West Coast Health Development Project (Staff)

Project commencement:

Project completion date:

Project Manager/ Contact: Stuart Auckland
Members: Sue Kilpatrick

The West Coast Health Development Project was commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services through funding provided by the Federal Department of Health and Ageing. The project was a key component of the structural changes in health service administration on the West Coast which has resulted in the Department of Health and Human Services assuming management of health services in that region.

The project was undertaken by the UDRH with the assistance of Strategic Alignment Associates Pty Ltd, a research and consulting company with experience in population health. The main aim of the project was to determine the most appropriate integrated health service model for the West Coast and to facilitate increased community participation in health services. These objectives were achieved through:

• Researching and developing a plan to provide key stakeholders in the region with the relevant knowledge and skills to successfully facilitate community participation in planning, monitoring and evaluating local health services delivery;
• Investigating and identifying potential integrated service delivery models for the West Coast;
• Providing recommendations to support change management and the development of strategies associated with the preferred health service delivery model

The project had three clearly identified stages implemented between March and November 2006:

Stage 1: Undertake a literature search relating to models of best practice in integrated health service management, principles of community engagement and capacity building.
Stage 2: Implement the project plan, including the convening of a project working group.
Stage 3: Deliver a workshop to identify training and education needs, to support the implementation of the identified integrated health service model.