Public Health Practice in Canada Help Build the Future Pan Canadian Task Force on Public Health Nutrition Practice & Capital Health Core Competencies Workshop

Public Health Practice in CanadaHelp Build the Future

Pan Canadian Task Force on Public Health Nutrition Practice

&Capital Health

Core Competencies WorkshopDebert, Nova ScotiaSeptember 23, 2009

This project has been made possible through a financial contribution from the Public Health Agency of Canada

The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada

Outline

Pan Canadian Task Force on Public Health Nutrition Practice

Foundation

Consultation

Conclusions/Recommendations

Capital Health - a tangible application of the Core Competencies

The Foundation

Pan-Canadian Task Force on Public Health Nutrition Practice

National Response•Ministers of Health, June 2004

– 10-year action plan to strengthen public health

•Public Health Human Resource Task Group

– Pan-Canadian framework to strengthen public health capacity & ensure a competent workforce


Public health needs of the population

Define the public health workforce for planning purposes

Gather data on the public health

workforce

Identify core public health services

Identify function-specific** public

health competencies

Identify core* public health competencies

Develop worker competency

assessment tools and incentives

Align education programs to reflect competencies and interprofessional

practice

Develop organizational competency

assessment tools and incentives

Map the competencies of each discipline against the

core and function-specific competencies

Develop recruitment / retention strategies to

attract required competencies

Develop structures to support

interprofessional education (space, time, instructors)

Deploy workforce in interprofessional

models based on their competencies

Identify best practices in interprofessional

deployment

Identify best practices in recruitment and retention

Identify best practices in education (including placements, continuing

education)

Develop accreditation

standards / quality control measures


• Established in early 2006

• Strategic guidance, expert advice and leadership to enhance public health nutrition practice in Canada.

• Leaders from public health nutrition from across Canada

• Funding support from the Public Health Agency of Canada through Dietitians of Canada


Task Force Objectives

1. Define public health nutrition practice in Canada.

2. Investigate and report on the need for discipline specific public health nutrition competency sets/frameworks.

3. Explore an organizational structure that can provide leadership for public health nutrition practice issues in Canada.


Milestone Achievements

Action Plan for the Task Force Situational Assessment Communications Competency Mapping Consultation Recommendations for Action

(pending)

(Available via the DC Website)


The Consulation


From Research to Action

Discussion document: Strengthening Public Health Nutrition Practice in Canada Proposed definition of practice Identification of public health nutrition

competencies Suggestions for organizational supports

Principles for Consultation

Inclusive Transparent Flexible Meaningful Rigorous


Mechanisms for Consultation

1. Pilot Consultation (2008 DC Conference)

2. Pan Canadian Consultationa) Discussion Groupsb) Independent Written Surveysc) Written Submissions, Emails

Supported by Angus Reid Strategies


Participation in Consultation

1. Pilot Consultation a) 103 dietitans and educators (67 and

36 respectively)

2. National Consultationa) 20 discussion groupsb) 297 completed surveysc) 11 emails


Public Health Nutrition: Building on what’s already out there

The Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada: Release 1.0 (2007)

The Essential Competencies for Dietetic Practice (2006) developed by provincial dietetics regulatory bodies

The Competencies for the Entry-Level Dietitian (1996) and knowledge statements (1997) from Dietitians of Canada and

Provincial and International Public Health Nutrition Competencies (Toronto, NS, US, UK, Australia)


The six additional competencies


Determinants of a population’s nutritional status

Knowledge of food systems

Food and nutrition surveillance and monitoring

Development of public policy

Ethical resources

Environmental and ecological integrity

Proposed Competency Set for Pan Canadian Consultation

Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada: Release 1.0

+ Dietetic Competencies (ie Dietitians of Canada and Provincial Regulatory Bodies)

+ 6 Additional Competencies_______________________________________________________________________________________

= Public Health Nutrition Competencies


How much do you support this proposal?

66%

21%

6%

3%

4%

Strongly support

Moderately support

Moderately oppose

Strongly oppose

Don’t know

Oppose:9%

Support:88%


The Recommendations


Proposed Recommendations

1. use def'n to shape the future direction of public health nutrition practice;

2. update dietetic competencies to provide a foundation for desired public health nutrition practice;

3. ensure all dietetic students and/or interns are exposed to public health...

4. support new hires and existing staff to acquire the updated dietetic competencies...;

5. define and promote advanced level public health nutrition practice; and

6. There are additional supports at the national level for public health nutrition practice,... and integrated with other disciplines.


An example of a practical application of the Core Competencies

Public Health, Capital District has been using the domains of the core competencies for hiring purposes.

Specifically in the Interview guide. Promising Tangible application of

the Core Competencies.

Thank You!

Questions?

Documents

Public Health Practice in Canada Help Build the Future Pan Canadian Task Force on Public Health Nutrition Practice & Capital Health Core Competencies Workshop