IFIC Australia co-hosted an International Summer School in late March, aimed at supporting organisations to implement their integrated care strategies.
Developed in partnership with North Coast PHN and the Centre for Health Care Knowledge and Innovation, this event in Kingscliff was a sell-out, with a waiting list.
Over five days the residential program supported public sector leaders and teams committed to driving forward twelve integrated care projects and innovations.
To support this included expert facilitated sessions on the building blocks of integrated care; implementation models; empowering people; building an enabling environment; performance assessment for integrated care; financing integrated care and creating incentives; leading and managing change. Course directors Nick Goodwin and Viktoria Stein facilitated the Summer School with the support of IFIC Australia and partners Hazel Dalton, Dan Ewald and Tony Lembke and numerous expert guest lecturers.
Preparation for the summer school involved delegates from Primary Health Networks and Local Health Districts providing project outlines and participation in an integrated care survey on their projects. At the summer school, delegates shared their integrated care projects with participants. Each project was subjected to situational analysis with respect to integrated care (identifying strengths, weaknesses and gaps), further investigation and development throughout the Summer School. At the final day’s presentation, groups presented their refined integrated care project plans, which had undergone significant development. The delegates engaged well, worked hard, were flexible in their planning and development and left Kingscliff with their next steps clarified.
For more information contact Hazel Dalton via email ificaustralia@integratedcarefoundation.org
Dr Hazel Dalton is a Research Leader at the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health at the University of Newcastle, Australia