Health Promotion Officer NQF Level 3

Occupational Certificate: Health Promotion Officer

Community health workers act as a bridge between vulnerable populations within the community and the providers of professional health services, community services, and social agencies. They perform a crucial function in terms of promoting health by helping people get the care they need.

Studying this course may be a good option if you want to:

• Carry out basic assessments of communities, household groups, and individuals;
• Provide basic health education and referrals for a wide range of services; and
• Support and assist in navigating the health and social services system.

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to:

• Conduct community, household and individual health assessments and identify health needs and risks (actual and potential) and facilitate the family or an individual to seek the appropriate health service.
• Promote the health of the households and the individuals within these households.
• Refer persons for further assessment and testing after performing simple basic screening.
• Provide limited, simple health interventions in a household (e.g., basic first aid, oral rehydration, and any other basic intervention that she or he is trained to provide).
• Provide psychosocial support and managing interventions such as treatment defaulter tracing and adherence support.

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Conduct assessment of the social, physical, and economic dynamics in communities.
• Conduct household assessments and identify those at risk of health-related issues (including impairments in health status).
• Provide information, education and support for healthy behaviours and appropriate home care.
• Provide psychosocial support.
• Identify and manage minor health problems.

This occupational category and professional designation fits into the restructuring plan of the health system in South Africa, and this qualification will play an integral part of the strategy. It will form the basis for the appointment requirements of all community health workers that will be employed by the various government departments, and these community health workers will form part of the primary health care outreach teams. These teams are composed of a professional nurse, environmental health and health promotion practitioners, as well as 4-5 community health workers. Obtaining the Occupational Certificate: Health Promotion Officer could therefore be highly beneficial if you aspire to work in this field.

Accreditation status:

• NQF Level 3 – accredited by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)
• SAQA ID: 94597
• 163 Credits

Course duration:

12 months (1630 notional hours)

Entry requirements:

• NQF Level 1 or equivalent competences in Mathematical Literacy and Communication. Foundational Learning Competence (FLC) is a requirement for entry to the EISA (External Integrated Summative Assessment). The two qualifications can be done in conjunction with one another. Learners that has a qualification higher than NQF Level 2 is exempt from doing the Foundational Learning Competence.
• Physically, learners must be adequately mobile to execute the work within a community and have adequate visual and hearing capacity to master the skills as described in the curriculum document.

Modules covered:

Knowledge Modules (40 credits)

• KM-01: Public and Community Health Support
• KM-02: Family and Community Services
• KM-03: Basics of Community Health

Practical Skill Modules (63 credits)

• PM-01: Mobilise community to address community health issues
• PM-02: Identify the service needs and ease of access to health and social services
• PM-03: Promote healthy lifestyles and mental wellbeing
• PM-04: Promote HIV prevention including HIV testing, condom use, partner reduction, circumcision, STI
• PM-05: Provide information on prevention of accidents and incidents in homes
• PM-06: Record and report on information provided to individuals, households and communities
• PM-07: Promote and provide support for maternal and women’s health
• PM-08: Promote child health
• PM-09: Support community members with psychosocial problems
• PM-10: Provide an integrated approach to support treatment
• PM-11: Identify and treat a select number of minor ailments
• PM-12: Provide basic support to people who are unable to care for themselves

Work Experience Modules (60 credits)

• WM-01: Operation and dynamics of communities
• WM-02: Household registration and assessment processes
• WM-03: Health promotion processes
• WM-04: Formal health provision processes
• WM-05: Emotional and social wellness support processes
• WM-06: Household treatment processes of minor ailments

Assessment and award:

Students are required to complete the following:

• 6 theoretical assignments
• 12 practical assignments
• 6 workplace assignments

Eligibility requirements for the external summative assessment:

The HWSETA is the assessment partner and will conduct the external exams. In order to qualify for the external summative assessment, learners must have a copy of a completed and signed Statement of Work Experience as well as proof of successful completion of the Knowledge, Practical, and Workplace Modules.

Upon completion of this course, students will be awarded an Occupational Certificate: Health Promotion Officer from the QCTO.

Articulation options:

• Higher Certificate in Social Auxiliary Work at NQF Level 5
• Further Education and Training Certificate: Community Health Work at NQF Level 4