Illawarra Health managers graduate from special course

Jul 14, 2004

Twenty Illawarra Health staff received Graduate Certificates of Management at the University of Wollongong graduation ceremony today (July 14), marking the successful culmination of the first stage of an important strategic partnership between the two organisations.

UOW's Faculties of Commerce and Health and Behavioural Sciences combined to construct a course specifically designed to provide Illawarra Health managers and aspiring managers with practical skills and knowledge to enhance their roles in health care management.

The students had been studying part-time for the past year, combining study for four subjects with their work at Illawarra Health. As they graduated, another group of 24 Illawarra Health employees started the course this week. A third group is scheduled to undertake the course next year.

Illawarra Health Chief Executive Officer Dr Liz Gale said the course had been an unequivocal success. "The staff who went through the course have really benefited, and have built up strong managerial links," she said, adding that the course was also an example of how Illawarra Health valued its staff and wanted them to develop professionally.

Illawarra Health's Director, Health Services Development, Tineke Robinson said the course had been a productive collaboration between the organisation and the University.

"We came with an agenda in that we knew what we wanted our managers to be educated about," Mrs Robinson said. "We were impressed with the University's ability to be innovative and meet our needs. The staff came back with fresh and innovative ideas."

UOW's Dean of the Faculty of Commerce Professor John Glynn said the course built on a long relationship between the University and Illawarra Health.

"We were approached to meet an agenda to help (Illawarra Health) staff move into management positions," Professor Glynn said. "They were from a whole range of disciplines themselves . but were really eager to work together as a group, networking and analysing problems as a team."

UOW's Graduate School of Business and Personal Development Business Development Manager Maureen Dibden said: "The course was constructed to optimise the outcome for Illawarra Health as the employer and for the individual employees"

"This is a good example of the University's strategic links with a regional organisation providing a very positive outcome."

One of the graduates, Acting Unit Manager of Drug and Alcohol Services Nicole Davis said the course had been extremely valuable. "It was fantastic from a quality management point of view. From a strategic point of view it means that we are all going in the same direction, which is really important for the future of Illawarra Health. The course was really well-structured, very applicable (to our work) and we were really well supported."

Ms Davis, a Registered Nurse, had also gained her Nursing degree at UOW.