Allied Health

In WQPHN communities, WQPHN commissions allied health providers to play a crucial role in addressing healthcare gaps due to limited medical resources and workforce shortages. Key aspects of their contribution include:

1. Access to Specialised Care:
   They bring vital expertise to communities that might otherwise lack specialised services. Telehealth technologies are increasingly used to overcome distance barriers.
2. Preventative Health:
   These professionals focus on preventive care, helping reduce the burden of chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and mental health disorders.
3. Community-Centred Approaches:
   Allied health services are often tailored to the specific needs of communities, considering cultural, social, and economic factors. This is particularly important in Indigenous communities.
4. Collaboration with Local Providers:
   Allied health workers collaborate closely with local clinics, schools, and community organizations to deliver comprehensive care and support.
5. Workforce Challenges and Solutions:
   Recruitment and retention in remote areas remain challenging. Strategies include training local professionals, offering incentives, and using mobile health units to reach dispersed populations.

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Impact:‍

Allied Health professionals significantly improve health outcomes, reduces hospital admissions, and enhances the quality of life for rural and remote populations. By addressing unique challenges in these areas, allied health professionals contribute to more equitable healthcare access across regions.

1. Aboriginal Health Workers:
Provide culturally appropriate healthcare, education, and support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. They focus on promoting health, managing chronic conditions, and bridging gaps between communities and healthcare systems.
2. Allied Health Assistants:
Allied health assistants support healthcare professionals like physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists by implementing treatment plans, assisting with therapy sessions, and maintaining patient records.

3. Child Nurse
Specialise in providing medical care and emotional support to children from infancy to adolescence. They assess, treat, and manage health conditions as well as educating families about child health and development to promote overall well-being.
4. Continence Nurses:
Specialising in managing bladder and bowel health issues, providing care, education, and support to people with incontinence. They develop personalised treatment plans, teach techniques to improve control and promote dignity and quality of life.
5. Dietitians:
Specialise in nutrition and dietary management. They provide personalised advice to promote health, manage medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease), and address food-related issues. Dietitians work in clinical settings, public health, and community education.
6. Exercise Physiologists:
Design and deliver exercise programs for people with chronic diseases, injuries, or disabilities. They use physical activity to improve overall health, manage conditions (e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular disease), and enhance recovery and performance.

7. Occupational Therapists:
Help individuals of all ages develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills. They assist people with physical, sensory, or cognitive challenges to improve their ability to perform everyday tasks, promoting independence and quality of life.
8. Physiotherapists:
Focus on assessing, diagnosing, and treating physical injuries and movement disorders. They use techniques like exercise, manual therapy, and education to restore function, improve mobility, and manage pain, often assisting in rehabilitation after injury or surgery.
9. Podiatrists:
Focus on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of foot, ankle, and lower limb conditions. They address issues such as sports injuries, diabetes-related foot care, and structural
problems, helping patients maintain mobility and prevent complications.
10. Psychologists:
Focus on understanding, diagnosing, and treating mental health issues through therapy and assessment. They aim to improve emotional and behavioural wellbeing.
11. Social Workers:
Provide support and advocacy for people with mental health, providing connection with resources and services to improve quality of life.
12. Speech Pathologists:
Assess and treat communication and swallowing disorders. They help individuals with speech, language, voice, fluency, and literacy issues, often working with children, stroke patients, and people with developmental delays or neurological conditions.

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Together, these professionals play essential roles in promoting health, preventing disease, and improving the well-being of individuals across various settings.

Key Programs and Pathways:

1. Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway (AHRGP): This program enhances workforce development through formal education, structured supervision, and innovative service models. It aims to attract and retain allied health professionals in rural settings by offering structured career pathways and support systems. Learn more at SARRAH​

SARRAH | Home

2. Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) Program: This government-supported initiative places allied health students in rural locations, offering practical experience to increase retention. Many universities across Australia participate, providing rural health training hubs and clinical schools​

Health and Aged Care Australia

Support Initiatives:

1. National Allied Health Workforce Strategy: Set for completion by 2025, this strategy addresses workforce shortages in rural and remote areas, improving service
accessibility​
National Allied Health Workforce Strategy | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

2. Rural Locum Assistance Program (Rural LAP): This program provides locum support to maintain allied health service continuity in underserved regions​
Home - Bringing health and aged care locum assistance to rural Australia.

Allied Health resources

Resources | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Department of Health Allied Health specific Updates

What we're doing about allied health | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer

Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer | Queensland Health