The World Health Organization estimates a shortage of 18 million health workers by 2030, leading to poorer health outcomes and health worker well-being – a deadly serious issue for health and development worldwide.
The reasons are complex. A prevailing reason, however, is the poor quality of healthcare work environments that are undermining health service delivery and driving health professionals away from their caregiving role and country.
Positive Practice Environments – health care settings that support excellence and decent work conditions – have the power to attract and retain staff, provide quality patient care and strengthen the health sector as a whole. That’s why we are urging health professionals, managers, governments, policy and decision-makers, and community leaders, to Stand Up For Positive Practice Environments.
On 6 November 2020 the WHPA supported by the International Hospital Federation (IHF) hosted a webinar to launch the Stand Up for Positive Practice Environments campaign. The CEOs of the 5 WHPA members talk about the importance of providing supportive workplaces and conditions for our front line professionals. Darren Brown, a Physiotherapist with Long COVID also shares his experience and urges health professionals to rest, recover and pace themselves. Watch the recording.
Read the campaign booklet which provides detailed guidance on how you can use the different tools to make a difference.
This campaign booklet explains the campaign and toolkit so that health employers, managers and professionals are able to use the materials. Communication is encouraged between managers and staff at health facilities to help galvanize action at a local level.
This booklet explains the campaign and toolkit to national associations of health professionals to provide the materials to empowered activation of the campaign at a local level. Suggestions are provided on how to use the campaign to mobilise members, the media and governments.
The materials are organized into a simple framework for ease of understanding and use.
Too many countries have desperate shortages of health professionals, leaving people with no access to health care.
There are key elements in the workplace that have a direct positive impact on health outcomes and health worker well-being.
Incentive systems are an important means of attracting, retaining, motivating, satisfying and improving the performance of employees.
Health professionals need health care information to feel empowered, build professional self-worth, learn, diagnose, educate the public and patients, and to save lives.
Individuals can make a difference locally by assessing the quality of their practice environments, identifying any deficiencies and developing strategies to address priority gaps.
Raise awareness of the campaign and drive it forward using these additional tools.
Share your positive action and case studies with us so we can use our global platform to inspire others.
©2019 World Health Professions Alliance