HLTH213-16S1 (C) Semester One 2016

Health Systems and Policy

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 22 February 2016
End Date: Sunday, 26 June 2016
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Friday, 4 March 2016
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 20 May 2016

Description

This course introduces students to the history and organisation of health services and public health, with particular relevance to New Zealand.

Students will develop an understanding of the structure and function of the New Zealand health system, including the provision, planning, and funding of health services.

Introduction
Students will learn how health systems and health policy can influence health status.   Students will be able to identify strengths and weaknesses of the New Zealand health system compared with systems in other countries.  This provides students taking the Public Health major with an essential understanding of health systems, policy, legislation, and regulation, and to meet the relevant competencies required for the public health sector workforce.

Learning Outcomes

  • By the end of the course tudents will be able to:

  • Describe the history of the New Zealand health system
  • Identify how health systems influence health status
  • Explain how policy is developed and how policy can influence health
  • Describe characteristics of health systems worldwide
  • Recognise and explain the similarities and differences between the New Zealand health system and other health systems

Prerequisites

Either 15 points in HLTH or any 45 points

Timetable Note

Lectures and Lecturers:
The course will be taught by staff from the School of Health Sciences and a number of guests invited from within the University and the health sector.

Course Coordinator

Sarah Lovell

The structure of the course will be a weekly two-hour lecture and weekly one-hour laboratory/ tutorial.

The course builds on and complements concepts introduced in HLTH101 Introduction to Health Studies, HLTH110 Epidemiology, HLTH201 Health Promotion, HLTH202 Health in New Zealand, and HLTH106 Nga Take, Te Wero: Māori Health Issues and Opportunities.

Class Topics/Modules (indicate number of lectures)
1. Introduction to health systems: primary care, secondary care, tertiary care, public health
2. The history of the New Zealand health system (6 lectures)
3. Key health sector organisations in New Zealand
4. Examples of health systems (USA, UK, Australia, Scandinavian health systems)
5. How health systems influence health status
6. Introduction to health economics
7. Health systems funding
8. Health information
9. Health policy
10. Policy development – barriers and enablers
11. Health workforce

Tutorial/Lab Topics (and number of sessions)
A series of case studies on the New Zealand health system, including primary care, secondary care, tertiary care, public health, publically vs. privately funded health care, policy development, and a series of case studies illustrating how policy affects practice (for example New Zealand health targets).

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Policy Submission 30 Mar 2016 25%
A Comparison of the New Zealand Health System with the Health System of another Country 11 May 2016 35%
Final Examination 40%

Textbooks / Resources

There are no Required Texts for this course.

Required Reading:
Each session will have assigned readings that will be referenced on the LEARN2, the University’s online course support website http://www.learn.canterbury.ac.nz/, or sourced by students from the UC library databases. Students are expected to have read these prior to each session.
Students will be required to access and download PDF files of journal articles from UC Library.

Additional material/information is available from
http://canterbury.libguides.com/content.php?pid=24326&sid=194845

Additional Course Outline Information

Academic integrity

Policy on Dishonest Practice
Plagiarism, collusion, copying and ghost writing are unacceptable and dishonest practices.
• Plagiarism is the presentation of any material (text, data, figures or drawings, on any medium including computer files) from any other source without clear and adequate acknowledgement of the source.
• Collusion is the presentation of work performed in conjunction with another person or persons, but submitted as if it has been completed only by the names author(s).
• Copying is the use of material (in any medium, including computer files) produced by another person(s) with or without their knowledge and approval.
• Ghost writing is the use of another person(s) (with or without payment) to prepare all or part of an item submitted for assessment.
In cases where dishonest practice is involved in tests or other work submitted for credit, the student will be referred to the University Proctor. The instructor may choose to not mark the work.

Assessment and grading system

Assessment for Hlth312 will comprise completion of two assignments. A student will be expected to spend at least 5 hours per week in addition to lectures and tutorials in preparation for classes and completion of course assessments.

The School of Health Sciences uses the following scale to convert marks into grades:
The School of Health Sciences reserves the right to adjust this mark/grade conversion. This will occur only when the deemed necessary and such adjustments will not be made to the detriment of a student's grade.

Grading Scale
Grade    GPA Value        Marks

A+              9            90 – 100
A                8            85 – 89.99
A-               7            80 – 84.99
B+              6            75 – 79.99
B                5            70 – 74.99
B-               4            65 – 69.99
C+              3            60 – 64.99
C                2            55 – 59.99
C-               1            50 – 54.99
D                0            40 – 49.99
E               -1             0 – 39.99

A Pass is 50 marks or over

Late submission of work

Late work should be accompanied with a short note explaining why the work is late. The work will be marked and 1% the total marks will be subtracted for each day the work is late. Days late include weekend and holidays.

Notes

Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities should speak with someone at Disability Support Service. They are located at 111 Maths Building (Ex.6350, disabilities@canterbury.ac.nz)

Aegrotat Applications

If you feel that illness, injury, bereavement or other critical circumstances has prevented you from completing an item of assessment or affected your performance, you should complete an aegrotat application form, available from the Registry or the Student Health and Counselling Service. This should be within seven days of the due date for the required work or the date of the examination. In the case of illness or injury, medical consultation should normally have taken place shortly before or within 24 hours after the due date for the required work, or the date of the test or examination. For further details on aegrotat applications, please refer to the Enrolment Handbook. You have the right to appeal any decision made, including aegrotat decisions.
http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/exams/aegrotats.shtml, please see Course links.

Reconsideration of Grades

Students should, in the first instance, speak to the course co-ordinator about their grades. If they cannot reach an agreeable solution, students should then speak to the Head of School, Health Sciences. Students can appeal any decision made on their final grade. You can apply at the Registry to appeal within 4 weeks of the end of the semester. Be aware that there are time limits for each step of the appeals process.

Missing Tests

In rare cases a student will not be able to sit a test. In such cases, the student should consult with the course co-ordinator to arrange alternative procedures. This must be done well in advance of the set date for the test.

Academic Liason

Assoc Professor Ray Kirk, Waimairi 226, 3643108, ray.kirk@canterbury.ac.nz is in charge of liaison with students in the undergraduate health sciences courses as the BHSc programme coordinator in the School of Health Sciences. Your class will appoint a student representative to the liaison committee at the start of the semester. Please feel free to talk to the Academic Liaison or the student rep about any problems or concerns that you might have.

Where to submit and collect work

Students will be expected to submit their assessment via the online assessment system in the Learn class site by 5.00pm on or before the due date.  The lecturer may also ask students to submit assessment work through the software Turnitin, to check for plagiarism. If this option is available students will submit work through Turnitin and obtain a report, after submitting assignments for marking via the Learn site.

It is the responsibility of the students to check their Internet access and ability to submit their work via the online system.  Any technical difficulties should be notified well in advance of the due date so that assistance can be provided or alternative arrangements can be negotiated. If you require assistance, please email ictservicedesk@canterbury.ac.nz, or phone 366 7001 ext 6060.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $717.00

International fee $2,913.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Minimum enrolments

This course will not be offered if fewer than 20 people apply to enrol.

For further information see School of Health Sciences .

All HLTH213 Occurrences

  • HLTH213-16S1 (C) Semester One 2016