Wellbeing and Health In-reach Nurse Coordinator Program - Operational Guidelines
The NSW Ministry of Health is responsible for funding and delivering the WHIN Coordinator program across NSW. The NSW Ministry of Health oversees the design and statewide implementation and evaluation of the program. NSW Health local health districts and Albury Wodonga Health are responsible for the employment and management of wellbeing nurses and the implementation and performance of the program in their area. The NSW Department of Education partners with NSW Health to deliver the program in over 400 NSW public primary and high schools.
The NSW Department of Education and NSW Health have agreed how the program is delivered in schools. The NSW Department of Education is responsible for communicating this to NSW Department of Education staff, families and the community.
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Joint local WHIN Coordinator program committees meet at least once a quarter to oversee and review local delivery of the WHIN Coordinator program and manage local issues. The committees consider aspects of program delivery, including planning, program performance, program issues and strategies to improve delivery. Membership includes school principals from the participating schools (or delegate), NSW Department of Education Directors Educational Leadership (or delegate), wellbeing nurses’ line managers and wellbeing nurses. Meetings are jointly organised and co-chaired by the local health district wellbeing nurses’ manager and Director of Educational Leadership or their delegate.
The local WHIN Coordinator program committees report to the Statewide WHIN Coordinator Program Implementation Group on implementation and delivery of the WHIN Coordinator program. Issues that cannot be resolved by the local committee can be escalated to the Statewide WHIN Coordinator Program Implementation Group.
The Statewide WHIN Coordinator Program Implementation Group meets once per quarter to oversee the statewide implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the WHIN Coordinator program. Membership includes representatives from metropolitan and rural/regional local health districts, the NSW Ministry of Health Mental Health Branch, the Office of Regional Youth, Department of Communities and Justice, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation from Health and Education, and Primary Health Networks.
The Group is cochaired by NSW Ministry of Health and the Department of Education. The Group reports quarterly to the Health and Education Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Student Wellbeing Partnership Strategic Group on the progress of the program implementation. Issues that cannot be resolved by the group are escalated to the Health and Education MOU Wellbeing Partnership Strategic Group.
There is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NSW Health and NSW Department of Education that details the collaborative approach the departments take to maintaining and strengthening student health and wellbeing across NSW. The MOU consolidates governance across many Health and Education programs, including the WHIN Coordinator program. The Strategic Group’s membership includes Executive Directors and Directors responsible for programs included in the MOU and reports to the Student Wellbeing Partnership Governance Group.
The Health and Education MOU Wellbeing Partnership Governance Group is the final decision maker and point of escalation. Members include Deputy Secretaries from NSW Health and NSW Department of Education and relevant Executive Directors leading priorities under the Health and Education Supporting Health and Wellbeing MOU 2021 - 2024.