Evaluating performance

Regular evaluation of performance is an important tool to identify gaps in skills and understanding and training and development needs. The ways your service evaluates performance will depend on its structure and size, as well as the roles and responsibilities of people working in the healthcare service. 

For healthcare providers, evaluation of performance may include continuing professional development activities, self-reflection and peer evaluation linked to maintenance of professional registration requirements. Other mechanisms include regular discussions about performance or that performance forms part of prescribed professional development processes. However they are conducted, outcomes of performance evaluations provide opportunities to set goals and plan for skills and knowledge development and should be linked to the overall goals of the healthcare service, including delivering safe and high-quality care. 

Links to Actions 1.15 Safety and quality training, 1.17 Safety and quality roles and responsibilities

• How does the performance review process ensure that safety and quality training and development needs are identified?
• How is the safety and quality performance of non-clinical members of the workforce evaluated? 

• Establish processes to review and evaluate the safety and quality performance of the workforce and identify their training and development needs.
• Identify the training needs that support the implementation of these standards.

The type and comprehensiveness of the evidence used is dependent on each healthcare service context, but could include:

• Professional development plans or portfolios for healthcare providers registered with a national board under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme, or that are self-regulated 
• Documentation of discussions about workforce performance and identified training needs 
• Schedule of training and workforce participation.

Commission resources

• National Model Clinical Governance Framework – provides practical guidance on clinical governance roles and responsibilities, based on the NSQHS Standards. The principles of clinical governance and roles and responsibilities outlined are broadly applicable and can be considered when evaluating performance. 
• Review by peers: A guide for professional, clinical and administrative processes – a tool to support healthcare services implementing processes for the review of professional practice.

Other resource

• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) – links to CPD requirements, codes and guidelines for each national board.