Real Skills

The Keeping it Real | Kia Pono te Tika seven Real Skills and indicators describe what kaimahi need to know and do to enable better experiences and outcomes for tāngata whai ora and whānau.

Essential indicators apply to everyone working in health regardless of context, organisation, role, or profession, including people working in voluntary roles. 

Enhanced indicators apply to everyone working in addiction and mental health roles. These indicators build on and add to the essential indicators, so people at this level are also expected to demonstrate the essential indicators. These indicators can also guide those in broader health roles who want to further develop their skills to work effectively alongside tāngata whai ora and whānau.

Leadership indicators apply to everyone who is leading, guiding, supporting, educating, and resourcing the work of others in health. This can include kaimahi in designated leadership roles, emerging leaders, people leading areas of work or developing leadership through knowledge and skills in an area such as working with whānau.  

These indicators build on and add to the essential indicators. Some leaders working in addiction and mental health may also aim to meet the enhanced indicators, depending on their training and the scope of their role. 

Designated leadership roles can include team leaders, service managers, clinical directors, senior clinicians, cultural leaders, lived experience and whānau leaders, mentors, educators, researchers, professional advisors, chief executives, and board members. 

The following table summarises application of the indicator levels.