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The purpose of this research was to identify aspects of work that have become more difficult for rural health workers as they have become older; and the age-related changes and exacerbating factors that contribute to these difficulties. Findings will support efforts to make workplaces more user-friendly for older health workers. [from abstract]

This study describes a novel method to review and evaluate clinical performance in TB management and for evaluating tuberculosis (TB) control at the point of care using a process-based performance review tool to identify missed opportunities for early and accurate TB diagnosis. This tool is a teaching strategy where clinicians retrospectively review patient records to evaluate crucial clinical actions, and has been shown to improve clinical performance. [from author]

This highly acclaimed 3:22 minute video from the Global Health Workforce Alliance emphasizes the importance of health workers and calls for a health workers for everyone, everywhere. [adapted from publisher]

This 7:50 minute documentary video is part of the BBC World News documentary series, “Kill or Cure.” In many countries around the globe, people live and die without ever seeing a health worker. It is a problem that is exacerbated by trained workers seeking better pay and conditions abroad, leaving already weakened health services in crisis. [from publisher]

Addressing the challenges of the health crisis requires collaboration from multiple sectors and stakeholders with complementary roles. The CCF approach to human resources for health requires establishing and supporting the necessary governance structures for intersectoral coordination and collaboration to plan, implement and monitor health workforce development and retention at the country level, while working through one national HRH plan for an integrated health workforce response. [adapted from foreword]

This report examines approaches for the community management of sick children, specifically antimicrobial treatment, through the use of community health workers or their equivalent. It is based on an extensive review of literature, including peer-reviewed studies, reports, programme descriptions and program evaluations. [from introduction]

This article describes Uganda’s transition from a paper filing system to an electronic HRIS capable of providing information about country-specific health workforce questions. It examines the ongoing five-step HRIS strengthening process used to implement an HRIS that tracks health worker data at the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council (UNMC) and describes how HRIS data can be used to address workforce planning questions. [adapted from abstract]

In this edition of CapacityPlus Voices, Mary Roroi of the National Department of Health in Papua New Guinea and Dr. Zulfiqar Khan of the World Health Organization in Pakistan discuss how they’re applying the HRH Action Framework to strengthen the health workforce. [from author]

This article describes the National Rural Health Mission of India and the initiatives undertaken to address the lack of skilled service providers in rural areas including an increase in sanctioned posts for public health facilities, incentives, workforce management policies, locality-specific recruitment and the creation of a new service cadre specifically for public sector employment. [adapted from abstract]

This article describes a program directed at the re-supply of rural physicians in rural areas and its success in addressing the critical shortages caused by maldistribution of health care workers. [adapated from abstract]

Kenya has bold plans for scaling up priority interventions nationwide, but faces major human resource challenges, with a lack of skilled workers especially in the most disadvantaged rural areas. This study investigated reasons for poor recruitment and retention in rural areas and potential policy interventions through quantitative and qualitative data collection with nursing trainees. [adapted from abstract]

This document describes core competencies related to human resources planning and management. It reflects the context of the challenges faced by the health sectors and the nursing workforce globally, and the important role played by nurses in managing and leading teams of highly skilled health professionals, in providing leadership in the provision of service delivery and care, and contributing at the highest levels to the ongoing development of a health care system that can deliver key improvements in health outcomes. [from summary]

The development of best practices to promote physician wellbeing at the individual and organisational levels is receiving increased attention. Few studies have documented how physicians perceive their wellbeing in these contexts. The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify and discuss the reported factors that hinder wellbeing, as well as the reported factors that would promote wellbeing among physicians. [from abstract]

The Primary Care Evaluation Tool is an instrument developed to examine the supply and demand-side aspects of primary care (PC). It is intended to support ministries of health and other stakeholders in monitoring the progress of their PC-related policies and reforms and to set new priorities on the basis of evidence-based information with the aim of further strengthening PC. This report gives an overview on the findings of the tool in Serbia. [adapted from abstract]

This report provides some insights on the social and cultural factors that shape hygiene practices in Cambodian health care settings that need to be considered when designing interventions to improve infection control practices. [adapted from abstract]

This report summarizes the discussion and final recommendations from a meeting on integrating gender considerations into the curricula for health professional. It presents: an overview of experiences with integrating gender considerations into the curricula for health professionals; case examples; a synthesis of lessons learned about enabling conditions and strategies for integrating gender issues into the curricula of health professionals; and recommendations for core minimum gender competencies for health professionals. [adapted from introduction]

This report considers the degree to which National Health Service workforce planning in England is likely to support the delivery of a workforce that is fit for the future. To inform this assessment, the authors examine current developments at national and regional level, highlight relevant international experience, and propose ways in which planning could be made more effective. [from summary]

Numerous initiatives were undertaken during the third Health Sector Development Programme (HSDP III) to achieve universal access to primary health care, notably through the implementation of the health extension program and the accelerated expansion of health centers. This report highlights the major achievements and challenges of the health sector in 2002 under five major sections: leadership and governance, human resources development and management, essential medical products and technologies, service delivery and quality of care, and health financing.

This report examined the main problems faced by health care professionals in Morocco. In particular the report focuses on working environments, recruitment and staff retention. This report is an essential tool and resource to guide a response to the needs and concerns of health care professionals and drive improvements within healthcare working environments. [adapted from author]

This presentation outlines the successful School of Health Science’s Indira Gandhi National Open University program to democratise higher education; provide cost-effective, quality education to a large section of the population; provide higher education to developing countries; and become a pioneer in distance education for health managers and medical educators. [adapted from author]

This presentation outlines Management for Science’s Virtual Programs (such as health leadership development, strategic planning and human resources management), how they work and the results they have achieved. [adapted from author]

This presentation outlines FAIMER’s work to create an online network of health educators for collaboration and support to strengthen and expand leadership and management skills and education methods; and to stregthen the field of health education through distance courses. [adapted from author]

This presentation outlines a study to identify lessons learned which can guide and maximize the impact of distance education for health workers. [adapted from author]

This presentation outlines human resources for health context; post- qualification training priorities; training design for performance; and a conceptual framework for approaches to health worker training - particularly focusing on distance learning approaches and effectiveness. [adapted from author]

As a self-contained technical instruction manual, this handbook is intended to provide a practical tool to guide the identification and definition of initial baseline data to be collected in order to provide a descriptive profile of countries’ human resources for health to facilitate monitoring their progress towards achieving their HRH goals over time. [from author]