Listening to our Stakeholders - Health Workforce Australia

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“At the start there was a lot of reaction to the concept of competency so we used the term
roles. It was non-controversial at the time but now the CanMEDS framework is so embedded
we are re-badging it for what it is, i.e. a competency-based framework” Participant 16
Myths: The topic was raised of the need for framework developers to manage common myths
such as the notion that competency-based training will automatically shorten training and the
need for active management of political expectations of this nature.
“I think the politicians, at least in Canada, immediately assume that competency-based
models will lead to shortened training but we try and emphasise that this is not necessarily
the case. Perhaps for some of the fast learners this may be the case but for some it is also
perceivable that training could lengthen. There is also the immeasurable maturity/maturation
that occurs over the length of a training program.” Informant 15
Envisioning the future: Informants within the CanMEDS team also provided useful insights into
the envisaged future of competency-based programs and the health workforce five years out.
These included an emphasis on increased accountability and transparency of practice; increasing
team based/collaborative models of care; and, shifts in role allocations across various members
of the health workforce.
“Five years out – I think that at the individual practitioner level there will be much greater
transparency and accountability on activities one engages in and how these are assessed
and profiled in practice – both clinical and non-clinical” Participant 15
“There will also be increasing emphasis on team competencies and how we can actually
foster and relate more collaboratively with other health professions around learning and
change in practice improvement strategies.” Participant 15
“In contrast and parallel we are seeing an expansion upwards and extension sideways
of scope of practice for other professions – particularly nursing and midwifery – re the
autonomous models there are some real tensions to be worked through re how this fits with
the team.” Participant 16
NZ Competency-based career framework
Figure 2 The New Zealand Health Workforce Career Framework ( Ministry of Health & District Boards New Zealand Workforce Group 2007)