ENVH9712 Environmental Health Policy, Management and Administration

This topic aims to introduce students to the principles and practices of management as they relate to Public and Environmental health. Special emphasis will be placed on the roles of the three tiers of government in managing the implementation of environmental health policy and programs. Students will gain an understanding of the organisational, structural and cultural frameworks within which EHOs operate to understand the practical realities of functioning successfully as a professional in this area. Students will gain an appreciation of the relevant policies being enacted through legislation as well as awareness of the depth and breadth of issues covered by this work.

This topic explores four main themes:

• Understanding organisations. This theme explores the features of organisations and organisational theory, institutions, government and the relationship between public and environmental health and the Australian health care system
• Organisational and team behaviour. This area explores concepts relating to behaviour at the individual, team and organisational levels. Specific areas examined are leadership, motivation and needs and human resources development
• Public sector management and administration. This theme introduces and discusses the basic concepts and trends associated with public sector management and administration, governance, reform, government and regulation, and intergovernmental relations
• Administrative practices in government public and environmental health services. This theme introduces students to policy development within modern capitalist states and policy making process, decision making, and planning concepts and processes applied at the strategic to individual levels

1. Describe the current paradigms in management
2. Understand the essential features of organisations and behaviours in organisations
3. Apply management strategies to decision making and policy development processes in environmental health
4. Understand the interactions between Local, State and Federal governments in managing environmental health and planning the delivery of services