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| Health home > Environmental health home > In the community > Environmental health practice | |||
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Environmental health practiceThe World Health Organisation states environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviours. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments.Environmental health practitioners undertake a broad array of tasks and require an equally broad array of skills and knowledge. Most environmental health officers in Victoria are employed in local government. Environmental Health Workforce DevelopmentAustralian and international environmental health workforce studies identify a burgeoning shortage of appropriately skilled and qualified environmental health practitioners. The Victorian Department of Health, in conjunction with the National Environmental Health Committee (enHealth) are working on several projects to enhance environmental health workforce capacity.To date these projects have resulted in the development of the enHealth Environmental Health Officer Skills and Knowledge Matrix and the associated Using the enHealth Environmental Health Officer Skills and Knowledge Matrix. Developing the Matrix and an implementation guide required considerable input and guidance from stakeholders and environmental health professionals. To attain buy-in and feedback the department prepared a number of discussion papers and sample documents identifying options and possibilities. These papers are presented here as resources for those interested in the development of a nationally consistent nomenclature regarding environmental health practice in Australia. The department has also been responsible for the documenting of a number of case studies showing the varied activities of environmental health officers during disasters.Most recently the department has been development guidance material for local government when employing environmental health technicians. The guidelines are nearing completion and will be made available in the near future. enHealth Environmental Health Officer Skills and Knowledge Matrix enHealth Environmental Health Officer Skills and Knowledge Matrix
The Matrix is also available on the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing website. Three discussion papers were prepared during the process of development the Matrix.
Using the enHealth Environmental Health Officer Skills and Knowledge Matrix
Three discussion papers were prepared during the process of development the document Using the enHealth Environmental Health Officer Skills and Knowledge Matrix. The Matrix Implementation Discussion Paper 1 offers a number of examples of the way in which the Matrix can be contextualised by a workplace and is available below.
The Matrix Implementation Discussion Paper 2 discusses two key issues in implementing the Matrix. The first considers the relationship between the Matrix and accredited environmental health courses. The second is whether to establish a new pathway into the profession and how this could work.
The Matrix Implementation Paper 3 describes the process for using the Matrix to describe technician skills and knowledge requirements along with some of the broader issues to be addressed to support engaging technicians. The document raises a number of issues and recommendations that we are specifically seeking feedback on. |
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Last updated:
2 December, 2011
This website is managed and authorised by Environmental Health Unit, Health Protection Branch, Wellbeing, Integrated Care and Ageing Division of the Department of Health, Victorian State Government, Australia |
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