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

in order to ensure access to drugs and improve the health of professionals so that essential
services can be maintained (Health Development Network 2004) but no examples of this is
practice could be located.
Family friendly work environments
Family friendly work environments recognise the positive effects provided by enabling staff
to balance the many demands of their personal and/or family lives with the challenges of
work. This requires policy as well as the provision of leave (ie maternity, parenting,
compassionate and carers) flexible hours, work sharing and electronic or home based work.
The only material that was located in this area concerns the Mother and baby friendly policy
of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICW 2008). However governments are may
have their own specific policies that relate to this area.
Multiple interventions to improve workers environment
The Capacity Project worked with the Ministry of Health to select and pilot simple, low-cost
work climate improvement interventions in ten rural facilities over a period of one year. The
primary purpose was to positively impact motivation and job satisfaction and help sites retain
their valued staff. Actions taken include more frequent team meetings for sharing information
and problem-solving, community outreach days, inexpensive renovation of hospital facilities,
purchase of new equipment, more equitable staff shifts, managing inventories to avoid stock
depletion, lounges with free beverage facilities for staff, servicing vehicles previously
considered unserviceable, introducing safe waste disposal measures, improved signage within
several facilities, organized patient flow procedures, less littered yards and cleaner toilets and
facilities. New resource centres at each site help to create a culture of continuous learning. A
follow-up survey indicated an improvement in worker morale. Nearly all (90%) staff in the
ten sites expressed high satisfaction with their work environments, up from 60% at the
beginning of the pilot. Most workers said they had no intention of leaving or transferring
from their facilities (Adano 2008)
The Laos SBA development plan 2008 – 2012 contains two general objectives for
strengthening the Working Environment for SBAs at all levels (Lao People‘s Democratic
Republic Ministry of Health 2009). These are:
Develop and disseminate standards of Midwifery Practice for clinical practice areas
and a mechanism for regular and periodic auditing of standards, for quality assurance
and improvements
Ensure all facilities have essential equipment and essential drugs, including
mechanism to prevent drug stock-out and transportation and communication systems
for referral
P a g e | 107