Leadership and staff development
EMHS is committed to developing a capable, engaged and resilient workforce by providing ongoing leadership, training and organisational development initiatives, which benefit individual staff members, managers and teams.
In March 2022, EMHS celebrated its one-year anniversary since implementing its first online learning management system (LMS) — MyLearning.
During 2021-22, the EMHS MyLearning team produced an extensive catalogue of courses, resources and events to support our diverse training needs. This included:
- an online corporate induction program allowing new starters to be onboarded safely and flexibly during the COVID-19 pandemic
- 22 learning bytes (short-form learning) in a Digital Leadership Academy
- 229 individual online courses and resources, including 131 eLearning modules.
The team also managed the transition from manual data entry of course completions to automatic recording, provided training solutions and support to areas that had no prior training resources, and provided MyLearning support to DoH’s Public Health Operations team as part of their rapid onboarding of staff in response to the COVID pandemic.
Face to face (F2F)
In January 2022, a new MyLearning F2F function was added to provide staff with comprehensive information on each course. This function also supports facilitators to manage their courses autonomously and electronically, disseminate training materials and capture participant feedback.
In 2021-22, staff were given access to over 400 self-bookable training sessions via F2F.
MyLearning notifications were also activated to provide staff with automatic confirmation of course details, placement in their calendar and notification to their manager, as well as the course facilitator being advised of the booking and the number of places remaining.
MyLearning help desk
A dedicated MyLearning help desk function was established in 2022 to support EMHS staff navigate the LMS, including students, graduates, volunteers and visiting medical practitioners. In addition to more than 10,000 EMHS staff, the MyLearning team also provided advice and support to:
- 3061 students on placement at EMHS
- 566 users at WA Health Public Health Operations
- 1021 users from the WA Health COVID support workforce
- 173 international medical graduates.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion eLearning
EMHS is proud to have collaborated with other health entities to produce a new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) eLearning suite to support staff and help make our health service a vibrant, respectful and inclusive place to work. This is the first collaborative eLearning product of its kind in WA Health.
The package comprises an overview and six modules that align with identified diversity groups — women, youth, Aboriginal people, people with disability, the LGBTIQ+ community, and culturally and linguistically diverse people. It aims to educate and empower staff to respect and celebrate the diversity of our workforce and community.
Since launching the EDI suite as part of World Cultural Diversity Day celebrations (21 May 2022), 221 staff have accessed the training.
EMHS leadership, training and organisational development initiatives
EMHS successfully piloted a new fit for purpose, in-house Leadership and Management Program (LAMP), with 20 participants and a modified program for 14 leaders from the RPBG’s Outpatients Team
Implemented a range of improvements in response to the Minister for Health’s Your Voice in Health staff survey
Designed and delivered new eLearning courses, onboarding programs and corporate training
Encouraged participation in the organisation’s Peak Performance Program
Facilitated involvement in various leadership development activities for current and emerging leaders, including an Aboriginal Leadership Program and masterclass workshop series
Managed strategic projects to support the development of capability and culture across the organisation
Strengthened our values-based culture through the Above and Below the Line behaviours program
Developed a new Leading People and Performance Education Framework
Champions on mission to lift end-of-life care
In August 2021, EMHS launched an 18-month initiative to improve end-of-life care across our hospitals — the appointment of 30 Palliative Care Champions who will use their position to champion access to high-quality and timely end-of-life care across their work areas.
The champions will take on a variety of roles to build capacity and achieve positive change at the individual, team and organisational levels.
In support of their efforts, the champions get access to professional development networking opportunities and ongoing information sharing, including a palliative care study day.
The Palliative Care Champions come from a range of disciplines (medical, nursing and allied health) and clinical areas. They were chosen from a strong field of candidates who responded to a call for expressions of interest in the new roles.
Photo: EMHS Palliative Care Champions
Simulation training helping clinicians tackle tough conversations
Talking to patients about their goals of care can be challenging for even experienced clinicians. In 2021-22, clinical staff across EMHS welcomed the roll out of free half-day simulated training sessions designed to help them have those difficult conversations.
The Talking Together program — guided by existing evidence-based communication frameworks and training developed by the Cancer Council WA Palliative and Supportive Care Education — uses realistic simulated scenarios to help doctors, senior nurses and allied health staff refine their skills and assist them to deliver realistic health care to patients with complex needs.
During the workshops, participants get to hone their skills with the help of professional actors who take on the roles of patients and carers in realistic scenarios. Participants also benefit from real-time feedback provided by experienced EMHS clinician facilitators.
“Brilliant workshop. Very valuable and teaches skills that can be used in all specialties.”
