Co-ordination, collaboration and health promotion: lessons and issues from an alcohol education programme

This article draws upon the evaluation of an alcohol educationprogramme in South West England to develop a discussion abouthow to improve co-ordination and collaboration in health promotionbetween different professionals. The importance of collaborationis frequently recognized but research evidence suggests thatit is very hard to achieve. Three main issues are addressed.First, the article considers how the national funders of regionalprogrammes can improve their relationship with local agencies.Second, the district co-ordination model of the South West programmeis assessed as a possible model for co-ordination across a rangeof health topics. Third, the tactics of professional networkdevelopment at the local level are explored.     

Global health education: international collaboration at ICDDR,B

The purpose of this commentary is to provide an overview of the growing interest in global health education at ICDDR,B and to review examples of how this has grown from public-health research and education to include clinical education (medical and nursing) as well. This parallels the growth of the institution, with an increased focus on educational linkages within and beyond Bangladesh and the rise in interest in global health at western medical schools. Specific collaborations, their setup and structure are described. This is presented as a model for other centres of excellence in developing countries to engage their partners in the South and North on matters of education and research for mutual cooperation and benefit.     

Interprofessional education and collaboration in public health: a multidisciplinary health professions IPE project

Journal of Public Health - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an interprofessional education (IPE) intervention on undergraduate health professions students’ current...     

Interdisciplinary education for community health: the case for nursing and social work collaboration.

A nurse educator and a social work educator developed an interdisciplinary team-taught course in community health for both social work and nursing students. This account of their experience elaborates the implications of interdisciplinary education for the student learning experience including theory and practice content, socialization, and transition; faculty development; and the larger university community. Although this particular instance is limited to baccalaureate education, the authors underscore the potential of interdisciplinary course work for the enrichment of all levels of nursing and social work education.     

Facilitating health and education sector collaboration in support of comprehensive school health

Comprehensive school health (CSH) is embraced internationally as the most effective way of promoting the health of students and the school community. It is a framework for supporting improvements in students' educational outcomes while addressing their well-being in a planned, holistic way. While many successful CSH initiatives are brought about by passionate individuals at the grassroots level, these initiatives benefit greatly from effective cross-sector collaborations within and among governments to coordinate policy and funding from the health and education sectors. Governments represent just one group of professionals within the myriad of players involved in implementing CSH in Canada. To be effective contributors to the model, all levels of government need to work together to reduce duplication while at the same time minimizing gaps in the policies and practices that support school health promotion. Collaboration between the health and education sectors within and across governmental boundaries is proving to be an effective mechanism for achieving this. In its first five-year mandate, the Pan Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health has broken new ground in horizontal integration and, as a result, has identified a set of key factors necessary for successful cross-sector collaboration.     

Utilizing the school health index to build collaboration between a university and an urban school district

BACKGROUND: Insufficient attention has been paid to the process of conducting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's School Health Index (SHI) to promote collaboration between universities and urban school districts when developing adolescent health promotion initiatives. This article provides an overview of the real‐world contextual challenges and opportunities this type of collaboration can pose. METHODS: The SHI and selected collaboration principles were used to facilitate partnership and increase stakeholder buy‐in, which led to developing and implementing an 8‐year health promotion campaign. RESULTS: The focus on planning brought together key stakeholders to allow for health promotion programming to take place, despite the competing demands on the schools. The SHI allowed for input from stakeholders to develop campaign activities and inform school‐ and district‐wide policy. Universities and school districts desiring to develop and implement school‐based, adolescent health promotion programs should (1) identify the hierarchical structure of the school district, (2) establish credibility for the program and the university staff, (3) emphasize the benefits to all partners, (4) maintain a cooperative partnership with teachers and administrators, (5) appreciate the need for planning, and (6) provide as many resources as possible to aid an already overburdened school system. CONCLUSIONS: Promoting healthy behaviors among students is an important part of the fundamental mission of schools. The significance of collaboration using the SHI, with direct input from students, teachers, administrators, and university partners, is critical in the development of institutional support for implementation of adolescent health promotion initiatives.     

Working together: lessons for collaboration between health and social services

The recent community care reforms have placed a high premium on interagency collaboration between health and social care agencies to ensure the delivery of high quality services to users. An examination of the historical record reveals the problematic nature of such activity. This paper provides a review of this record and then illustrates contemporary inter-agency issues through an analysis of a local experiment in joint service delivery in Leeds (UK). The paper's examination of the literature on joint working provides some clues as to why the experiment's original aims and objectives remained largely unrealized. The difficulties encountered by the key actors were a mix of cultural, professional and organizational factors.     

Mobile consultation: an integrative approach to mental health service to children.

The authors describe the development of a consultation and education service in an inner-city catchment area. This service is unique in that its service pattern is integrated with a direct service component. It is implemented along a structural design incroporating a multidisciplinary mobile team responsive to variegated "consultation" requests from a dense population area with many first-line service providers of independent or insulated character. Satellite locations exist in specific neighborhoods to provide service. Consultation efforts are classified as services to individuals, groups, and the community at large.