This unit will introduce you to the way in which health, social and community services are organised, integrated, funded and governed in Australia. This unit is contextualised to the Australian healthcare reform agenda, emphasising a shift in focus from institutional to community settings, from sick-care to wellness and prevention, and from system-led to consumer-directed approaches. You will explore current trends, changes and challenges in health and community services, including regulation, competition for resources and the impact of technology. You will examine how health data is used to inform service planning and distribution, resource allocation, consumer access, and service coordination for individuals and groups.

In conjunction with the discipline theory, this unit introduces learning through practice by exposing you to authentic learning experiences. These experiences are placed at the centre of learning and assessment, so you have the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to respond to industry, community and/or global needs.

You will be introduced to:

- a range of methods, tools, techniques and approaches to practice

- principles and perspectives such as values, ethics, empathy and leadership in real world scenarios

- reflection and deliberative thinking as a means of developing knowledge, skills, attitudes and aspirations

- ways of understanding problems and developing solutions through active inquiry