Portland residents are being encouraged to contribute to the development of Portland District Health’s (PDH) new strategic plan.
The strategic planning engagement process started this week and local residents can complete an online survey, participate on a phone interview between September 19 and 30 and take part in face-to-face engagements on October 5 and 6.
PDH has employed strategic plan consultant Claire Edwards from TAG Health to lead the engagement process that will continue until October 7.
Ms Edwards said specific times and locations were being determined for the face-to-face consultations in Portland, which will provide opportunity for PDH staff and community members to engage in person, through meet ups and workshops.
“The face-to-face consultations will enable discussion on the findings from the survey and interview processes and contribute to recommendations for inclusion into the PDH strategic plan,” she said.
“We encourage your participation in assisting us to shape the future direction of your health service.”
Ms Edwards said strategic plan will aim to demonstrate how PDH will ensure it can meet the health needs of the communities it serves, the approaches it will develop with key partners to address the population health needs, and its contribution towards system-wide goals, including addressing specific performance and policy priorities set by the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments.
“To achieve these purposes, a health service’s strategic plans must demonstrate a clear understanding of internal capacity and capability, the health care needs of the population it serves, its role in the healthcare system (including its relationship to other health services and healthcare providers) and the policy and regulatory environment in which it operates,” she said.
Ms Edwards said a strategic plan is an important formal product of strategic planning. “However, strategic planning is a process,” she said. “The value of a strategic plan is also created by the decision-making it generates, the choices made through the process and the actions coming out of that process.
The community member survey can be accessed the QR code.
