District coordinators

The role of a district coordinator: A closer look

Leadership

Act as an ambassador, information source and spokesperson for the system in the district

• You should feel proud of your role and your involvement in one of the best animal health information systems in the world. You are the local expert and the person most qualified to speak about how it works, the benefits it brings and the improved service it allows your staff to provide the community.
• The image you project will help your staff to feel equally proud to be active users of the system.
• The system is only as strong as the people who contribute to it, the information they provide and the benefits it provides to all its users.
• It will be important to stay well informed about the system in the context of the wider community too, and be able to speak about data security, data ownership, the strengths of the system and to reassure people about data privacy.
• It will also be important to stay up to date with new features and operating standards and by providing your staff with timely updates, reassurance and assistance when adapting to new features and operations.

Safeguard the philosophy and principles upon which iSIKHNAS has been built

• You should be familiar with the philosophy and founding principles which underpin iSIKHNAS.
• Remember
  • those involved in data reporting should be rewarded by their involvement with the system.
  • involvement in iSIKHNAS should only enhance, support and ease the work of those reporting and working for the system.
  • the system should never burden any users' normal duties but instead it should bring immediate and tangible benefit to their work.
  • the system should give more than it takes from users to ensure that every user benefits from the system.
  • provides a service to all its different users at all times and that this service should be responsive to changing needs of its users.
• So, with these factors in mind
  • Users should be encouraged and rewarded, praised and thanked, never reprimanded or made to feel chastised. Mistakes and misunderstandings are usually the result of poor training rather than incompetence.
  • Coordinators should think carefully about how their staff are responding and reacting to using iSIKHNAS and whether they can offer suggestions about ways the system might be improved.

Ensure users can access and refer to you easily and freely

• Coordinators should make sure their staff can access them easily with any queries, suggestions or problems. You will need to make sure that staff know your mobile phone number and are encouraged to call.
• Make sure staff can leave a message on your telephone if they call and you are not available. Call them back as soon as you can.
• If you are difficult to contact or unfriendly or unhelpful, staff will stop trying to contact you and you will lose their trust and confidence. This will inevitably have a negative impact on the staff and their morale, their willingness to work as a team and their levels of motivation.

Share the coordination role with one or more deputies

• It is always a good plan to have at least two coordinators in each district - two senior staff members who are able to take the role of coordinator. This means the responsibilities can be shared during busy periods and allows for some real 'down time' for a coordinator who might be on sick leave, taking holidays, away for training or meetings.
• Coordinators need to be constantly monitoring the system and responding to errors, problems and issues in the administration of the system as they arise. They also need to be in touch with the animal health data being submitted - to monitor for priority reports, disease investigations, and potential problems. This can be a full time job so it makes sense to share it with at least one other person to make sure the coordination service is consistent, comprehensive and responsive.
• Because of the responsibility which accompanies the role of coordinator, it seems more sustainable one coordinator to be properly 'off duty' on alternate weekends or evenings, for example, while the other takes up the role.

Respond to requests for new data reports or suggested changes

• Make the system work for you and your district. Any requests for changes, suggestions for improvement or issues which arise in the field should be addressed quickly and communicated to the province/region and then the Champions. The system is flexible and can be responsive to district needs but only if the Champions are made aware that there is a need for change, a request for a new report, a problem which needs addressing.
• Your role as coordinator is to listen to your staff, respond to their needs and to try to improve the system in response to their input. The staff will appreciate it and you will win even greater respect.