University of Tasmania, Australia

The Australian Health System in Context provides an overview of the Australian health system. On completion, participants should have (i) a sound appreciation of the complexities of Australian Healthcare Agreements and other funding mechanisms and be able to critique the strengths and weaknesses of the current health system and systemic change options that could deliver more appropriate care and improve efficiency; (ii) an understanding of the health status of Australians in comparison to other countries, and a comparison of the investment in health compared to the country's overall health status; (iii) identification of the challenges associated with rising costs of healthcare, sustainability of health services, demands on health services, distribution and shortages within the health workforce; and changing demographics. Participants will be required to identify the impact of these challenges on practice and develop strategies, including service re-design, changing models of care and workforce role reforms, to ensure the present and future health needs of the diverse Australian population are met.

Introduction to Public Health introduces the scope of public health practice in the 21st century and the social, political and economic context within which public health practitioners operate. The unit combines theoretical and practical material to assist students to understand the social and economic determinants of health, the importance of improved equity to raising health standards worldwide, nationally and locally, and the ways in which communities can be engaged and empowered to identify and address issues that affect their health. Different health outcomes for people across a range of communities will be critically examined in relation to public health practice.

Approaches to Public Health Practice further develops key themes of public health practice in Australia and globally. An overview is provided of the core functions and essential services of public health nationally and internationally, the context of public health practice within health systems and within society, and the tools available to public health practitioners to protect and promote the health of populations. Areas to be covered include a description of public health and its relationship with the health system, the organisation and legal basis for public health, core functions and essential services provided by public health professionals, the ethics of public health practice, systems and processes for identifying and responding to issues affecting the health of populations, preventive health and its relevance to public health, principles of health policy and health economics in public health and health protection as a core function of public health.

Introduction to Epidemiology will explore the principles, theories and practice of epidemiology. Students will be provided with a comprehensive introduction to specific aspects relating to the collection and interpretation of epidemiological data providing them with the essential skills for logical, scientific assessment of the literature. Critical thinking and scientific/ analytical competencies are emphasized throughout the course. It will cover the broad areas of disease distribution, study design, causality, interpretation of epidemiological data and critical appraisal of the literature.

The aims of the Biostatistics unit are: to introduce fundamental concepts in biostatistics including uncertainty, variation, estimation and comparison; to examine statistical issues in study design; to introduce the most commonly used methods of analysis of data; to encourage the development of a framework for critical review of published papers and to carry out standard statistical analysis of data sets using a statistical package. Students will be required to engage in on-line discussions and activities on relevant topics and carry out assignments.

CAM628: Health Economics aims to provide participants with a basic understanding of health economics, its value and limitations. It will familiarise participants with the application of economic theory to health and health care issues, and review and analyse policy and practice in the health care sector. There will be a particular focus on economic evaluation, why it is important for decision-making and how it is undertaken. Students will be required to engage in on-line discussions on relevant topics, carry out a critical appraisal of some economic analysis and complete a written assignment.

HSH745: The Health Program Evaluation unit is provided through another institution, subject to negotiation.

Supervision and Leadership: Theory, Process and Practice provides a framework for effective leadership and supervision - supervision in context, direct supervision, constructive feedback, structure and content of meetings, dimensions of supervision, quality of the supervisory relationship and training for supervisors. On completion, participants should have a better understanding of (i) helpful supervisory behaviours including giving direct feedback on work; linking theory, process and practice; encouraging joint problem-solving; offering feedback and reassurance; and providing role models (ii) ineffective supervisory behaviours including rigidity; low empathy; failure to offer support and to follow supervisees' concerns; not teaching; being indirect and intolerant; and emphasizing evaluation and negative aspects. Participants will be required to investigate the role of supervision and the skills required by drawing on relevant empirical and theoretical work to offer practical and good supervision.

Translational Research and Health Service Innovation provides a framework for understanding the links between knowledge and practice. It is also designed to encourage the development of the capacity of health service leaders to identify and evaluate emerging knowledge relevant to their practice, and to implement change based on this knowledge within their sphere of influence.

Change Management and Diffusion of Innovation in Health Services explores current theory and research around issues relating to change management and diffusion of innovation. Strategies for successful implementation of change, including the identification of barriers to implementation are developed. Participants are encouraged to apply theories of innovation diffusion through an analysis of the organisational and social context of health care to explore ways in which innovative individuals and organisations facilitate change.

Health Policy applies policy analysis and public administration theory to the delivery of health, housing and other social services in Australia - with particular reference to practice in Tasmania. It examines the current delivery system; current and future challenges; methods for strengthening policy leadership and capacity; as well as the differential impact of policy on vulnerable groups. Students will increase their understanding of the historical development of services; cycles of policy decision-making and public attention; power and policy networks; and the differential capacity of the public, practitioners and policy-makers to influence health and well-being outcomes.

Extended Epidemiology and Biostatistics builds on the basic concepts and methods covered in the introductory courses on epidemiology (CAM528) and biostatistics (CAM625). It aims to extend that knowledge by equipping students with the skills to apply epidemiological principles in complex investigations of the causes of specific diseases including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, cancer, neurological disorders and musculoskeletal conditions. It will introduce more advanced but commonly used methods of data analysis, and give students practical experience in the application of these methods and interpretation of the results of statistical analysis. The unit will require the use of a statistical analysis package (Stata, SAS, SPSS or other) to carry out analyses of data. Students will be required to engage in on-line discussions on relevant topics and carry out three assignments.

The aims of Lifecourse Epidemiology are: to provide a historical perspective of the emergence of life course epidemiology; to examine its premise that various biological, lifestyle and social factors act – independently, cumulatively and interactively – at different stages of life and throughout the lifespan to influence health outcomes in later life; to explain its purpose of building and testing causal models that link earlier life exposures to later health outcomes; to present and interpret the three models of life course epidemiology, and to outline the complex array of study designs and methodological tools that over time have been used for these purposes. Rather than be conducted in the abstract, the unit draws on studies conducted over 25 years at the Menzies Research Institute Tasmania to provide concrete examples and data that will be used in simplified analyses to illustrate methods and findings.

Environmental Health builds on basic environmental risk factors and public health data and considers the development of environmental regulation as a public health control: it provides participants with an introduction to the framework of environmental and health regulation within Australia. It examines regulation within the context of a variety of specific health risks and looks at inequalities of a social and environmental character. Consideration will be given to global environmental issues and a review of comparative processes for control of health risk. The unit will examine several case studies with a view to identifying best practice in regulatory compliance. Students will be required to engage in discussions on relevant topics and to carry out individual and group assessment tasks including a case study analysis and report, the focus being on the relationship of the physical environment with health and well being.

Communicable Disease Epidemiology will explore communicable diseases of humans from an epidemiological perspective. It will provide an introductory overview of the basic biological knowledge needed to understand the interactions within and between populations of microbes, human and other animals. Students will learn to use epidemiological techniques to understand infectious disease surveillance data, disease transmission, outbreak investigation and the epidemiology of vaccine preventable diseases. The unit will particularly focus on how these methods are used in contemporary public health practice and applied in population-based prevention and control of diseases such as sexually transmissible infections, blood borne viruses and enteric infections. The unit will introduce students to regional and global aspects of infectious diseases, particularly their social and ecological determinants, emergence and burden.

Students will engage in on-line discussions on relevant topics, prepare an epidemiological account of a communicable disease using real data, participate in an outbreak investigation exercise, and prepare a review of an important current communicable disease issue focussing particularly on prevention and/or control.

Food safety management, particularly for microbial hazards, is undergoing revolutionary change internationally. Essentially, a more holistic approach is being advocated that relies on analysis and synthesis of knowledge and data from several scientific disciplines. The approach is being termed 'risk assessment'. Advanced Food Safety Management will consider the cause and nature of physical, chemical and microbial food-borne hazards; technologies for detection, quantification and elimination of hazards in foods; and provide theoretical and applied instruction on contemporary methods of food safety management, with particular emphasis on quantitation, probability and mathematical modelling approaches (e.g. predictive microbiology, statistical sampling methods, risk assessment, stochastic modelling approaches). Greater emphasis is given to control of microbial hazards. The unit considers how these tools and knowledge can be synthesised to assist in food safety regulation setting and for the interpretation of food safety risk associated with particular foods and hazards.

Improving quality in health services requires the systematic implementation of proven interventions for all those who would benefit from them at an acceptable cost. Leaders in health service areas must be able to evaluate information they receive to make evidence based decisions in order to improve quality. Evaluation and Evidence-based Research Methods enables participants to understand the concepts and methods of research so that they will be better able to evaluate evidence and its relevance to their practice and organisation.

In Workplace Learning – Major Project A, participants combine the knowledge and skills developed through academically focused units to conduct a comprehensive research or action learning project with a workplace focus. The topic area will be negotiated between the student, the nominated supervisor(s) and the industry partner or workplace manager (as appropriate), and must reflect an attempt to address a priority issue for health services. This unit is Part A of the Major Project. Students must continue to Part B (CAM724) to gain a final mark.

In Workplace Learning – Major Project B, participants continue to combine the knowledge and skills developed through both previous workplace units and academically focused units to further their comprehensive research or action learning project with a workplace focus. The topic will have been negotiated between the student, the nominated supervisor(s) and the industry partner or workplace manager (as appropriate), and must reflect an attempt to address a priority issue for health services. This unit continues directly from CAM723.