Postgraduate Diploma in Community and General Paediatrics

Purpose

The Postgraduate Diploma: Community and General Paediatrics aims to strengthen child health services and programmes and improve the health outcomes for children by providing child health practitioners (viz. paediatricians and medical officers) with the relevant knowledge and skills in community and general paediatrics. The Programme will:

• Deepen knowledge, understanding and skills in community and general paediatrics of paediatricians working at the secondary level.
• Deepen knowledge, understanding and skills of medical officers working in child health at the primary and secondary levels of care.
• Contribute to the knowledge base of a future sub-specialty in community and general paediatrics.

The aim of the Postgraduate Diploma: Community and General Paediatrics is to develop learners who demonstrate

• A critical understanding and knowledge of concepts relating to child public health.
• Understanding and the ability to apply basic statistical concepts.
• Knowledge, understanding and the ability to implement evidence-based practice and health promotion concepts.
• Knowledge, understanding and the ability to implement priority child health interventions.
• Knowledge and interpretation of child health policy.
• Knowledge and skills in advocating for children.
• Understanding and skills in health management.
• Knowledge and understanding of the key principles relating to team work and effective leadership.
• Effective communication skills.
• Understanding of adult education principles and facilitation skills.

Rationale

In South Africa, under-five year old mortality, which is mainly the result of commonly preventable childhood conditions, is increasing. The main ways in which deaths of children under five years of age can be reduced is by strengthening the health system to provide quality child health care, and to address inequities in the health system, especially at the primary and secondary (regional) levels of care. Current training for paediatric registrars and medical students does not fully equip them to function optimally as child health specialists and generalists at the primary and secondary levels of care. In addition to clinical excellence, public health skills are needed, as was found in a recent survey of general paediatricians working at secondary hospitals in the country. These include knowledge and skills in: managing common child health problems and chronic illness; implementing child health policy and programmes and health systems management. Based on these findings, the need arises for education and skills' development in child public health that will bridge the gap and address these training needs.

It is envisaged that the Postgraduate Diploma: Community and General Paediatrics would be designed to respond to the needs of general paediatricians and medical officers who, as clinicians, work in public sector secondary hospitals and also take responsibility for health service co-ordination and delivery in a geographically defined community. The Programme will be designed to support and strengthen National and Provincial plans for the devolution of health services to the primary and secondary levels of care. If specialist services are to be devolved to the secondary level, they are closer to communities and can be rendered in a more cost-effective way. The Programme would therefore be consistent with these provincial plans. It would also contribute to improving knowledge and skills and building the capacity of other health care providers, especially Primary Health Care (PHC) nurses; and ensure that health needs are met at all levels of care.

• Undergraduate medical training.
• Specialist training in paediatrics or a minimum of 2 years of clinical practice in paediatrics and child health at primary and secondary level.

Recognition of Prior Learning

The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can be used where applicable to grant

• Access to the qualification for those who do not meet the minimum admission requirements, but who may qualify for admission.
• Credits towards the achievement of the qualification.

Recognition of Prior Learning is subject to University policy.

Access to the Qualification

The admission requirements for the Post Graduate Diploma: Community and General Paediatrics are

• A recognised Undergraduate Medical Degree from this University or another university recognised by the Senate for this purpose.
• Current registration as a Medical Practitioner with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

The Postgraduate Diploma: Community and General Paediatrics consists of

- Seven compulsory modules at NQF Level 8, totalling 90 credits

> Epidemiology, 14 credits.

> Biostatistics, 12 credits.

> Organisation and Management in Child Healthcare, 14 credits.

> Child Health Promotion Policies and Programmes, 14 credits.

> Optimising Clinical Care for Long-term Conditions, 16 credits.

> Advocacy in Child Health, 10 credits.

> Communication, Education and Training, 10 credits.

- One optional module at NQF Level 8 to be chosen from the following two modules

> Health Information Systems, 10 credits.

> Leadership and Management for Clinicians, 10 credits.

• Compulsory Workplace Experiential Learning; the duration of which will be determined by the University, 30 credits.

Total credits: 130.

1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and critical understanding of the epidemiological concepts that are applicable to child public health.
2. Analyse and apply statistical concepts to population-based data using appropriate software.
3. Understand and apply the concepts of evidence-based practice within the child health context.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of health promotion approaches and apply and monitor them within the child health context.
5. Make significant contributions to team efforts in planning and implementing child health interventions.
6. Show an understanding of the current child health policies and legislation.
7. Communicate verbally and in writing within the health system.
8. Identify, collect and critically evaluate essential health information in order to plan and improve child health services and programmes.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

The qualification offers the opportunity to develop all the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes.

The following Assessment Criteria are applied in an integrated manner to determine competence against the Exit Level Outcomes:

1. Apply epidemiology to disease causation, prevention and treatment.
2. Show understanding and knowledge of the organisation of child health services, programmes and support systems.

• Range: Child health priorities with the district health system, decentralisation in the district health system, inter-sectoral links and referral systems.

1. Manage child health care services and programmes at primary and secondary levels of care.

• Range: Resource allocation and management, financial planning, budgeting and basic accounting.

1. Carry out health systems research and audits at district and regional level.
2. Interpret and apply statistical concepts to published research and present data in an appropriate format.
3. Critically evaluate current child care policies and legislation.
4. Critically analyse health promotion approaches and strategies and their links to child health programmes implemented at district and regional level.
5. Understand priority morbidity and mortality conditions that affect populations of children.
6. Understand the development of childcare guidelines and their implementation when managing children with long-term health conditions.

• Range: Child abuse, disability, HIV/AIDS and malnutrition.

1. Apply clinical guidelines, policies and programmes in both a clinical and a public health care context.
2. Understand the facilitating factors and barriers to implementing interventions aimed at improving the status child health care.
3. Understand the main aspects relating to children's rights.
4. Understand and apply the ethical principles and legislation guiding the provision of child health care.
5. Interpret and use data to improve health service.
6. Present, write and publish health information relevant to own work.
7. Understand the principles of adult education and its application to in-service health workers in child health as well as the facilitation of educational initiatives.
8. Understand core management functions and leadership, team work and mentoring.
9. Understand the issues relating to organisational culture and change management.

Integrated Assessment

Each course assignment will be an opportunity for learners to synthesise learning objectives and concepts covered in the course modules in response to a health issue. Course assignments will be weighted and contribute to overall assessment.

Each module will include an assessment to gauge progress, understanding and application of the concepts of the programme and specifically to identify at-risk learners. The overall pass mark will be 50%. Internal moderation of assignments will be based on a grading system and overseen by the convenors. External moderators will be appointed with each cycle.