Enabling principles of self-management
Enabling principles provide the support infrastructure to allow effective implementation of self management into a service.
These principles assist those supporting service providers (managers and executives) to plan and implement self management effectively, and support those delivering services with the processes required for successful embedding of self management into their practice.
A quality-improvement approach
- Initiatives and services are based on best available evidence and knowledge about self-management.
- Education, training and resources are accessible to healthcare providers to enable the delivery of effective interventions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse peoples, as well as people living in rural and remote areas.
- Appropriate screening processes are used to identify psychosocial issues and co-morbidities that could affect self-management.
- Initiatives are evaluated and reviewed from the perspective of the consumer to demonstrate that desired self-management outcomes have been met.
- Research and training in self-management is promoted.
- Monitoring is supported to allow progress and trends to be tracked over time.
A focus on equity and access
- Services are provided on the basis of need, regardless of age, gender, culture, ethnicity, socio-economic group, or geographic location.
- Services are flexible and provided at a time, venue and in a manner that meets the needs of clients and enables them to adopt and maintain self-management.
- Social, cultural, biological and emotional factors are considered in service delivery and design.
Integration and coordination through partnerships
- The support provided by family and/or informal carers is recognised.
- Services across all sectors work together in a seamless and coordinated way to minimise confusion and maximise continuity.
- Individuals, carers, families and other stakeholders are engaged at local, regional and statewide levels, establishing communication pathways that promote active participation and collaboration between sectors.
- Multi-disciplinary teamwork/joint-case management is promoted to support a coordinated and integrated approach to care.
- Individuals, target populations and key stakeholders are actively engaged across all sectors in planning, implementing and evaluating self-management initiatives.
A sustainable and supportive system
- Networks relevant to chronic disease management and primary healthcare are used.
- Information technology is used to facilitate transfer of information and knowledge.
- Consistent use of evidence-based practice and the meeting of minimum standards of practice are promoted.
- Existing evidence-based, self-management initiatives are supported.
The following chronic diseases have been identified as the focus for initial action under The Queensland Strategy for Chronic Disease 2005 - 2015
Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes and renal
Chronic respiratory disease
Mental health problems, particularly depression, often co-occur with chronic disease. Depression as a co-morbidity of the above chronic diseases is considered within the Strategy.
Combined, coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, COPD and asthma accounted for about a quarter of the burden of disease and injury in Queensland in 20031.
