(PDRSS) workforce census report 2012

The Victorian psychiatric
disability and rehabilitation
Heading
level 1 line
one
support services
(PDRSS)
workforce census
Subheading
level 1 report 2012
The Victorian psychiatric
disability and rehabilitation
support services (PDRSS)
workforce census report 2012
If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, please phone (03) 9096 5953 using
the National Relay Service 13 36 77 if required, or email <[email protected]>.
This document is available as a PDF on the internet at http://www.health.vic.gov.au/workforce/.
© Copyright, State of Victoria, Department of Health, 2014
This publication is copyright, no part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the
provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.
Authorised and published by Victorian Government, 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.
September 2014 (1308017)
ii
Contents
Introduction1
What are PDRSS?
3
Size and location of PDRSS organisations
3
Who are the PDRSS workforce?
3
Distribution of the workforce
4
Size of the workforce
5
Age and gender
5
Employment characteristics
6
Role and function
6
Background and experience
8
Strengths and identity of the PDRSS workforce
9
Committed to recovery
9
Values based and client focused
9
Working from a broad educational base
9
Types of qualifications
10
A stable and satisfied workforce
10
Supporting the workforce
11
Learning and development opportunities
11
Areas for future development
13
Formal qualification
13
Rural recruitment and retention
13
Time taken to fill vacancies
13
Recruitment challenges
14
An ageing rural workforce
14
Skills development
15
Agency-level training priorities
16
What are we doing to find out more?
17
Continuing partnerships with community-managed mental health services to increase participation 17
Refining the survey instruments
17
Refocusing our research effort as new issues come to hand
18
Appendix 1: Department of Health rural regions map
19
Appendix 2: Department of Health metropolitan regions map
19
Appendix 3: PDRSS Workforce Census 2012 – Worker survey tool
21
Appendix 4: PDRSS Workforce Census 2012 – Agency survey tool
33
iii
iv
Introduction
Every two years the Department of Health will conduct and release the findings of a workforce census
that will describe the composition and profile of Victoria’s mental health workforce. This will be done in
partnership with Victorian Government funded mental health service providers.
This report presents key findings from the 2012 workforce census for state-funded communitymanaged mental health services.
At the time the census was conducted, these services were known as Psychiatric Disability
Rehabilitation Support Services (PDRSS). Since 1 August 2014, these services are now referred to
as Mental Health Community Support Services (MHCSS). This document will continue to use the
acronym PDRSS, to reflect the language used during the survey period.
This is the first in the report series, which is made up of an individual worker census and an agencylevel census. The findings of the census presented in this report establish a baseline report that
captures information on the state-funded community-managed mental health services in Victoria for
the purpose of future comparison.
Answers were sought from department-funded community-managed mental health services on the
following overarching workforce questions:
• Who works in PDRSS in Victoria?
• How are workers distributed across locations and program types?
• What personal and professional qualities do they have to undertake their work?
• In what ways do their organisations recruit, retain, support and develop their workers?
For readers who want more detail on the data collection methodology, the data findings, we
recommend reading the PDRSS workforce census 2012 aggregate data report available on the
internet at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/workforce/
At a glance
A number of high-level themes emerged from an analysis of the PDRSS workforce census data,
including the following:
• The workforce is well-positioned for service redevelopment and practice improvement.
The findings characterise the PDRSS workforce as passionate about making a difference for
people with a mental illness and well-placed to continue building on the success and vibrancy
of Victorian community-managed mental health services.
• The workforce has high levels of satisfaction. Two-thirds of respondents are either very or
extremely satisfied with their current employment in PDRSS.
• PDRSS employees work from a broad educational base. Almost 80 per cent of the PDRSS
workforce has a formal qualification, with many having multiple qualifications across a range of
fields of study.
• PDRSS defines itself by its values. Over 50 per cent of agencies reported direct-care staff with
the right attitudes and values as an important employment requirement. More than half of all
respondents reported being attracted to work in PDRSS because of the values of communitymanaged mental health services or the agency.
• PDRSS workers and agencies are committed to recovery. The data portrays a workforce that
values recovery-related skills as being particularly important for working effectively in PDRSS.
1
• Organisations support their workforce to develop. The findings describe a service sector in
which a range of training opportunities are offered and where most agencies support their staff
to support access to learning and development opportunities by means of time release, financial
support or backfill.
Acknowledgements
On behalf of the Department of Health, we acknowledge the valuable contribution of members of
the Expert Advisory Group who guided this project.
2
Organisation
Name
Role
ARAFEMI Victoria Inc.
Frances Sanders
Executive Director
Doutta Galla Community Health
Gerard Reed
General Manager, Mental Health
and Health Promotion
Ermha Inc.
Christine Thornton
Director, Service Development Unit
Ermha Inc.
Samuel Crinall
Acting Director, Service Development
Inner South Community
Health Service
Belinda Bruno
Coordinator, Mental Health and PHaMS
Inner South Community
Health Service
Jessica Price
Program Manager, Mental Health and AOD
Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria
Stav Stathopoulos
Consultant, Accreditation,
Rehab Services, Projects
Mind Australia
Malena Stankovski
Manager, Learning and Development
Neami National
Matthew Colledan
Regional Manager
Neami National
Phil Watson
Service Manager
VICSERV
Naida Alic
Project Officer
VICSERV
Kim Koop
Chief Executive Officer
What are PDRSS?
PDRSS services refer to a range of psychiatric disability rehabilitation and support functions targeted
to people aged 16–64 years with a severe mental illness and psychiatric disability through a range
of services including housing support, home-based outreach, psychosocial/pre-vocational day
programs, residential rehabilitation, mutual support and self-help, respite care and prevention and
recovery care1 (PARC) services. These services support people to live successfully in the community
and form a core component of Victoria’s specialist mental health service system, complementing
clinical psychiatric treatment and care.
These services are delivered by a range of providers, including stand-alone mental health services,
community health services and community welfare services.
It is worth noting that in addition to Department of Health funding, many of these agencies also
provide services funded by other state and federal government departments.
Size and location of PDRSS organisations
Sixty-four2 organisations were invited to participate in the agency census. Of these, 62 organisations
provided a response. Organisations’ head offices provided a response on behalf of their service
delivery sites where appropriate.
These organisations vary in size, both in terms of PDRSS funding and number of program staff.
• 70 per cent of PDRSS agencies’ head offices are located in metropolitan Victoria.
• For one in 10 agencies, over 80 per cent of their total funding is PDRSS program funding.
• For over half of all PDRSS agencies, PDRSS program funding from the Victorian Government
accounts for less than 20 per cent of the agency’s total funding.Of these agencies, over twothirds have fewer than 10 PDRSS workers.
Who are the PDRSS workforce?
More than 1,300 workers provide PDRSS services across all service types in Victoria. The PDRSS
workforce is predominately made up of direct-care staff, accommodation and residential support,
outreach, and community development staff. Consumers and carers are also employed across the
specialist mental health system in a wide variety of roles. These roles focus on providing support to
consumers, their carers and families, as well as system improvement, consultancy and advocacy
work, education, training, and research.
The PDRSS workforce is led and supported by supervisors and managers within their organisations
with support from agency and statewide-level education and training activities.
1 Adult PARC services are managed by the health service through its area mental health service (AMHS). Currently the AMHS
forms a collaborative operational relationship with a PDRSS to deliver the required services to PARC clients. For this reason,
PARC were included in the PDRSS 2012 census.
2 Although there are more than 64 funded agencies that receive funding from the Victorian Department of Health under the
PDRSS budget, there are 64 that provide direct client services throughout Victoria. The remaining agencies provide a range
of sector support and advocacy, research and other non-client services and are out of scope for the workforce census. In
addition, there are 15 Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations receiving funds under the PDRSS budget that
were not asked to participate in the 2012 census.
3
Distribution of the workforce
While the agency census gave an accurate estimate of the total size of the PDRSS workforce,
the worker census only gave a representative sample. Figure 1 shows the distribution of the sample
relative to the reported staffing size and location of the employing agencies across Victoria.
Figure 1: Distribution of the workforce by Department of Health region 2012
15%
Southern Metropolitan
22%
37%
35%
North West Metropolitan
8%
Loddon Mallee
Hume
5%
Total workforce employed
by agencies, by agency location
3%
Grampians
Gippsland
6%
5%
7%
18%
15%
Eastern Metropolitan
Barwon-South Western
All respondents who reported
working in the region
6%
5%
8%
5%
(Maps of Department of Health rural and metropolitan regions
map are available in this report at appendices 1 and 2).
The workforce is not only variably distributed across geography but also across program types.
Figure 2 shows the distribution of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions across program types.
Figure 2: Distribution of PDRSS workforce FTE across program types (2012)
Other 10%
Supported
accommodation 2%
Respite 3%
PARC 5%
Home-based
outreach 38%
Residential
rehabilitation 11%
Mutual support
and self-help 9%
Day programs 22%
Almost 40 per cent of funded effort is directed to home-based outreach services (HBOS) and just
over 20 per cent to day programs as the largest PDRSS programs.
4
Size of the workforce
There are 1,328 workers who make up the Victorian government-funded PDRSS workforce in
Victoria. Overall, there are more workers than there are funded positions (FTE) in PDRSS. This means
that the average employment time fraction is about 0.8 FTE per worker.
The majority of the workforce is employed in the metropolitan area, with only 27 per cent of total
FTE being employed by PDRSS agencies located in rural Victoria (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Size of PDRSS workforce by FTE and headcount (2012)
Metro
285
285%
(27%)
788
(73%)
FTE
1,106
(83%)
Numbers of workers
Rural
222
(17%)
Age and gender
• 73 per cent of the workforce is female.
• The distribution of worker age across 10–year age groups varies in regard to gender.
• There is a higher proportion of females aged 20–29 compared with males but a lesser
proportion aged 30–39 (Figure 4).
• One in five rural workers is aged 55 years or older, compared with one in eight workers in
the metropolitan area.
• Male workers and rural workers are relatively older than their female and metropolitan
counterparts.
Figure 4: Age of PDRSS workforce by gender (2012)
28%
Male
26%
Female
22%
20%
20%
22%
23%
15%
6% 6%
20–29
30–39
40–49
50–59
60–70
8%
6%
No response
5
Employment characteristics
• 60 per cent of PDRSS workers are employed full time in their role.
• Three in four PDRSS workers are permanent employees.
• The average weekly working hours for part-time workers is 27 hours (equivalent to about 0.7 FTE).
• Eight per cent of part-time workers also have another job.
Role and function
While most respondents work across a number of program types in their agency, some are solely
dedicated to one program type (Figure 5).
Figure 5: Number of staff working across PDRSS program types (2012)
Aged intensive support
Special client packages
Carer support
Education and training
Care coordination
Planned respite
0
10
4
36
4
37
4
6
Residential rehabilitation
Mutual support and self-help
Psychosocial rehabilitation day programs
Home-based outreach support
6
Total number of respondents
working in this program
57
5
61
33
69
Prevention and recovery care
Supported accommodation
Number of respondents only
working in this program and none other
40
9
74
20
103
14
110
53
175
150
338
Regardless of the program respondents work in, collectively their time is spent on a broad range
of activities in a typical working week. Just over half of all reported effort is focused on client
services (Figure 6).
Figure 6: Time spent on an activity in a typical week by current position holders (2012)
Research
1%
Receiving and providing secondary consultation
3%
Case review
3%
Follow up and post care
4%
Health promotion
4%
Receiving and delivering professional development
5%
Care coordination
6%
Other organisational processes
6%
Care planning
7%
Intake and assessment
7%
Managing staff
9%
Receiving and providing supervision
9%
Administration
11%
Provision of care
24%
Figure 6 indicates that of the effort directed across all respondents approximately:
• one-quarter is directed to supporting clients across the care pathway
• one-quarter is directed to providing care
• one-quarter is directed to supporting and growing the PDRSS workforce
• one-tenth is directed to administrative duties.
7
Background and experience
PDRSS has a diverse workforce with a broad range of professional and personal qualities,
educational achievements and work experiences.
• One in six respondents described one of their main reasons for entering the PDRSS workforce as
having a lived experience of mental illness.
• Six per cent of respondents reported being employed in roles for which lived experience of mental
illness and recovery is a prerequisite.
• Around 20 per cent of respondents speak a language other than English.
• Around 60 per cent of respondents reported being in PDRSS for the first time.
For the remaining 46 per cent, respondents reported working in a variety of sectors immediately prior
to their current role (Figure 7).
Figure 7: Sector of employment prior to entering PDRSS (2012)
Not known 1%
Other 15%
Private 2%
Housing 5%
Disability 10%
Child protection 1%
Health sector 2%
Clinical mental health 6%
Employment 1%
Alcohol and other drug 3%
PDRSS 54%
8
Strengths and identity of the PDRSS workforce
Committed to recovery
When asked what competencies were most important to undertake their role most effectively, a
significant number of respondents nominated recovery and recovery-related skills very highly (Figure 8).
Figure 8: Important competencies as rated by workers (2012)
Explore with clients their
understanding of their
problems and strengths
Mental health relapse
and self-care
Developing recovery
plans with a client
Respondents who ranked
this in their top five most
important competencies
29%
7%
36%
Respondents who ranked
this as the overall most
important competency
4%
45%
25%
• For those who nominated recovery skills as being critical, one-third identified that they need
further training in this area.
• One-third of agencies nominated recovery-related learning and development as a priority over the
next three years for their workforce.
Values-based and client-focused
• Agencies actively seek to recruit people with particular values and attitudes and this is reflected in
respondents’ interest in PDRSS.
• Agencies reported looking for a wide range of professional and personal attributes when recruiting
to a vacant position. More than half of all agencies reported seeking direct-care staff with the
right attitudes and values as an important requirement. Agencies viewed this as being almost as
important for managers, with around 40 per cent of agencies looking for these qualities when
recruiting managers.
• Over half of all respondents reported being attracted to work in PDRSS because of the values of
community-managed mental health services or the agency.
Working from a broad educational base
Workers in the PDRSS workforce have a wide range of qualifications, with many of them being
specific to mental health practice and of relevance to PDRSS service provision (Figure 9).
• 80 per cent of the respondents have a formal qualification.
• Many have multiple qualifications across a range of fields of study.
• Bachelor degrees are the most common highest achieved qualification.
• One in 10 of those with a formal qualification have it at the master’s level.
• Over half of all formal qualifications are in the areas of human welfare studies and services,
and behavioural science.
9
Figure 9: Highest qualification reported by PDRSS workers (2012)
Associate degree 1.8%
Advanced diploma 1.8%
Certificate IV 7.4%
Graduate certificate 0.9%
PhD 0.7%
Certificate III 0.4%
Master’s
degree 8.6%
Bachelor’s degree 36.0%
Graduate
diploma 9.9%
Diploma 15.5%
Blank or none 16.9%
Types of qualifications
• Around 40 per cent of the workforce has a mental health specific qualification, for example,
Bachelor of Psychology, Bachelor of Mental Health Nursing or Certificate IV in Mental Health
Studies. For these workers, 40 per cent of these qualifications are at the Certificate IV level and
the rest at bachelor and diploma level.
• Certificate IV and diploma-level qualifications tend to be in human welfare studies and services,
and bachelor qualifications in behavioural science.
• Around 90 per cent of respondents feel their formal qualifications prepared them well for their
current role.
A stable and satisfied workforce
The PDRSS workforce report finding their work satisfying and show a strong intention to continue
working in PDRSS in the future (Figure 10).
• Two-thirds of the respondents are either very or extremely satisfied with their current employment
in PDRSS.
• Fewer than five per cent of respondents report they are more unsatisfied than satisfied with their
current employment and only one per cent (seven respondents) report being dissatisfied.
• These satisfaction levels remain reasonably consistent across ages, genders, locations and roles.
• Around 80 per cent of respondents indicated their intent to still be working in the delivery of
PDRSS in two years’ time. Of these, half do not intend to change their current role and onequarter hope they will have taken up a promotional opportunity by this time.
• While 14 per cent of respondents indicated intending to leave in the next two years, almost twothirds of them indicated they might return at a later date.
10
Figure 10: Intention to leave
Career intention
2012
Intention to stay 81%
Stay in current role 45%
Seek new role 8%
Current workforce sample
555 respondents
Intention to leave 14%
Decrease working hours 4%
No intention to return 5%
Increase working hours 4%
5% no response
Intention to possibly
return 9%
Seek promotion 20%
Other 1%
Supporting the workforce
• PDRSS employers provide support to the workforce in a number of ways to enhance their skill set
and retain them. To achieve this, agencies use a number of strategies:
– Around 80 per cent offer secondment into other roles.
– Three-quarters offer higher duties opportunities.
– The majority of agencies offer flexible work arrangements.
– Around 80 per cent offer attractive learning and development opportunities.
– Around 40 per cent offer promotion into senior roles or management.
• Around 40 per cent of agencies offer all five of these opportunities, and around 20 offer four of
them. A number of agencies also reported implementing wage-related and workplace culture
strategies to retain staff.
• In the 12-month period prior to the census, there was an 18 per cent turnover of staff in the
workforce. Just under one-third of agencies had no staff resign during that period.
• The most common reason cited by agencies for a staff departure was seeking career
opportunities in another program or PDRSS, with two-thirds of agencies reporting this. This was
four times more likely a reason than seeking increased remuneration, which was reported by
only one in six agencies. Retirement, study or family reasons were reported at similar rates to
remuneration.3
3 It is not clear whether the reasons cited by agencies relate to their understanding of the departure or from formal exit
interview data from outgoing staff.
11
Learning and development opportunities
The census showed that employers support the workforce to engage with ongoing learning
and development in a number of ways.
• All agencies offer a range of training opportunities. Training in diversity, suicide prevention,
evidence-based models and recovery and motivational interviewing were most commonly
reported within reasonable constraints.
• Most agencies provide time release and payment of enrolment fees to support access to
learning and development opportunities. Three-quarters also provide payment for travel and
accommodation. Backfill is the least often used method to support access to these opportunities,
with two-fifths of agencies using this.
• 17 per cent of respondents completed formal studies in the previous 12 months, the majority of
these while in paid employment.
• One in seven workers reported currently undertaking further studies. The agency data suggests
that the workplace is supporting this to some extent. Most of these are in human welfare studies
and services at the Certificate IV and diploma levels.
• Agencies reported not always being able to meet the professional development needs of the
workforce, with good reason. When considering a request to attend a learning and development
activity in the past 12 months, the main reasons for not approving a request were (in order
of frequency):
– The request is not part of the worker’s professional development plan.
– No budget to support the request.
– The worker has filled their allocated quota for the year.
– Demand pressures prevent the worker going offline.
12
Areas for future development
While there are many strengths to the PDRSS workforce, the PDRSS workforce census indicates
a number of areas that could benefit from further development.
Formal qualification
In the absence of departmental policy requiring a specialised minimal qualification for employment in
PDRSS, attainment of any formal qualification might be used as one possible proxy for educational
preparation for employment in PDRSS. With that in mind, 20 per cent of respondents did not report
having a formal qualification.
Rural recruitment and retention
Attracting and recruiting skilled and experienced staff with the necessary values is not always easy
for agencies, particularly in rural areas (Figure 11).
Time taken to fill vacancies
• The time required to fill a vacancy in rural agencies is far greater than for metropolitan agencies.
• While the likelihood that a position will be filled within four weeks is the same for rural and
metropolitan agencies, 60 per cent of positions are filled within 12 weeks in rural organisations,
whereas 70 per cent are filled in this timeframe in metropolitan areas.
• Rural agencies are twice as likely to require 13 weeks or more to fill a position.
Figure 11: Recruitment difficulties experienced by agencies (2012)
Applicants do not want to
work in this setting
13%
Rural
4%
31%
33%
Remuneration-related factors
44%
35%
Low number of applicants
Applicants' values not aligned with
those of the organisation
Metro
22%
No difficulties experienced
56%
17%
6%
67%
Applicants have no
relevant experience
Applicants have inadequate
training and education
56%
41%
50%
13
Recruitment challenges
• Rural agencies are only slightly more likely to cite candidates having inadequate training and
education as the reason for having difficulties replacing roles and functions than their metropolitan
counterparts. Rather, rural agencies are significantly more likely to report low numbers of
applicants as hindering recruitment outcomes in their settings.
• Rural agencies are half as likely to report not having recruitment difficulties as metropolitan
agencies. A third of rural agencies attribute recruitment difficulties to people not wanting to work
in rural settings.
• Despite these constraints, rural providers are less likely to cite applicants not fitting the organisation’s
values or not having relevant experience as contributing factors than metropolitan agencies.
• Agencies report that roles and functions related to managing clients with challenging behaviours,
working with complexity (dual diagnosis and dual disability clients) and building and maintaining
service partnerships were the most difficult to replace.
An ageing rural workforce
The composition of the workforce is not the same in rural and metropolitan areas in regard to age
and gender, which may have implications for workforce planning (Figure 12).
• The younger cohorts of 20–29 and 30–39 age groups are more prominent in the workforce in
metropolitan areas.
• There is a crossover at ages 40–49, after which time rural areas have a characteristically older
workforce than in metropolitan areas.
• This might suggest that the size of the workforce approaching retirement is disproportionate to
the size of the younger workforce entering to maintain supply.
Figure 12: Age and location of the PDRSS workforce (2012)
25%
Metro
27%
21%
23%
20%
Rural
23% 22%
12%
11%
7%
4%
20–29
14
30–39
40–49
50–59
60–70
6%
No response
Skills development
The PDRSS workforce census provided an opportunity to identify education and training priorities
over the next few years.
Rather than simply providing what areas they might like training in, respondents were asked to
nominate five competencies out of a list of 26 they thought were most important in undertaking their
current role effectively. Furthermore, they were asked whether they needed further training in their top
five chosen competencies. Table 1 shows the most frequently occurring responses in their top five
lists, in alphabetical order.
Table 1: Respondent competency ratings (in alphabetical order)
Responses
in top five
Needs
further
training
Building and maintaining service partnerships
16%
49%
Working with clients who have experienced trauma
18%
85%
Conducting needs assessments
14%
45%
Developing recovery plans with a client
45%
32%
Explore with clients their understanding of their problems and strengths
29%
36%
Identifying changes in mental health status
30%
46%
Managing client risk to self and others
21%
40%
Mental health relapse prevention and self-care
36%
53%
Working with clients with challenging behaviours
21%
71%
Working with clients who have experienced trauma
18%
85%
Competency
Interestingly, 30 per cent of respondents listed ‘identifying changes in mental health status’ as one
of their five essential competencies, and 45.5 per cent of them indicated they need further training
in this competency.
According to respondents, ‘Developing recovery plans with a client’ is the highest ranked
competency in undertaking work in PDRSS programs.
15
Agency-level training priorities
Agencies forecasted a range of learning and development priorities for their staff over the next three
years. Table 2 shows the top 10 across all agencies, in alphabetical order.
Table 2: Top 10 future staff training and development opportunities (in alphabetical order)
Competency
Developing recovery plans with clients
Managing client risk to self and others
Outcome measurement
Preparing for NDIS
Providing inter-agency service and care coordination
Working with culturally and linguistic and ATSI
Working effectively with clients who have experienced trauma
Working effectively with clients with challenging behaviours
Working with dual diagnosis and dual disability clients
Working with the consumer’s significant others
16
What are we doing to find out more?
The PDRSS workforce census was designed to enable both the Victorian Government and PDRSS
providers to get a more accurate picture of the size, distribution and makeup of the PDRSS
workforce as it evolves over time.
Continuing partnerships with community-managed mental health
services to increase participation
Throughout November and December 2012 the Department of Health conducted the PDRSS
workforce census in partnership with VICSERV (the peak body for PDRSS) and an expert advisory
group comprising representatives from PDRSS including Mind Australia, Mental Illness Fellowship of
Victoria, Neami National, Doutta Galla Community Health and Prahran Mission.
In partnership with the department, VICSERV guided the development of the 2012 PDRSS workforce
census, facilitated the collection of data, and advised on the analysis and design of the report.
The response rate from PDRSS was:
• Agency census: 62 out of 64 Victorian Government-funded agencies in scope for the project
submitted a response.
• Worker census: 555 individual worker surveys were received from a possible 1,328, giving
a participation rate of 42 per cent.
Ideally, as a census, the agency survey would have 100 per cent of agencies involved, whereas
the worker survey aims to be representative rather than comprehensive. In the future, the response
rate for workers could be increased to eliminate bias in the sample that saw over-representation of
managers and under-representation of part-time workers. Continuing to build on the partnership
approach is critical to obtain high-integrity, statistically reliable data through the data collection.
Refining the survey instruments
The 2012 workforce census comprised two questionnaires:
• The agency census was designed to collect information on the size and characteristics of the
PDRSS workforce, as well as general workforce issues and challenges.
• The worker census was designed to collect information on the characteristics, distribution
and qualifications of the PDRSS workforce, as well as other workforce indicators that impact
on PDRSS.
A number of technical issues need to be resolved to improve the analysis of the workforce data.
These issues include the following.
• Understanding the geographic distribution of the workforce. Agencies were asked to only
provide the postcode of the agency’s head office. This prevented an analysis of workers across
all work sites and in other regions, where an agency provides services in multiple regions. • Improved survey design to decrease the number of free text fields to assist analysis and
streamline the surveys for respondents.
• Greater ability to understand multiple roles held by respondents and greater clarity around
direct-care, management and capacity-building roles to assist analysis.
17
Refocusing our research effort as new issues come to hand
This PDRSS census has been designed to collect data against a set of workforce indicators that
provide a data time-series that can be analysed over time. In determining the relevant workforce
indicators for PDRSS, consideration has been given to possible data sources, for example, whether
information upon which the indicator could be based could easily be compiled by organisations
and reported in aggregate form and which ones were best suited for collection from their staff.
In the first instance, the questions in the PDRSS census have focused on delivering baseline
workforce data as a core dataset that will be collected every two years. In addition, at any given
time, there is the opportunity to request supplementary information from agencies and workers to
highlight specific workforce planning issues.
As a result, these findings have provided an opportunity to commence planning for the next
workforce census, as there are a number of areas where there is currently insufficient information
for meaningful analysis. The following is a list of priority areas for next workforce census.
• Volunteers: The finding from the agency survey confirmed that PDRSS have a significant
volunteer workforce. There was, however, a very low response to the worker survey by volunteers.
A more targeted approach to the next census will be required to maximise participation from the
volunteer workforce.
• Vocational and educational pathways: While the worker survey sought information regarding
career pathways into PDRSS, there was no specific request to ascertain the role of vocational and
educational pathways. Better identification of these pathways from education to employment is
required, particularly where student placements play a role. Some indication of whether there was
a career aspiration to work in PDRSS while in study would be useful, or identification of the point
at which a specific vocational pathway was commenced.
• Providing in-language services: It remains unclear whether people with language proficiency
in languages other than English are proficient enough to use that language effectively in service
delivery, or if indeed, they do use it.
• Lived experience: The census identified workers that were attracted to PDRSS as a result of
having had a lived experience. The findings indicated most of these respondents were employed
in positions where having a lived experience was not a prerequisite, although there were some
instances where having a lived experience was a prerequisite for the role. Understanding the
qualities, support and developmental needs of the consumer and carer workforce needs be a key
aspect of the next workforce census.
• Individual workers professional development priorities: The 2012 PDRSS census focused on
understanding two key areas of professional development for PDRSS:
– the agency-wide forecasted learning and development priorities for their staff over the next
three years (agency census)
– the worker training requirements related to the top five competencies workers rated as most
important in undertaking their role effectively.
Workers were not asked to identify their current and future individual learning and development
priorities overall. This will be a question for future surveys, as it will enable the department to track
progress against the implementation of the workforce framework and plan future priority areas for
implementation over the 10 years of the framework.
18
Appendix 1: Department of Health
rural regions map
LODDON MALLEE
REGION
HUME REGION
GRAMPIANS REGION
NORTH AND
WEST REGION
BARWON-SOUTH
WESTERN REGION
EASTERN
REGION
GIPPSLAND REGION
SOUTHERN
REGION
Appendix 2: Department of Health
metropolitan regions map
NORTH AND WEST REGION
EASTERN REGION
SOUTHERN REGION
19
20
Appendix 3: PDRSS Workforce Census 2012 –
Worker survey tool
21
22
Victorian Psychiatric Disability
Rehabilitation and Support
Service Worker Census 2012
November 2012
Dear colleagues
The Victorian Department of Health is conducting the Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service
(PDRSS) Worker Census in November 2012. The purpose of the census is to collect baseline PDRSS workforce data to
develop a profile of the PDRSS workforce funded by the Victorian Government. This will inform workforce development
activities at both the agency and statewide levels over the coming years.
The PDRSS Worker Census will:
• collect information on the key characteristics of the Victorian Government-funded PDRSS workforce
• identify workforce issues and challenges that impact on the PDRSS sector.
The 2012 collection will provide a benchmark for monitoring changes in the PDRSS workforce over time. The census will be
conducted every two years.
Partnership with VICSERV
The department has partnered with VICSERV, the peak body for the community-managed mental health services in Victoria,
to guide the development of the PDRSS census and to help collect data. VICSERV will collect responses, de-identify the
data and deliver the information to the department. This process will ensure the anonymity of your personal information
from the dataset.
Who should complete the census?
The 2012 PDRSS Worker Census targets the Victorian Government-funded PDRSS workforce, encompassing:
• PDRSS workers funded by the Victorian Government to deliver PDRSS services
• managers and/or supervisors of Victorian Government-funded PDRSS staff and programs.
Participation in the census is highly recommended, albeit voluntary. All information provided will be kept strictly confidential.
The PDRSS Worker Census will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. I understand that surveys can be time
consuming; however, you are encouraged to complete the census as accurately as possible. Your contribution is critical
to the department’s and the PDRSS sector’s capacity to identify and respond strategically to the needs of the Victorian
PDRSS workforce.
The census should be completed by 5 pm on Friday, 30 November 2012 and returned in hard copy or via email to:
Ms Naida Alic, Project Officer
VICSERV – Psychiatric, Disability Services of Victoria
PO Box 1117
Elsternwick VIC 3185
Tel: (03) 9519 7000 Fax: (03) 9519 7022
E: [email protected]
Where can I get more information?
Before completing the census, you may wish to consult the attached frequently asked questions (FAQ) document.
A copy of the FAQ is available at the VICSERV website at <www.vicserv.org.au> or on the department’s website at
<www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth>. Queries regarding this survey can also be directed to Naida Alic on (03) 9519 7000
or via email on <[email protected]>.
What will happen to the data?
Departmental staff will analyse the data and a report will be produced for distribution to PDRSS services in March 2013.
The report will also be available online at the Department of Health’s website. The department will continue to partner with
VICSERV and key sector informants to ensure the report will meet the sector’s needs for workforce planning as well as
the department’s.
The findings will be reported in an aggregate form to ensure that no single response is identifiable.
Your contribution to this project is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance.
Paul Smith
A/Executive Director
Mental Health, Drugs and Regions Division
Department of Health
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Worker Census 2012
24
Part 1: Demographic profile
1.Sex:
Male
2. Year of birth:
Female
………/………/………
3. Do you speak any language(s) other than English?
Yes
No
If yes, please specify the language
Part 2: Your PDRSS workplace
Part 2 collects specific information regarding the organisation in which you are currently working. If you work across multiple
PDRSS sites, please respond in relation to your main place of work.
4. What is the postcode of your main work site?
5. In which of the following program areas are you currently working? Please tick all that apply.
Program area
Program description
Please tick
appropriate box
Standard
Home-based outreach support
Moderate
Intensive
Psychosocial rehabilitation day programs
Planned respite – community
Planned respite
Planned respite – residential
Planned respite – in-home
Residential rehabilitation – adult
Adult
Youth
Individual support, referral and advocacy
Mutual support and self-help
Information development and dissemination
Volunteer coordination
Supported accommodation
24-hour support model
Non-24-hour support
Aged intensive support
Koori PDRSS
Special client packages
Care coordination
Education and training – PDRSS
PDRSS carer support
Prevention and recovery care (PARC)
Adult
Youth
Volunteer
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Worker Census 2012
25
Part 3: Your role
Part 3 collects information on your main PDRSS role. While it is often difficult to clearly articulate roles in only a few
questions, particularly if you work across a number of positions, please respond in a balanced way across your roles
to the following questions.
6. Describe the main activity you are engaged in as part of your current position.
A role with direct client contact
A capacity-building role, such as education and training, community development, research or health promotion
A management role, both organisational and practice
7. Please provide the percentage of your time that you spend on the following activities in a typical working week.
Functions
Percentage of time spent
Intake
Assessment
Care planning
Provision of treatment, support and care
Follow-up and post care
Receiving and providing secondary consultation
Care coordination, including referral
Case review
Providing supervision
Receiving supervision
Managing staff
Receiving professional development/training
Delivering professional development/training
Participating in research/clinical trials
Meetings, administrative duties and data entry
Health promotion and community development
Other organisational processes (such as quality, service planning or reporting)
Total
100%
8. Is having lived experience of mental illness and recovery a prerequisite for your employment?
Yes
No
Prefer not to identify
If yes, is your lived experience as a:
Carer or Consumer
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Worker Census 2012
26
9. Which of the following best describes your employment status in your current PDRSS role?
Ongoing Full time (38 hours per week)
Part time (less than 38 hours per week)
Fixed term
Full time (38 hours per week)
Part time (less than 38 hours per week)
Please specify the duration of your fixed-term contract
Casual
Other
(please specify)
If you have answered full time, go to Q12.
10. If you are not a full-time employee, how many hours per week are you currently employed to work?
hours
11. If you are not a full-time employee in your current PDRSS role, do you currently have any other
paid employment?
Yes No [Go to Q12]
i) Title (for example, case manager, disability services, Greenwood Community Health Services):
ii) Hours per week:
iii) Where is your other employment? [Tick only one]
Housing
Disability
Alcohol and other drugs
PDRSS
Clinical mental health
Child protection, family support, out-of-home care
Private practice
Other
(please specify)
12. Is providing PDRSS services in another language a prerequisite for your role?
Yes No [Go to Q13]
If yes, please specify the language
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Worker Census 2012
27
Part 4: Your PDRSS experience
Part 4 seeks to understand your experience of working in the PDRSS sector.
13. How long have you been employed in your current role?
years
months
14. Is this your first role working within the PDRSS sector?
Yes [Go to Q15] No
i) If not, how long have you been working in the PDRSS sector?
years
months
ii) What was your role immediately prior to your current PDRSS role?
Previous job title and program area (for example, case manager, disability services, Greenwood Community Health Services):
iii) In what sector was your prior role? [Tick only one]
Housing
Disability
Child protection
Health sector
Clinical mental health
Employment services
Alcohol and other drugs
PDRSS
Private sector
Other
(please specify)
15. Briefly describe your main reasons for entering the PDRSS workforce. [Tick all that apply]
I acquired qualifications to enable me to seek employment in the PDRSS sector
I was attracted by the values of the PDRSS sector or the agency
I have lived experience and wanted to be part of the mental health sector
I wanted a change from clinical mental health
I wanted a career change
Other
(please specify)
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Worker Census 2012
28
Part 5: Your qualifications
16. Please list all qualifications you have completed or are in the process of completing in the table below.
This includes university or TAFE qualifications obtained in Australia or overseas.
All qualifications should be listed regardless of their relevance to your work within the PDRSS sector.
Year obtained (if ‘in
progress, write ‘IP’)
Country obtained
1992
Australia
IP
Australia
Example: Master of Counselling
2010
New Zealand
Example: Diploma of Accounting
1981
Australia
Example: Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
2012
Australia
Qualification name
Example: Certificate IV in Mental Health
Example: Certificate IV Community Services Work
(Alcohol and Drugs / Mental Health)
17. Have your formal qualifications prepared you well for your current role?
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Worker Census 2012
Yes
No
29
Part 6: PDRSS skills self-assessment
18. Please use the list provided below to rank in order the top five competencies you think are important to you in
undertaking your current role most effectively, where 1 is ‘most important’. List your top five in either the top
or the bottom section or, if required, across both. For each of your nominated five competencies, please then
indicate in the adjacent column if you feel you need further training in these areas.
Competencies – client services
Rank 1–5
Do you need
further training?
Y or N
Developing recovery plans with a client
Yes
No
Identifying changes in physical health status
Yes
No
Identifying changes in mental health status
Yes
No
Providing peer support
Yes
No
Conducting needs assessments
Yes
No
Managing client risk to self and others
Yes
No
Facilitating/co-developing client advocacy
Yes
No
Vocational support
Yes
No
Providing social services support
Yes
No
Providing community referrals
Yes
No
Providing personal care support
Yes
No
Providing housing support
Yes
No
Mental health crisis work
Yes
No
Mental health relapse prevention and self-care
Yes
No
Working effectively with dual diagnosis clients
Yes
No
Working effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse clients
Yes
No
Working effectively with youth clients
Yes
No
Clients who have experienced trauma
Yes
No
Families/carers of clients
Yes
No
Working effectively with clients with challenging behaviours
Yes
No
Working effectively with dual disability clients
Yes
No
Working effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
Yes
No
Building and maintaining service partnerships
Yes
No
Providing inter-agency service and care coordination
Yes
No
Health promotion and community development
Yes
No
Explore with clients their understanding of their problems and strengths
Yes
No
Other (please specify)
Yes
No
Other (please specify)
Yes
No
Other (please specify)
Yes
No
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Worker Census 2012
30
Competencies – management
Rank 1–5
Do you need
further training?
Y or N
Working with multidisciplinary teams
Yes
No
Providing team leadership
Yes
No
Providing staff supervision
Yes
No
Developing policies/procedures/work manuals
Yes
No
Managing change
Yes
No
Managing staff performance
Yes
No
Conflict management
Yes
No
Organisational risk assessments
Yes
No
Other (please specify)
Yes
No
Other (please specify)
Yes
No
Other (please specify)
Yes
No
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Worker Census 2012
31
Part 7: Your satisfaction level with your current employment
19. How satisfied are you with your current employment in the PDRSS sector? [Tick only one]
Not at all satisfied
Slightly satisfied
Moderately satisfied
Very satisfied
Extremely satisfied
Part 8: Your future work plans
20. What do you plan to do in the next two years of your career in the PDRSS sector? [Tick only one]
Leave the sector with no intention to return
Leave the sector with a view to possibly returning at a later time
Continue working in my current role
Seek promotional opportunities within the sector
Move horizontally into another PDRSS role
Increase my working hours
Decrease my working hours
Other
(please specify)
Survey end
Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your cooperation and assistance. Please send your completed survey by 5 pm on Friday,
30 November 2012 in hard copy or via email to:
Naida Alic – Project Officer
VICSERV – Psychiatric, Disability Services of Victoria
PO Box 1117
Elsternwick VIC 3185
Email: [email protected]
Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 50 Lonsdale St, Melbourne.
© Copyright, State of Victoria, Department of Health 2012
November 2012 (1210018)
32
Appendix 4: PDRSS Workforce Census 2012 –
Agency survey tool
33
34
Victorian Psychiatric Disability
Rehabilitation and Support
Service Agency Census 2012
November 2012
Dear colleagues
The Victorian Department of Health is conducting the Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service
(PDRSS) Agency Workforce Census in November 2012. The purpose of the Victorian PDRSS Agency Census is to collect
baseline PDRSS workforce data to develop a profile of the PDRSS workforce funded by the Victorian Government. This will
inform workforce development activities at both the agency and statewide levels over the coming years.
The PDRSS Agency Census will:
• collect information on the key characteristics of the Victorian Government-funded PDRSS workforce
• identify workforce issues and challenges that impact on the PDRSS sector.
The 2012 collection will provide a benchmark for monitoring changes in the PDRSS workforce over time. The census will be
conducted every two years.
Partnership with VICSERV
The Department of Health has partnered with VICSERV, the peak body for the community-managed mental health services
in Victoria, to guide the development of this census and help collect data. VICSERV will collect responses from your agency,
de-identify the data and deliver the information to the department.
What information is required for this census?
The focus of this census is to collect baseline data regarding positions that are employed within your agency to deliver
Victorian Government-funded PDRSS services. Please refer to the Victorian Government activity codes on page 3 of this
document to assist in completing the survey.
Who should complete the census?
The 2012 PDRSS Agency Census targets Victorian PDRSS service providers and should be completed by your agency’s
CEO, general manager or human resources manager. If your agency has multiple sites across Victoria, only one survey
needs to be completed that encompasses all these service sites (please refer to the instructions inside this document).
Participation in the census is highly recommended, albeit voluntary. All information provided will be kept strictly confidential.
The PDRSS Agency Census will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. This may be longer if your agency has multiple
sites. I understand that surveys can be time consuming; however, you are encouraged to complete the census as accurately
as possible. Your contribution is critical to the department’s and the PDRSS sector’s capacity to identify and respond
strategically to the needs of the Victorian PDRSS workforce.
Key dates for the PDRSS Agency Census 2012
The closing date for the Agency Census is 21 November. If you need more time to complete the census, please contact
Naida Alic at VICSERV on (03) 9519 7000 or Randolfo Obregon at the Department of Health on (03) 9096 5631 to discuss.
How to complete the census
Please complete the PDRSS Agency Census by using your agency’s last complete payroll period as a reference point to
calculate EFT and headcount. The census should be completed by 5 pm on Wednesday 21 November 2012 and returned
in hard copy or via email to:
Ms Naida Alic, Project Officer
VICSERV – Psychiatric, Disability Services of Victoria
PO Box 1117
Elsternwick VIC 3185
Tel: (03) 9519 7000 Fax: (03) 9519 7022
E: [email protected]
Where can I get more information?
Before completing the census, you may wish to consult the attached frequently asked questions (FAQ) document.
A copy of the FAQ is available at the VICSERV website at <www.vicserv.org.au> or on the department’s website
at <www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth>. Queries regarding this survey can also be directed to Naida Alic on
(03) 9519 7000 or via email on <[email protected]>.
What will happen to the data?
Departmental staff will analyse the data and a report will be produced for distribution to PDRSS services in March 2013.
The report will also be available online at the department’s website. The department will continue to partner with VICSERV
and key sector informants to ensure the report meets the sector’s needs for workforce planning as well as the department’s.
The findings will be reported in an aggregate form to ensure that no single response is identifiable.
Information about the upcoming PDRSS Worker Census
The PDRSS Agency Census complements a PDRSS Worker Census to be rolled out in November 2012. The PDRSS Worker
Census aims to collect information on the characteristics, distribution and qualifications of the Victorian Government-funded
PDRSS workforce, as well as workforce issues that impact on the PDRSS sector. The PDRSS Worker Census will be
completed by individual workers, not by the agency itself.
The PDRSS Worker Census will target individual Victorian Government-funded PDRSS workers who deliver PDRSS services,
including managers and supervisors of PDRSS staff and programs. Your support in encouraging all staff to participate in the
PDRSS Worker Census would greatly benefit the project.
Your contribution to this project is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance.
Paul Smith
A/Executive Director
Mental Health, Drugs and Regions Division
Department of Health
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Agency Census 2012
36
Key definitions
PDRSS workforce
Positions that are employed to deliver services funded by the Victorian Government.
Please refer to the list of Victorian Government-funded activities below.
Management and support roles
Positions that support service delivery staff.
Available FTE
Total existing filled or unfilled full-time equivalent (FTE) paid roles within the agency
at the time of completing the census. Please include any staff on your payroll who
are on leave during the last complete payroll period.
Headcount
Total number of existing filled or unfilled positions (full time, part time, casual
and volunteer) within your agency during the last complete payroll period.
Victorian Government
PDRSS activity codes and descriptors
15061
Care Coordination
15062
Home Based Outreach Support – Standard
15063
Home Based Outreach Support – Moderate
15064
Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Programs – Drop In
15065
Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Programs – Standard Integrated
15066
Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Programs – Statewide and Specialist
15067
Planned Respite – In Home
15068
Planned Respite – Community
15069
Planned Respite – Residential
15074
Training – PDRSS
15075
PDRSS Carer Support
15077
Residential Rehabilitation Support
15078
Residential Rehabilitation – 24 hour
15079
Residential Rehabilitation – Non-24 hour
15082
Aged Intensive Support
15083
Koori PDRSS
15087
Supported Accommodation
15090
Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Programs – High Cost Integrated
15092
MSSH Individual Support Referral and Advocacy
15093
MSSH Information Development and Dissemination
15094
MSSH Groups Support
15095
MSSH Groups Education and Training
15096
MSSH Volunteer Coordination
15097
Supported Accommodation – 24-hour Support Model
15098
Supported Accommodation – Non-24 hour Support
15451
Home Based Outreach Support – Intensive
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Agency Census 2012
37
Part 1: Agency profile
If your agency has multiple sites across Victoria, a combined survey should be completed for all sites associated with
delivering PDRSS activities funded by the Victorian Government. Please complete the PDRSS Agency Census by using
your agency’s last complete payroll period as a reference point.
1. Agency name
2. Postcode of the agency’s head office
3. What is the total Victorian Government-funded PDRSS budget for your agency for the 2012­–13 financial year?
$
4. What is the total agency-wide budget for the 2012–13 financial year?
$
5. Person responsible for completing this form:
Name:
Title: Other
CEO
General Manager
Human Resources Manager
(please specify)
Contact phone number:
Email:
6. CEO sign off
Name:
Title: Other
CEO
(please specify)
Contact phone number:
Email:
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Agency Census 2012
38
Part 2: Staff profile
7. Please provide the details of all Victorian Government-funded PDRSS staff (headcount) and FTE for your
agency’s last complete payroll period. In the column titled ‘Headcount’, please specify the number of individual
workers who undertake activities against each funding code. Where workers are deployed across multiple
activity codes, please also count that same individual against any other relevant funding codes. The total
headcount may exceed the actual number of staff you employ. In the FTE column, please specify the total FTE
for each activity code, regardless of the number of individuals who deliver activity against it.
Victorian Government – PDRSS activity codes and descriptors
15061
Care Coordination
15062
Home Based Outreach Support – Standard
15063
Home Based Outreach Support – Moderate
15064
Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Programs – Drop In
15065
Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Programs – Standard Integrated
15066
Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Programs – Statewide and Specialist
15067
Planned Respite – In Home
15068
Planned Respite – Community
15069
Planned Respite – Residential
15074
Training – PDRSS
15075
PDRSS Carer Support
15077
Residential Rehabilitation Support
15078
Residential Rehabilitation – 24 hour
15079
Residential Rehabilitation – Non-24 hour
15082
Aged Intensive Support
15083
Koori PDRSS
15087
Supported Accommodation
15090
Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Programs – High Cost Integrated
15092
MSSH Individual Support Referral and Advocacy
15093
MSSH Information Development and Dissemination
15094
MSSH Groups Support
15095
MSSH Groups Education and Training
15096
MSSH Volunteer Coordination
15097
Supported Accommodation – 24-hour Support Model
15098
Supported Accommodation – Non-24-hour Support
15451
Home Based Outreach Support – Intensive
n/a
Prevention and Recovery Care (PARC)
n/a
Volunteer
n/a
Manager
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Agency Census 2012
Headcount
FTE
39
8. What is the total number of workers employed against all activities in Question 7? That is, how many unique
individuals are employed to deliver Victorian Government-funded PDRSS activity, regardless of whether they
are counted several times in Question 7?
A total of
workers.
9. Please provide the proportion of Victorian Government-funded PDRSS staff for your agency’s last complete
payroll period who are:
Employment type
Percentage
Permanent full time
%
Permanent part time
%
Fixed term/contractor
%
Employed on a casual basis
%
Total
10. What proportion of the Victorian Government-funded PDRSS workforce is female?
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Agency Census 2012
100%
%
40
Part 3: Recruitment of staff
11. What methods does your organisation use to recruit new staff members? [Tick all that apply]
Advertising
Employment agencies
Networking
Graduate programs
Secondment
Other
(please specify)
12. What are the top five personal and professional attributes that your agency looks for when recruiting to a vacant
position? (Prompt: these may include, for example, particular skills, values, experiences or qualifications).
i) PDRSS worker positions
1
2
3
4
5
ii) PDRSS manager positions
1
2
3
4
5
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Agency Census 2012
41
13. What roles and functions within your program does your agency find most difficult to replace when staff leave?
Please rate the top five over the past 12 months.
Skill set
Please number
1–5 in order of
difficulty, where 1
is ‘most difficult’
Developing recovery plans with a client
Identifying changes in physical health status
Identifying changes in mental health status
Facilitating/co-developing client advocacy
Vocational support
Providing housing support
Mental health crisis work
Mental health relapse prevention and self-care
Working with dual diagnosis clients
Working with culturally and linguistically diverse clients
Working with youth clients
Working with families/carers of clients
Managing clients with challenging behaviours
Working with dual disability clients
Cultural competence
Building and maintaining service partnerships
Care coordination
Staff management
Team leadership
Staff supervision
Conflict management
Risk management
Other:
Other:
Other:
Other:
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Agency Census 2012
42
14. What are the top three factors that prevent your agency from achieving your desired recruitment outcomes
[Tick three]
Applicants have inadequate training and education
Applicants do not have enough relevant experience
Applicants are not strongly aligned with the organisation’s values
Low numbers of applicants
Preferred candidates do not accept the offer due to remuneration
Applicants do not want to work in regional/rural locations
The agency does not experience any difficulties
Other
(please specify)
15. What is the number of current vacancies for Victorian Government-funded PDRSS positions in headcount for
your agency’s last complete payroll period, and how many FTE do these vacancies represent?
Headcount
FTE
16. What was the average time taken to fill vacancies over the past 12 months?
1–4 weeks
5–12 weeks
More than 13 weeks
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Agency Census 2012
43
Part 4: Professional development of current staff
17. What does your agency forecast as the top five learning and development priorities for Victorian Governmentfunded PDRSS staff over the next three years?
1
2
3
4
5
18. What internal learning and development offerings does your agency provide to further develop the PDRSS
workforce? Please list below.
1
2
3
4
5
19. How else does your agency meet the learning and development requirements of Victorian Government-funded
PDRSS staff? Please tick all relevant below.
Providing backfill
Time release for professional development entitlements
Payment of enrolment fees for external training or other professional development
Payment of travel and accommodation
Other
(please specify)
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Agency Census 2012
44
20. Over the past 12 months, has your agency had cause to decline staff requests to attend learning
and development activities?
No [Go to Q21]
Yes [Please use the list below to allocate a percentage figure (0–100%) to each reason for declining]
Reason
%
The requested learning and development activity is not part of the staff member’s professional
development plan
The agency does not have budget to support staff with the requested learning and development activity
The agency cannot afford to have staff off-line due to demand pressures
The staff member has filled the agency’s allocated professional development quota for the year
Other
Other
Total
Victorian Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service Agency Census 2012
100%
45
Part 5: Retention and turnover of staff
21. What methods does your organisation use to retain staff?
Secondment into other roles
Higher duties opportunities
Flexible work arrangements
Attractive learning and development opportunities
Promotion into senior roles or management
Other
(please specify)
22. Over the past 12 months, how many departures have you had from Victorian Government-funded PDRSS
positions in headcount, and how many FTE do these departures represent?
Headcount
FTE
23. For staff who resign from your agency, please list the three most common destinations (for example, retiring,
opportunities in another program or sector, parenting responsibilities, returning to study).
1
2
3
24. Finally, do you have any other feedback that is relevant to better understanding the profile of or issues faced
by the PDRSS workforce in Victoria?
Survey end
Thank you for your time.
IMPORTANT: Please ensure the agency CEO approves the release of this information before it is submitted.
Refer to Part 1: Agency profile (page 4 of this document) for CEO sign off.
Please send your completed survey by 5 pm on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 in hard copy or via email to:
Naida Alic – Project Officer
VICSERV – Psychiatric, Disability Services of Victoria
PO Box 1117
Elsternwick VIC 3185
Email: [email protected]
Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 50 Lonsdale St, Melbourne.
© Copyright, State of Victoria, Department of Health 2012
November 2012 (1210018)
46