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What is a learning organisation?According to the NSW Ministry of Health:“A learning organisation is one which has structures and processes in place to encourage andreward continuous learning. A learning organisation recognises people as its most valuable asset.In a learning organisation, every individual is encouraged and supported to locate and create his/her own learning opportunities. The organisation facilitates access to relevant opportunities byestablishing structures and processes which enable staff to learn from actual work situations.”(NSW Department of Health, 2006, p4).Additional characteristics of learning organisations as outlined in the literature include the willingnessof the organisation to learn from its own experiences, learning from other organisations andencouraging staff from the “bottom up” as well as the “top down” to provide feedback and inputinto improvement of processes and initiatives (Braithwaite 2008; Mohr, 2005; Senge, 1990). In healthservices this is essential to ensure that the organisation is responsive to both patient/client careneeds and the education and training needs of its staff in order to ensure the delivery of safe andhigh quality patient care.Who is this framework for?This framework has been developed for use by the following individuals in an effort to improvestandards and consistency of education and training for allied health professionals working inNSW Health:• Allied health professionals• Allied health educators• Managers/team leaders of allied health professionals• Allied health directors• Health service managers• Learning and Development units• LHD and Specialty Network Executives and BoardsThis framework, while being predominantly targeted at the education and training of alliedhealth professionals, is also applicable to allied health assistants employed within NSW Health.Best Practice Governance Framework for Allied Health Education and Training HETI5