NZQA registered unit standard
26961 version 1
Page 1 of 4
Title
Describe, critically evaluate, and contribute to quality improvement in
a health and disability advocacy service
Level
6
Credits
6
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to describe and
critically evaluate the concept and potential application of
quality improvement, and contribute to quality improvement to
raise the quality of service to consumers, in a health and
disability advocacy service.
Classification
Health, Disability, and Aged Support > Health and Disability
Principles in Practice
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes:
Accident Compensation Act 2001;
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989;
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994;
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003;
Human Rights Act 1993;
Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003;
Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992;
New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990;
Privacy Act 1993;
Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988.
2
Codes and guidelines relevant to this unit standard include:
Advocacy Code of Practice; available at http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/resources/codeof-practice;
Advocacy Guidelines for the Nationwide Advocacy Service Pursuant to section 28 (1)
of the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994. The New Zealand Gazette, 24
March 2005. Available at http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/resources/advocacy-guidelines;
Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services
Consumers’ Rights) Regulations 1996, available at http://www.hdc.org.nz;
Health Information Privacy Code 1994, available at http://www.privacy.org.nz.
3
New Zealand Standards relevant to this unit standard include:
NZS 8134.0:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (general) Standard;
NZS 8134.1:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (core) Standards;
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NZQA registered unit standard
26961 version 1
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NZS 8134.2:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (restraint minimisation and safe practice) Standards;
NZS 8134.3:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (infection prevention and control) Standards.
4
References
Ministry of Health. (2001). The New Zealand Disability Strategy. Wellington: Author.
Ministry of Health. (2002). He Korowai Oranga – Māori Health Strategy. Wellington:
Author.
Ministry of Health. (2002). The Pacific Health and Disability Action Plan. Wellington:
Author.
Ministry of Health. (2005). National Mental Health Information Strategy 2005–2010.
Wellington: Author.
The above Ministry of Health publications are available at http://www.moh.govt.nz/.
Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service. (2006). Māori cultural
competencies for health and disability advocates. Wellington: Author; available at
http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/about-us/competencies.
Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service. (2010). Cultural competencies
for health and disability advocates. Auckland: Author; available at
http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/about-us/competencies.
Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service. (2010). Quality improvement
cycle. Wellington: Author; available at http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/resources/qualityimprovement-cycle.
5
This unit standard cannot be assessed against in a simulated environment. It is
required that people seeking credit for this unit standard demonstrate competence
and are assessed in the workplace: through paid or unpaid employment, or in
placements in a service provider workplace negotiated by an education provider.
6
Candidates’ practice must show appropriate values, processes, and protocols in
relation to working with different cultures in a range of settings and environments, in
accordance with the provisions outlined in the two Nationwide Health and Disability
Advocacy Service publications on cultural competencies referenced in explanatory
note 4 above.
7
Candidates are required to demonstrate higher level comprehension skills that
correspond to the ‘learning demands’ of Level 6 of the NZQA Level Descriptors.
These skills include the ability to ‘analyse’ and ‘critically evaluate’ concepts and
practice. When applied to concepts, ‘critical evaluation’ refers to an appraisal which
includes consideration of factors such as applicability and fitness for purpose; and
that also tests assumptions, weighs up the relative merits and drawbacks of a
concept, and elucidates its potential to meet stated aims and objectives.
8
Definitions
Consumer is defined in the Code of Rights and the Health and Disability
Commissioner Act 1994 in the following ways:
'Consumer means a health consumer or a disability services consumer; and, for the
purposes of rights 5, 6, 7(1), 7(7) to 7(10), and 10, includes a person entitled to give
consent on behalf of that consumer.' – Code of Rights, Regulation 4.
'Disability services consumer means any person with a disability that –
'(a) Reduces that person's ability to function independently; and
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NZQA registered unit standard
26961 version 1
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'(b) Means that the person is likely to need support for an indefinite period.' – Health
and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, s. 2.
'Health consumer includes any person on or in respect of whom any health care
procedure is carried out.' – Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, s. 2.
Health and disability advocates assist consumers to have their rights recognised and
upheld by health and disability service providers; and encourage them to take action
– including making a complaint – if they have an unresolved concern. Advocates
operate independently of government agencies, the Health and Disability
Commissioner, and the funders of health and disability services.
Organisation’s policies and procedures are the policies and procedures of the
employing organisation of the candidate and include ethical codes, standards, and
other organisational requirements.
Strengths-based peer supervision aims to provide a health and disability advocate
with support from other advocates and professionals in the field, with a view to
disclosing and evaluating experiences in common that will assist the advocate to
engage in active listening, reflect on own practice, identify strengths-focused
solutions, and increase his/her levels of self-awareness when assisting consumers.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe and critically evaluate the concept and potential application of quality
improvement in a health and disability advocacy service.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Quality improvement is described and critically evaluated in terms of its
objectives and processes to improve the quality of service to consumers.
Range
1.2
may include but is not limited to – Health and Disability Advocacy
Service quality improvement cycle.
Quality improvement is described and critically evaluated in terms of its
potential application in a health and disability advocacy service.
Outcome 2
Contribute to quality improvement to raise the quality of service to consumers in a health
and disability advocacy service.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Opportunities for quality improvement are identified in terms of their potential to
raise the quality of service to consumers.
2.2
Identified opportunities for quality improvement are planned, analysed, and
developed as initiatives for piloting and/or implementation in accordance with
the organisation's policies and procedures.
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NZQA registered unit standard
26961 version 1
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2.3
Contributions to piloting and/or implementation of quality improvement initiatives
are in accordance with their planning, analysis, and development, and the
organisation's policies and procedures.
2.4
Contributions to piloting and/or implementation of quality improvement initiatives
are subject to post-implementation critical evaluation, with a view to identifying
further opportunities to raise the quality of service to consumers.
critical evaluation may include but is not limited to – self-reflection
on own practice, strengths-based peer supervision.
Range
Planned review date
31 December 2016
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
19 November 2010
N/A
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0024
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, or
an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can
report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading
to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Consent requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services ITO Limited
enquiries@careerforce.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit
standard.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016