Using data analytics to help design a primary healthcare workforce strategy

Overview

The North Coast Primary Healthcare Network (NCPHN) has a vision to deliver quality, accessible and coordinated primary healthcare that is responsive to the needs of the community. Building a highly skilled and capable health workforce is a key requirement in achieving this vision and providing primary healthcare services across the 35000+ square kilometre region the NCPHN is responsible for.

While the NCPHN collected and captured data on its primary healthcare workforce, the data varied in quality and consistency of detail. It was stored in various repositories, and with the high number of partners involved in collecting and managing data across the network, there was no strategic, common approach to collecting and maintaining this vital information.

This restricted the NCPHN’s ability to understand primary healthcare workforce trends, accurately report on the current profile of the North Coast primary healthcare workforce, identify potential workforce gaps and make informed decisions about resourcing priorities.

How We Helped

Our strong understanding of the public sector and primary healthcare networks combined with our contemporary data collection, analysis and visualisation tools delivered the NCPHN an accurate profile and dynamic visualisation of its primary healthcare workforce, a single data repository and a roadmap for its future workforce strategy

Grosvenor developed a seven-phase methodology to identify:

• the spread and depth of the healthcare workforce (including number, type, scope of practice, expertise, location as well as availability and accessibility of health clinicians)
• challenges and their implications for the region’s health care workforce
• primary healthcare workforce trends (locally, nationally and internationally) and their key drivers
• how the NCPHN could efficiently and effectively capture, validate and maintain workforce data
• practical next steps and proposed activities that will support the development of NCPHN’s Workforce Strategy.

Key tasks in our methodology included:

• reviewing and examining existing data sets and repositories
• conducting a detailed literature and better practice review
• conducting a range of data collection activities, including workforce surveys and consultations
• analysing and visualising outcomes of data analysis activities, including development of dynamic heat maps using Tableau and preparation of accessible infographics
• developing a range of conclusions and practical recommendations to collect, maintain and make effective use from primary healthcare workforce data

Results

“Grosvenor’s team worked tirelessly to help NCPHN achieve our goals. As a result of the project we now have a map of the primary health care workforce on the New South Wales North Coast, and a clear road map for how we should undertake workforce planning into the future”

Grosvenor was able to work with the NCPHN over three months to produce:

• an accurate and complete profile of the primary healthcare workforce (see sample infographic produced from on
  e element of the workforce survey)
• insights into national trends in primary healthcare
• clarity of the challenges and opportunities impacting the North Coast region
• a practical workforce planning framework to sustain the outcomes of the project into the future.

NCPHN not only gained a better understanding of its primary health care workforce, but the project facilitated greater cooperation and enduring partnerships between local service providers, community members, academia and leading health bodies. These partnerships are the catalyst for future transfers of, and the development and delivery of, holistic workforce initiatives that meet the population’s health care needs.

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