Search

Aims: To report findings on employment, duration of residence and mental health from a longitudinal study of 107 skilled immigrants to New Zealand from the People's Republic of China, India and South Africa. Methods: Demographic and employment data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire that included (as the mental health instrument) the General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12). The initial interview took place after the immigrants had been resident in New Zealand for an average of five months. Four subsequent interviews were conducted annually (1999-2002) on or about the anniversary of the first interview. Results and Conclusion: Rather than an initial euphoric period followed by a mental health crisis, the results indicated poor mental health status in the first two years irrespective of employment status. Thereafter, mental health slightly improved as did employment rates. A surprising result was that although the South Africans had the highest employment rate, there were neither substantial mental health differences among the three groups nor was there a significant improvement during the course of the longitudinal study. Key words: duration of residence, employment, immigrants, mental health, New Zealand

The concept of chain migration has played a central role in the study of international migration over several decades. Recent developments in the ease of movement and international transmission of [...]

Objective. This study examined whether the management competency framework for health service managers developed in the Victorian healthcare context is applicable to managers in other Australian states. Methods. An online questionnaire survey of senior and middle-level health service managers in both community health services and hospitals was conducted in New South Wales and Queensland. Results. The study confirmed that the essential tasks for senior and middle-level managers are consistent across health and social care sectors, as well as states. Core competencies for health services managers identified in the Victorian healthcare context are relevant to other Australian states. In addition, two additional competencies were incorporated into the framework. Conclusion. The Management Competency Assessment Program competency framework summarises six competencies and associated behaviours that may be useful for guiding performance management and the education and training development of health service managers in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In common with many OECD countries, New Zealand has been engaged in a process of reforming the nation's health care system. In New Zealand's case the reforms have been particularly far reaching and effected within a remarkably short time frame. In 1991 the policy framework was made public, and the legislation to underpin the changes enacted in 1993. Shadow bureaucracies anticipating the reforms were set up as early as 1991, however, thus allowing for the changes to be effected in advance of legislation. Thus in the space of a few years, the social security model of health care, which had been in place for over half a century, was transformed into a system characterised by managed competition. This article begins by briefly describing the social security model of health care, and its inherent problems. I go on to analyze the reforms, focusing on the problems of the previous system that the reforms were intended to address. The major planks of the new system are identified, namely the separation of purchasing of health services from provision and creating a competitive market; the distinction between 'personal' and 'population' health services; establishment of a core of services to which all citizens are entitled; and the integration and capping of funding for health services, and increasing cost-sharing. Of these policies, only the separation of purchasing and provision of health care and the integration of funding for health services have to date been fully implemented, the remainder having been delayed, modified or abandoned. The health care system has arguably been only partially reformed, therefore.

This paper reports findings on employment and mental health from the first phase of a longitudinal study on the settlement of three groups of skilled immigrants to New Zealand: 36 [...]