An Environmental Scan For Western NSW

This article discusses the purpose of an environmental scan for a population-based health plan, the external and internal environment for Western NSW Local Health District, planning undertaken by the district and NSW Ministry of Health, data relevant for sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and needs assessment for the Primary Health Networks (PHNs).

Running Head: AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN FOR WESTERN NSW 1
An Environmental Scan For Western NSW
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An Environmental Scan For Western NSW
The Purpose Of An Environmental Scan For A Population-Based Health Plan
An environmental scan is a concept that originated in a business context and is currently
being used in the healthcare sector as a tool for retrieving as well as organizing data and
information for decision making for instance in the development of a population-based
healthcare plan. In healthcare, the tool is used to investigate the external factors which are the
signs to success and also affect the future of a healthcare facility hence influencing the
population-based health care plan (Pereira-Salgado, Mader, & Boyd, 2018).
External Environment and Internal Environment For Western NSW Local Health District
The external environment are all the outside factors which influences and impacts on the
operations of the Western NSW Local Health District which include: political (such as policies),
social (low levels of education), economic (unemployment) and technological (poor
infrastructure to access the facility) (Buykx et al. 2012).
Internal Environment is the working conditions in which the Western NSW Local Health
District strives to offer services as well as the facilities and resources required for service
provision. These internal environments include; proper planning, supportive leadership,
education and training, and management of the available resources and processes to improve the
patient’s outcome through quality services.
Planning The Western NSW Local Health District Has Undertaken
The Western NSW Local Health District developed the STRATEGIC PLAN 2016 – 2020
(the plan) in the year 2016 that has been used for the development of the Environmental Scan.

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The plan outlines the purpose of the institution, the goals set to be attained by the year 2020 and
the mechanisms to be used to realize the dream. The plan advocates for Aboriginal health
incorporation and improved primary health care. To ensure that the strategies are realized, the
planning encourages the spirit of togetherness and the application of the accountability
framework (Western NSW Local Health District, 2016).
Planning NSW Ministry Of Has Undertaken
The NSW Health Ministry (2018) developed the Population Health Research Strategy
2018 – 2022 which advocates for proper population health research for improving the health of
all Australians. The strategy facilitates the acquisition of new, high quality and relevant
information from the population health researches. The plan is to utilize the research evidence
for the improvement of the health of the Australian population as well as build population health
research competencies through the acquisition of skills, maintenance of research infrastructure
and finally fostering partnerships for collaborative research.
Data Relevant For Sections 4, 5, 6, 7
The data that is relevant for section 4 is gathered from the NSW Government website on
the size of the Western NSW local district hospital which is 250 thousand square kilometres well
as the population that it serves (279, 423 as per 2016) (NSW Government, (n.d). The data should
be based on gender and age as well as the composition of the community, indigenous and non-
indigenous. For section 5, information on the determinants of health is relevant which outlines
the social, political and economic determinants of health. For section 6 and 7 information on the
disease burden is given which leads to increased morbidity and mortality rates.
Needs Assessment For The Primary Health Networks (PHNs)

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Australian Government Department of Health (2015) indicates that the Primary Health
Networks (PHNs) was established to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the healthcare
services offered to the patients as well as ensuring coordination of care. Needs assessment
provides information on the conduct of the General Practitioner (GP) on the kind of education
offered to the patient on disease control and prevention, GP compliance to ethical research,
health workforce and care homes. The data also shows records on public and private healthcare,
palliative care, data on gender health and indigenous health to promote primary health care.
Therefore, this information from the Needs assessment is useful in developing the Environmental
Scan.

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References
Australian Government Department of Health, (2015). Primary Health Networks (PHNs).
Available Online At;
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/primary_health_networks/
Retrieved On; August 31, 2018.
Buykx, P., Humphreys, J. S., Tham, R., Kinsman, L., Wakerman, J., Asaid, A., & Tuohey, K.
(2012). How do small rural primary health care services sustain themselves in a
constantly changing health system environment?. BMC Health Services Research, 12(1),
81.
NSW Government, (n.d). Western NSW. Available Online At;
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/lhd/pages/wnswlhd.aspx/ Retrieved On; August 31, 2018.
NSW Health Ministry, (2018). Population Health Research Strategy 2018 – 2022. Available
Online At; https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/research/Publications/research-strategy-2018-
2022.pdf/ Retrieved On; August 31, 2018.
Pereira-Salgado, A., Mader, P., & Boyd, L. M. (2018). Advance care planning, culture and
religion: an environmental scan of Australian-based online resources. Australian Health
Review, 42(2), 152-163.
Western NSW Local Health District, (2016). STRATEGIC PLAN 2016 – 2020. Publications and
Reports. Available Online At; https://wnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/our-organisation/our-
story/publications-and-reports#StrategicHealthServicesPlan/ Retrieved On; August 31,
2018.

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