Human Resources for Health in Maternal, Neonatal and - HRH ...

Strategies to develop supportive working environments
Although HRM systems are important in the creation of a work climate that is conducive to
quality performance there are a number of other practices that contribute to a supportive
environment. Manzi et al in their study of work place trust in Tanzania highlights the
importance of workplace relationships to health worker motivation and performance (Manzi
2004). Health worker relationships affect team work which can take place within a PHC
team, between community out-reach workers and those with in a facility, between staff
employed by the public and non state sector and/or beyond the health sector. In response to
this FIGO calls for the development of guidelines for multidisciplinary collaborative practice
that allow for shared competencies and appropriate skill mix (FIGO 2009). This requires the
sharing of responsibility between the various cadres of health and community workers
involved in MNRH.
In addition to team work, workplace environments can be enhanced thought the provision of
initiatives that address issues related to the socio-cultural background of staff, their family
situation as well as health and welfare and factors such as availability of transport, equipment
and tools. The table below outlines a number of Initiatives that contribute to supportive work
environments in MNRH at community level.
Table 16 Initiatives that contribute to supportive work environments for HRH
Initiative focus Details Context Reference
Building PHC teamwork
Core competencies To increase the responsiveness of PHC teams Americas (PAHO 2009)
Peer support
Peer support
Peer review
Curriculum
development manual
Private midwife network developed to provide
supportive peer supervision in Post abortion care
FP volunteers & FP field worker collaboration among
72% of volunteers in Yogyakarta 64% in Central
Java 53% in West Java.
Improving FP counselling with self-assessment and
peer review
module 7 covers collaborative RH work with other
PHCW & community development workers
Kenya
Indonesia
(Nelson 2002; Dohlie
2003; ESD Project
2007)
(Utomo, Arsyad et al.
2006)
Indonesia (Kim 2002)
Global
(IntraHealth/Prime II
Project 1997)
Linking in with HRH beyond PHC team
ICT
Family health worker team support in rural areas for
consultation, reference and education
―catalytic agent‖ committed individual at district level who can
provide assistance
(Campos 2006)
(IntraHealth 2008)
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