment framework further helps in determining the essential skills gaps that take a toll on the overall productivity of the organisation and its employees.

A needs assessment is defined as a systematic set of ideas and procedures that are implemented to effectively determine the needs, to examine the associated nature and causes thus, setting out priorities for future action.

Additionally, one of the major reasons associated with conducting needs assessments in an organisation is to assist program planners to identify and select the right job for the right individual.

The current study deals with understanding the principles of need assessment based on the varied types of community needs and analysis thereby, leading to the prioritization of health needs. Besides, the study consists of a SWOT analysis of the GP practice in a specific growing suburb in Melbourne.

Key Issues within the Traditional General Practice in Australian Health System

The health care system in Australia is regarded as a thriving sector that is largely dependent on the high-quality general practice sector.

Besides, the General Practitioners (GPs) are often referred to as the first point of contact for most Australians looking for primary and effective medical care facilities and attention. Within the industry more than 87.8% of the population of searching for GPs at least once a year.

Additionally, the RACGP is referred to as the nation’s largest general practitioner organisation with more than 38,000 members, out of which approximately 17,000 members treat more than 21.6 million patients across the nation every year (RACGP, 2018).http://PUBH6007 Program Design, Implementation and Evaluation Assignment Sample

Besides, the GPs within the Australian health system acquire an unparalleled position that assists in providing a deeper insight into the emerging health discrepancies. Besides, the identification of such discrepancies further helps in highlighting the prevailing issues requiring an urgent response from the government as well as the society.

With the increasing prevalence of comorbidity along with complicated interplay amidst social, physical, and environmental issues within the healthcare system, general practice has become extremely challenging as well as time-consuming.

Besides, the current remuneration received by the practitioners the commitment required to execute the predetermined functions remains unattractive, especially when it is compared with the ever-increasing lucrative primary and secondary options available in other administrative medicine.

As affirmed by Jackson (2006), general practice is currently struggling as a result of the overlaying new models concerning team care on an office infrastructure developed specifically for GP consulting. The apparent need for investment in new rooms, communication resources, information technology, and practice management often add up to the cost burden.

Additionally, the existing imbalance between the primary and secondary care in the public and private sector continues to be an inefficacy thus, questioning the quality, safety, and possibility of ligation within the industry.

Assessments of Different Needs via General Practice

Normative needs refer to the expert opinion regarding standards, for the required levels of services about what constitutes an acceptable health status level for the entire community. Besides, normative needs are explicitly based on the standards as discussed and laid down based on the gathered experience and consultation. On the other hand, at an individual level, normative needs are often identified with the use of standard assessment tools.

On the contrary, comparative needs are defined as the need for objectivity, by considering the matches amidst the level of morbidity and health and the availability of health services. Also, comparative needs assist in establishing an effective comparison in the health status of varied communities or population groups (Marosszeky, Rix, and Owen, 2006). http://PUBH6007 Program Design, Implementation and Evaluation Assignment Sample

Additionally, expressed needs are defined as the needs concerning the scope and nature of services people use. Besides, the identification of such needs is based on the individualistic inferences about the community or person by critically observing the use of services.

Figure 1: Classification of Needs

(Source: Marosszeky, Rix and Owen, 2006)

Potential Challenges associated with the Need Assessment

The need assessment that has been undertaken by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners comprises normative need assessment. During the normative need assessment, the professionals determine the need. Normative needs are not considered absolute and it comprises of different standards that are being laid down by the different experts.

During the normative need assessment stage, the doctors undertake the decision of designing a patient intervention system (Lucius-Hoene, Holmberg, & Meyer, 2018). http://PUBH6007 Program Design, Implementation and Evaluation Assignment SampleThe challenges that are being identified within the normative need assessment are based upon an intrapersonal and interpersonal concern that mostly occurs during life.

The challenges that are associated with the normative need assessment comprise anger that states the basic common emotion of human experiences. unexpected anger is most likely to increase susceptibility to illness, high blood pressure, and depression.

Anger among the people makes it difficult for the people to express their negative feelings of violence. The intervention methods of normative need assessment include anger management therapy that enables the people to acknowledge, express, and contain their feelings of anger (AlDossary, Martin-Khan, Bradford, Armfield, & Smith, 2017).http://PUBH6007 Program Design, Implementation and Evaluation Assignment Sample

Stress and anxiety are also considered potential challenges that express the general feelings and worries of people that are associated with the normative need assessment.

Addressing the Identified Challenges

The challenges that have been identified with the normative need assessment includes stress, anxiety, and stress that makes it challenging for people suffering from depression, high blood pressure, and illness.

The potential challenges associated with stress management comprise somatic symptoms, feelings of irritability, and sadness. Anger management therapy is considered as the strategies through the above-identified challenges that can be mitigated.

Anger management therapy benefits in improving the interpersonal issues of the people (Lee & DiGiuseppe, 2018). http://PUBH6007 Program Design, Implementation and Evaluation Assignment SampleResolving the issues benefits the people in developing their communication, which increases their capability to build a relationship with their peer groups.

SWOT Analysis of General Practices

Figure 2: SWOT analysis of general practices

(Source: Racgp, 2021)

The strength of general practices includes introducing new and innovative services that make it possible for RACGP to introduce innovative intervention methods that help the doctors in offering better services to the customers.

The patient intervention services that are being offered by the RACGP help in improving the medical status of the people along with improving their lifestyle.

The weakness associated with the general practices includes gaps within the service areas and the problem with management and staff problems (Racgp, 2021).http://PUBH6007 Program Design, Implementation and Evaluation Assignment Sample The opportunities include of availability of new technology along with the growing needs of the patients. Whereas, the threat includes increase competition and changes in regulations of the general practices.

Determination of Program Priorities as per the Needs Assessment

The program priorities as per the need assessments of general practices focus towards personal and professional development, that offers diverse experience in practicing medicines and collegiality. The need assessments of general practitioners are as follows.

Person centeredness

The person-centredness of general practitioners includes health, illness and disease are referred to as personal experiences and the practices include making the people relieve from their disease in all its forms. During this stage, the general practitioners value the needs and desired healthcare outcomes along with management processes.

Continuity of care

The second stage of need assessment includes the community of care that focuses on building mutual knowledge and understanding. The general practitioners seek towards building health, wellbeing, and resilience to develop the patient-doctor relationship.

The community of care also focuses on establishing planned coordination of clinical teamwork resources and services.

Comprehensiveness

The general practitioners are not limited by age and gender. Examining the general practitioners it has been identified that it is challenging, spanning, and health promotion for those at risk and suffer from chronic and complex conditions.

The comprehensiveness of general practitioners is not limited to practice, health service, and outreach clinic.

Conclusion

The overall report has briefly explained the key issues within the traditional general practices within the Australian Healthcare system. The case of RACGP as a healthcare service and its general practitioners has been taken into considerations.

Besides, potential challenges associated with normative need assessment have also been explained within the report followed by discussing the SWOT analysis of general practices has also been laid down within the report.

References

AlDossary, S., Martin-Khan, M., Bradford, N., Armfield, N., & Smith, A. (2017). The development of a telemedicine planning framework based on needs assessment. Journal of medical systems, 41(5), 74.

Jackson, C., 2006. General practice in Australia 2020: “robust and ready” or “rudderless and reeling”?. [online] Available at <https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2006/185/2/general-practice-australia-2020-robust-and-ready-or-rudderless-and-reeling> [Accessed 26 February 2021].

Lee, A., & DiGiuseppe, R. (2018). Current Opinion in Psychology. Anger and aggression treatments: a review of meta-analyses, 19(3), 65-74.

Lucius-Hoene, G., Holmberg, C., & Meyer, T. e. (2018). Illness narratives in practice: Potentials and challenges of using narratives in health-related contexts. London: Oxford University Press, USA.

Marosszeky, N., Rix, M. and Owen, A., 2006. Knowing what you need to know about needs assessment. [online]Availableat:<https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1088&context=gsbpapers> [Accessed 26 February 2021].

RACGP, 2018. General Practice: Health of the Nation 2018. [online] Available at: <https://www.racgp.org.au/download/Documents/Publications/Health-of-the-Nation-2018-Report.pdf> [Accessed 26 February 2021].

Racgp. (2021, February 27). Home. Retrieved from Home: https://www.racgp.org.au/