Leadership and Effecting Change in Public Health

Running Head: LEADERSHIP AND EFFECTING CHANGE IN PUBLIC HEALTH 1
Leadership And Effecting Change In Public Health
Author’s Name
Institution
Date

LEADERSHIP AND EFFECTING CHANGE IN PUBLIC HEALTH 2
PART 1
Introduction
According to the Australian Health Leadership Framework, it advocates for a leadership
style for a people that is focused on the effective health system which is equitable, sustainable
and effective (Wright et al. 2000). The framework outlines the qualities of a healthcare leader
which include; shapes the systems, engages others, leads self, achieves outcomes and drives
innovation. In this assignment, I will evaluate the scenario that is provided by Helen who is a 35-
year-old general practitioner. She portrays various leadership qualities according to the
Australian Health Leadership Framework.
Discussion (Body)
From the scenario that is provided by Helen, she possesses the following qualities
according to the Australian Heath Leadership Framework; shapes the systems, engages others,
leads self, achieves outcomes and drives innovation.
Shapes The Systems
The healthcare system is a very complex and evolving system that requires all the
involved departments and parties including funding and legislation (Brownson, Baker,
Deshpande & Gillespie, 2017). A change in one section has great effects and implications for the
whole. Leaders such as Helen who understands the patterns of the interdependence are able to
determine trends and help in facilitating strategies to get maximum benefits hence helping reduce
unintended harm as well as negative consequences. Based on the Australian Health Leadership
Framework, A good leader shapes systems. Such a leader shapes the organizational strategies
which include effectiveness and execution.

LEADERSHIP AND EFFECTING CHANGE IN PUBLIC HEALTH 3
Helen shapes the systems in her actions. She devolved the system care as she focused
primarily on the care of an individual rather than the whole country town when she moved from
the city of Melbourne. We are informed that she was applauded by the board for the role she
played in influencing the change in healthcare that helped in increasing child immunization rates.
This shows that Helen comprehends and institutes systems thinking as she had the issue of
immunization of children in mind and heart. She also communicated system awareness to the
board and negotiated within and across the health teams and other stakeholders to achieve better
health outcomes in her community. Helen was able to promote understanding of health systems
to the local community and got trust and respect of the board hence she was appointed as the new
health officer due to her vision of promoting a healthy community.
Engages Others
The Australian Health Leadership Framework states that an excellent leader in the health
sector should be able to engage others and systems through explanations that make sense and
have benefits to the community. The leader inspires a well as enables other people in sharing
information and ideas. Helen has all the qualities discussed above as she takes the opportunity to
grow the health sector and lead and has sourced collaborations for higher performances. Helen
engaged the local community and the local health sector in raising awareness on the cancer
screening programs hence the number of people presenting themselves for cancer screening
increased greatly. She recognized first the people of her town and then ensured that all other
persons including patients and her fellow medical practitioners were treated well with dignity as
well as respect in all the healthcare settings.
She presented great ideas to the committee hence she has been provided with seeding
capital to start some of her initiatives. Helen has been encouraging the close-knit community

LEADERSHIP AND EFFECTING CHANGE IN PUBLIC HEALTH 4
through empowering the community to take complete control of their immediate environments
while being involved in the process of policymaking. She believes in the engagement of
everyone in the betterment of the health sector regardless of diversity and ethnic differences.
This has made her be popular among the city dwellers. She exhibits the ability to be able to
engage others in the leadership in the health sector as she has made efforts to engage the
community through advocacy for equitable access to all the services and health promotion.
Achieves Outcomes
The Framework states that a leader is individuals who work tirelessly to ensure that they
make a difference in everything that they do. These kinds of leaders usually set a direction which
inspires and motivates others as well as enabling energy and efforts to make sure that they
succeed while keeping the eye on the set goals (Smith et al. 2015). Helen has always been
working with compassion so as she can influence the quality of the healthcare and the
sustainability of the healthcare system. She has collaborated with all other stakeholders and
colleagues in the health sector through the identification of opportunities and sets goals that
achieve the vision. She has been able to have tremendous successes in almost all her
undertakings.
Helen has been able to have great achievements in the health sector through the
promotion of healthy societies, her focus on the population instead of focusing keenly on the care
of individuals. She has been involved in a number of successful initiatives such as immunization,
sanitation, housing as well as infection control programs. Her achievements have also come
about as a result of disease prevention, managing the environment as well as the provision of
sustainable food sources.