South Western Sydney
Area Health Service
West Committee of Review of Higher Education
Ken Brown
Dear Secretary
Re : West Committee of Review of Higher Education
South Western Sydney Area Health Service (S.W.S.A.H.S.) wishes to make a submission to the abovementioned Committee, particularly in support of the University of Western Sydney for its continued expansion as the major tertiary institution serving the Greater West of Sydney and beyond.
S.W.S.A.H.S. is an organisation established in terms of the Area Health Services Act, 1986 and is responsible, in terms of that legislation, broadly, for the health status of some 3/4's of a million persons who live in seven (7) Local Government Authorities, listed hereunder :
We employ more than 7000 staff (around 6,100 full time equivalent staff), and have been recognised by the State Government as being the most under-resourced part of New South Wales. There are grounds for optimism that the State Government over the next 2-3 years will progressively provide extra funding to S.W.S.A.H.S. to reduce/eliminate the present inequity.
The net effect of this will mean something like 1000 extra staff will be employed within a time frame of three (3) years, with the majority of them requiring tertiary qualifications (medical, nursing & allied health) for appointment.
Certainly, we have looked to the University of Western Sydney as the main educator of persons who graduate for employment by S.W.S.A.H.S. in nursing and some allied health positions.
The close links formed between the U.W.S. and S.W.S.A.H.S. have meant that graduates are culturally aware of the community which comprises the South West of Sydney - that community is diverse, with a very high population of persons from N.E.S.B. backgrounds, as well as a significant number of aboriginals.
As a very large employer of staff, S.W.S.A.H.S. can speak with pride about how there has been a genuine, professional and practical linkage with the U.W.S. to the mutual benefit of both organisations. To a large extent, it is an excellent example of a tertiary institution working with a large employer to meet common needs.
S.W.S.A.H.S. has been particularly impressed with the enthusiasm and academic competence of the tutorial staff obtained by U.W.S.
We have a growing population in South Western Sydney, and a growing workforce. South Western Sydney already has much social disadvantage, but having a prestigious University in the Greater West has been of enormous importance in being able to minimise that disadvantage, and of engendering community and individual pride. In the relative short time since its establishment, U.W.S. has filled a huge void and made educational opportunity more accessible and appropriate to the needs of South Western Sydney.
S.W.S.A.H.S. is totally committed to and supportive of the U.W.S., and would not only wish to see its activities preserved, but enhanced to meet the needs of our growing population.
I enclose by way of appendices, further comments in respect of the main themes of the review. Comments have been confined primarily to a perspective of S.W.S.A.H.S..
Yours sincerely
Ken Brown
Chief Executive Officer
South Western Sydney Area Health Service
Theme 1 : The Role of Higher Education in Australia’s Society and Economy
Comment
a) U.W.S. is a large employer of staff, in a part of Australia which has some of the highest rates of unemployment. From a social viewpoint, it would be disastrous if the role of the U.W.S. was diminished.
b) 80% of the workforce of S.W.S.A.H.S. is female, and it is likely that this percentage will remain high in the future. Health Services are seen as giving females good career opportunities, not available in all other services.
Theme 2 : Factors Affecting the Demand for and Provision of Higher Education over the next ten to twenty years.
Comment
The ageing of the population will put enormous pressures on health services. As a broad principle, it costs about four(4) times as much to treat persons over the age of sixty-five years (65), than those under that age.
In Australia, around about 8.5% of the G.D.P. is spent on health, but it is predicted that proportion will increase over the next twenty (20) years, as will be the case in other developed countries. Thus tertiary institutions will have growing demands to produce, in particular, more nursing and allied health staff.
Theme 3 : Regulatory and Administrative Framework for Higher Education.
Comment
The close links between U.W.S. and S.W.S.A.H.S. should be continued and enhanced. Some staff of S.W.S.A.H.S. have academic appointments (of various natures) with U.W.S. and this has been helpful in getting better accountability and in ensuring that the "product" produced is meeting the needs of, in this case, a major employer.
The utilisation of staff of S.W.S.A.H.S. to provide tutorial assistance to the U.W.S. has assisted in removing the isolation that is often seen of universities in other places. This partnership arrangement with industry is considered vital to keep education provided as being relevant and in conformity to the needs of the community.
Theme 4 : Financing Higher Education Teaching and Research Training.
Comment
The "health system" already subsidises "education" provided by the tertiary institutions, in respect of health practitioners, at both under and post graduate level. The present arrangement has evolved, with no clear principles applying.
It would be helpful for the Committee to make recommendations about the bases for the future funding by "education"and "health".
In S.W.S.A.H.S., very limited funding was provided by "education"to meet costs of employment by the Area Health Service/Universities of academic staff. This places S.W.S.A.H.S. at a considerable disadvantage compared with better resourced, and more established Area Health Services, which have a higher proportion of academic staff whose costs are borne by the respective universities. S.W.S.A.H.S. has academic links with both U.W.S. and University of New South Wales.
Theme 5 : Funding of higher education research.
Comment
The need for collaborative research efforts (and funding) between the U.W.S. and S.W.S.A.H.S. cannot be overstated.
In South Western Sydney, much important research has been undertaken to improve nursing practices, - which include obtaining better understanding of needs of persons from N.E.S.B., and of developing evidence based procedures/practices.
In view of the changing nature of health services, it is essential for research funding to be provided, and research to be encouraged. Such funding, in many cases, should be provided jointly by the U.W.S. and, in our particular case, S.W.S.A.H.S.