Partnership Agreement
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| First meeting of the GSHP school group, 7 December 2005 |
The role of champion for Charles Darwin University of the health stream in the partnership has taken considerable time and energy. The two main and most obvious outputs from this are the Graduate School for Health Practice, below, and an improved relationship with the DHCS. Another outcome has been an increased focus for Aboriginal people and better potential to address gaps in our offerings and articulation of these.
Graduate school developments
For some months, under Schedule 1.2 of the Partnership Agreement, Building Capacity in Health Service Delivery in the NT, the schedule team has been working towards the establishment of a Graduate School for Health Practice as a joint initiative between the Department of Health and Community Service [DHCS] and Charles Darwin University. This was finalised in September 2005. The new Graduate School for Health Practice (GSHP) is located within the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS), Charles Darwin University (CDU). A team of jointly appointed academics, expert in clinical services as well as excellent teachers, will be situated in the GSHP. They will contribute to health services and practice improvement across a range of disciplines and professions including nursing, midwifery, aboriginal health work and allied health.
The key roles of the GSHP will be to work with the health industry to:
- Develop and provide high quality postgraduate programs and short courses across a number of health disciplines responsive to industry and regional needs;
- Develop strategies and innovation around health service development in the Territory and internationally; and
- Develop research and build local research capacity to inform health policy and practice.
The first appointment has just been made. Professor Di Brown, currently Associate Dean of the Faculty of Nursing at UTS has been appointed to the position of Professor of Clinical Nursing in the Graduate School, this appointment being a joint University - Department appointment with a focus on Acute Care.
Maternal child health and primary health care are priorities of the DHCS and Aboriginal leadership locally and nationally. The GSHP will educate professionals who can help achieve their goals and improve the health of mothers, their infants and children in the NT. We therefore need new staff to help us realise these goals and assist with the continued development of new programs and more flexible ways of delivery.
The activities of the Graduate School will build upon existing initiatives in the School of Health Sciences, School of Science and Primary Industries, Menzies School of Health Research and other health and medical education activities in the NT. They will be linked to major health priorities and the identified challenges and gaps in health within the NT and will provide support for the Clinical Leaders in the 'field', developing and supporting clinical innovation and education that addresses client/patient and community need.
