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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Introductory

Former School/College

Former School of Health and Human Sciences

Unit aim

Provides students with an overview of the Australian health care system and the factors which influence the way it functions. Historical, socio-political and cultural contexts of health care in Australia will be presented to encourage an awareness of how these factors influence health care delivery, systems, services, and the health care workforce.

Unit content

Health in Australia and internationally

  • Defining health
  • Analysing health care systems
  • Historical context of health and approaches to health care
  • Social determinants of health
  • Health inequalities (in Australia and internationally)
  • Health of Australians and international comparisons

Structure and functions of the Australian health care system

  • Key features of the AHCS
  • Comparisons of health systems around the world
  • Governments, governance, policy and health care in Australia
  • Funding health care in Australia
  • Provision of health care in Australia

Working in the Australian health care system

  • Health care delivery for specific populations and vulnerable groups
  • Health care workforce in Australia
  • Professional organisations and regulation of the Australian health care workforce
  • Contemporary issues and trends in the Australian health care system and health workforce
  • Inter-professional relationships

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 compare and contrast the health of Australians and major elements of the health care system with those of other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations
2 explain the various factors which influence the health of Australians and the functions of the Australian health care system
3 explain the impact of health care policy, funding and governance on the Australian health care system
4 describe the role information technology plays in the Australian health care system
5 discuss the impact of current trends in the health care system on the health care workforce.
6 identify various factors which influence the health of priority population groups in Australia

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. compare and contrast the health of Australians and major elements of the health care system with those of other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations
    • GA4:
  2. explain the various factors which influence the health of Australians and the functions of the Australian health care system
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  3. explain the impact of health care policy, funding and governance on the Australian health care system
    • GA3:
    • GA5:
  4. describe the role information technology plays in the Australian health care system
    • GA3:
    • GA5:
  5. discuss the impact of current trends in the health care system on the health care workforce.
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  6. identify various factors which influence the health of priority population groups in Australia
    • GA4:
    • GA5:

Prescribed texts

  • No prescribed texts.

  • No prescribed texts.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.