Resources for Engagement & Partnership
Intersectoral activity in Victoria is provided at the state and division level to provide a case study of opportunities for the division’s program and individual divisions to make a difference in rural palliative care.
The framework used is based on Working Together: Intersectoral Action for Health, (E.Harris, M.Wise, P.Hawe, P.Finlay and Nutbeam, Commonwealth of Australia, 1995).
This work states that for intersectoral action to be effective it must meet the following six conditions:
- necessity for the health sector to work with other sectors and organisations on this issue;
- proposed action is supported by the wider community and/or builds on existing policy initiatives, i.e. opportunities;
- involved sectors/organisations have the capacity to undertake the proposed action, i.e. organisations have committed to the action and ensured the necessary knowledge and resources are available;
- relationships between those involved are established and strong enough to enable the participants to undertake and sustain action;
- planned action is well conceived and can be implemented and evaluated; and
- provision has been made to sustain outcomes.
This case study is taken from the Victorian Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach (PEPA) and illustrates the advantages and the importance of an approach that is based on working together. The working together goals include: setting policy direction; setting guidelines for policy implementation; mapping problem areas; and building capacity and the development of supportive relationships.
A model of an intersectoral framework provides guidelines for those who are keen to ensure that they effectively engage as many stakeholders as possible when seeking to build or improve a palliative care program. The table illustrates: how rural palliative care fits into existing core business; opportunities for promoting the palliative care approach; and workforce development opportunities, particularly for GPs.
The Working Together: Intersectoral Action for Health framework that has been used in Victoria provides an appropriate template to ensure effective partnerships.
Those providing health services within a rural setting face enormous challenges. How much more so for those seeking to improve health services? There is adequate literature indicating that one way of addressing such challenges is to build appropriate partnerships. However, there are also questions that need to be understood about the most effective way to build valuable partnerships.
Sample case studies
