Following the regional consultation workshops for both the education and standards projects, a number of common questions were frequently asked - to ensure everyone is on the same page, we have created the FAQ's below to answer some of those;
1. Who are the HNZ Fundamentals of Palliative Care learning packages for?
The packages are for all staff of Residential Aged Care facilities however, they will also be useful for staff orientation within Hospices.
2. Will facilities have to take on all learning packages?
A learning agreement will be negotiated with each facility prior to undertaking the education, looking at their particular needs and learning requirements of the staff and the programme will be tailored to these needs.
3. Will HNZ roll out similar packages for the rest of the sector, such as primary health and hospitals?
Our focus in 2011 is residential aged care, however these learning packages will be easily adapted to meet the needs of any setting where a palliative approach is required.
4. Who will deliver these sessions?
There will be trainer training for specialists from both gerontology and palliative care. Collaboratively they will determine and approach the most appropriate local educator for each session delivered.
5. Will there be an audit programme?
Both a pre and post audit will be a compulsory component of the programme, informing both the effectiveness of the resource and future reviews of the resource.
6. Will HNZ retain the HNZ Caregiver Assistant programme?
Feedback from the sector indicates that there remains a need for a caregiver specific programme of education. This programme will be revised and brought into alignment to be consistent with the Fundamentals programme.
7. How does it link to the Standards?
Each package will be cross-referenced to the applicable HNZ Standard. The training will assist the service in evidencing their achievement of the relevant standard.
8. When do you anticipate rolling out the packages?
The pilot will run from February to May 2011, and then we will finalise the resource, ready for release to all hospices by July 2011.
9. What future education resources are HNZ considering?
We will extend the range of education information with additional resources. For example we are considering a Spirituality resource, outlining international and local research findings and best practice recommendations.
10. Will Hospices charge to deliver the learning packages?
This has not yet been determined, as there are many factors to be considered. Most significantly, the collaborative nature of the programme between gerontology and palliative care will result in shared costs between services.
1. Will the Standards be mandatory?
This has yet to be decided. The members of Hospice New Zealand will discuss and decide this later in the year.
2. Who will audit Hospices against the Standard?
If the Standards are mandatory then the audit may be linked to other external frameworks so that the total number of audits is not increased. If the Standards are not mandatory HNZ may offer a peer-review framework to all Hospices.
3. How will they link with the SPCSS?
When the Specialist Palliative Care Service Specifications are finalised the Standards will be adapted in order to be consistent with the sector framework.
4. How will the various audit frameworks fit together and will there be a mapping tool?
This has yet to be determined, however once the nature of the Standards framework has been confirmed we will identify and map the overlap between the relevant audit tools.
5. What constitutes a Level 3 service?
HNZ is most interested in Hospices that are leading regional education initiatives, such as the delivery of the Fundamentals of Palliative Care resource. These Hospices will also demonstrate Level 3 in their willingness to share expertise, specialist advice, and lead quality and research projects.
6. Will there be a glossary of terms?
Yes, the final version will include definitions of key palliative care terms, consistent with other New Zealand documents.
7. Will HNZ provide further detail on how to demonstrate achievement of the Standards?
A workbook will be developed, that will provide guidance on how to best achieve and demonstrate each quality element.
