Cathlic Health Australia CHA Shared Purpse Statement Cnsultatin Paper May 2011 Cathlic Health Australia www.cha.rg.au
Purpse f this discussin paper This paper aims t utline the backgrund and purpse underlying the develpment f a shared purpse statement fr Cathlic health and aged care. It aims t prvide a ratinale and prcess plan fr effective cmmunicatin and cnsultatin twards achieving a statement that is endrsed by all CHA members. Backgrund The 2010 information cnsultatin identified key issues fr enabling the sustainable future f the Cathlic health ministry. One f the issues endrsed by the Stewardship Bard fr actin by Cathlic Health Australia was the develpment f a shared statement f purpse r identity. This actin was in respnse t the information recmmendatin that there be a cmmn missin statement acrss the Australian Cathlic sectr. The idea f having ne shared missin statement was seen as unnecessary and undesirable. Hwever the develpment f a shared statement expressing the cmmn visin and cmmitments f the Cathlic health and aged care ministry was endrsed as wrthwhile. In essence this wuld becme a statement f shared purpse. Ratinale One f the perceived challenges fr the Cathlic health and aged care ministry is the need fr frmatin f persnnel in the unique visin and eths f the ministry. There is als an increasing need t cmmunicate with external stakehlders, in the business and plitical dmains, the pint f difference and underlying mtivatin f all Cathlic ministries. Finally there is a need t facilitate cmmunicatin and awareness bth fr CHA members as well as external stakehlders that we speak with ne vice n key issues. Articulating a shared purpse statement is perceived as an effective cntributin twards achieving these gals. Rle f the prpsed statement The Shared Purpse Statement wuld be intended fr use in a variety f ways including: Terminlgy as a pint f reference fr internal stakehlders f Cathlic ministries t facilitate a mre explicit recgnitin f and reflectin n shared gals and purpse; in emplyee educatin and frmatin prgrams t facilitate appreciatin f the unique identity f Cathlic health aged care ministries and the bligatins that fllw; as a means f facilitating fr external stakehlders a clearer understanding f what explicitly mtivates the Cathlic sectr and where ur pint f difference lies. In appraching the task f articulating a Shared Purpse Statement sme key terms require clarificatin. These terms are used frequently in relatin t the distinctive wrk f Cathlic health and aged care. Clarity f meaning will assist in respnding effectively t the survey prcesses. The term visin refers t the way we articulate ur hpes fr the future. It is the big picture that inspires ur wrk. Fr Cathlic healthcare services it is the visin summed up in the cncept f the Reign f Gd. (Arbuckle G, Healthcare Ministry: Refunding the Missin in Tumultuus Times (1985).
Missin flws frm ur visin and refers t the primary task and cre activity undertaken by Cathlic healthcare services, t respnd t the call f the Gspel. Ministry refers t this missin in actin which is bth t sciety as a whle and t individuals in need. Identity refers t thse characteristics and qualities that cntribute t and define selfunderstanding. It encmpasses bth cncrete and bjectively identifiable features, as well as features recgnisable in the subjective dimensin, including attitudes and behaviurs. Finally fr the purpses f this cnsultatin the wrd service refers t thse rganised expressins f the healthcare ministry bth cllectively and in particular, that prvide cncrete assistance t thse in need. Cre elements f the statement A shared purpse statement wuld distil, in accessible language, the cre cmmitments f the Cathlic health ministry int a succinct statement that accurately reflects the verriding purpse f all Cathlic ministries. It wuld address the questins Why d we exist? Wh d we serve? while capturing the distinctive essence f the unique spirit and culture central t the Cathlic visin. Included as an example at the end f this paper is the statement prepared in 2001 by the Cathlic Health Assciatin USA. Prcess fr develping the statement A brad and inclusive apprach cnsultatin prcess will be cnducted thrugh 2011. It will include the fllwing stages: 1. Success f the prject will depend n engagement with persnnel acrss the Cathlic sectr as a whle. Thrugh an initial perid f prmtin the cnsultatin will seek t engage the interest and invlvement f the bradest pssible range f stakehlders within Cathlic health and aged care. Feedback will be encuraged frm peple cntributing at all levels f the ministry. 2. A summary f the cre cmmitments expressing the identity and purpse f the Cathlic health and aged care ministry integral t a shared statement will be identified. This will be via an nline cnsultatin prcess. 3. A draft statement reflecting the cre cmmitments will be develped and widely circulated t CHA members and key stakehlders. 4. Testing f the draft statement will be cnducted via nline and face-t-face fcus grups. Participants will be invited t prvide feedback n the relevance and cmpleteness f the statement as well its style and substance. 5. A secnd statement will be prepared utilising the feedback. 6. Feedback n this draft statement will be sught via Survey Mnkey. 7. The final statement will be prepared fr ratificatin by the Stewardship Bard. 8. Resurces will be develped fr distributin t the sectr.
Cnsultatin prcess Thrughut the prject a range f mechanisms will be utilised fr prmtin and cnsultatin: CHA Weekly Newsletter Frmal cmmunicatin with CHA delegates and members Health Matters Missin Leaders Frum, June 14 CHA Biethics Frum Bishps Cmmissin fr Health Cathlic Religius Australia Cnsultatin Questinnaire The fllwing questinnaire will be the basis f the first rund f cnsultatin via the CHA website. Shared Purpse Statement Prject Cnsultatin Questinnaire This questinnaire shuld be cmpleted with reference t the CHA Shared Purpse Statement Cnsultatin Paper, May 2011. This questinnaire represents the first rund f cnsultatin twards preparatin f a shared purpse statement. The first rund will be cnducted fr apprximately fur weeks. Respnses will be evaluated and summarized and a draft statement will be prepared fr secnd rund cnsultatin in August. 1. Given the statement is intended fr use in emplyee educatin and frmatin prgrams and as a pint f reference fr bth internal and external stakehlders, what d yu believe wuld be the best uses fr a shared purpse statement? 2. What in yur pinin wuld be the test f a gd statement? 3. D yu have any suggestins fr the preferred frmat and tne f the statement? 4. What are the mst imprtant messages the statement shuld cnvey? 5. Are there any things the statement shuld avid?
Shared Purpse Statement: Prject Implementatin Timeline April 2011 Cnsultatin paper prepared clarifying terminlgy, prject purpse, cre elements f statement, intended use and the sample CHA-USA statement. May 2011 Educatin Cmmittee cnsideratin f the Cnsultatin paper, prject timelines and prcess. May 2011 Prmte the prject t key stakehlders using the prepared discussin paper. June 2011 Identify the cre cmmitments perceived as integral t a shared statement via an nline cnsultatin prcess. July 2011 Prepare a draft statement reflecting the cre cmmitments articulated by the sectr. August 2011 Test the draft statement via nline and face-t-face fcus grups. September 2011 Octber 2011 Develp secnd draft statement fr further cnsultatin Test the resulting statement via Survey Mnkey Nvember 2011 Cnsult with the Bishps Cmmissin fr Health, Cathlic Religius Australia December 2011 Final versin t Stewardship Bard January 2012 Preparatin and distributin f materials supprting the use f the statement February 2012 Launch
SAMPLE STATEMENT A Shared Statement f Identity fr the Cathlic Health Ministry (USA) We are the peple f Cathlic health care, a ministry f the church cntinuing Jesus' missin f lve and healing tday. As prvider, emplyer, advcate, citizen bringing tgether peple f diverse faiths and backgrunds ur ministry is an enduring sign f health care rted in ur belief that every persn is a treasure, every life a sacred gift, every human being a unity f bdy, mind, and spirit. We wrk t bring alive the Gspel visin f justice and peace. We answer Gd's call t fster healing, act with cmpassin, and prmte wellness fr all persns and cmmunities, with special attentin t ur neighbrs wh are pr, underserved, and mst vulnerable. By ur service, we strive t transfrm hurt int hpe. As the church's ministry f health care, we cmmit t: Prmte and Defend Human Dignity Attend t the Whle Persn Care fr Pr and Vulnerable Persns Prmte the Cmmn Gd Act n Behalf f Justice Steward Resurces Act in Cmmunin with the Church Cathlic Health Australia, Canberra, Australia, 2011. This article may be reprduced and distributed in any medium, but must be prperly cited. It may nt be sld r used fr prfit in any frm withut express permissin f Cathlic Health Australia.