As the regional healthcare workforce continues to suffer workforce shortages, Flinders University is looking to uncover what support and programs are needed to help fill rural and remote positions.
Alison Dymmott leads the study from Flinders University Caring Futures Institute, the team will survey regional physios, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and other allied health professionals about how to attract them to the regions, then support them to stay.
“There is a pressing need for more allied health professionals in rural and remote Australia and this will only worsen with our ageing population and an expanding NDIS that allied health professionals pay a key role in,” says Dr Dymmott, Academic Lead of Rural Allied Health in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
“It costs a lot of money to keep recruiting people to these positions and even once attracted, many people only stay for one to two years and leave.
“What is needed is support programs for career progression, alongside professional and personal support that may prevent people from feeling isolated while living and working in rural communities.
“Our survey is looking to determine what these programs should look like so they can be as effective as possible.”
The online questionnaire is available now and the team is inviting all allied health professionals, supervisors and managers across Australia to take part, from both rural and remote settings, as well as those in metropolitan areas.
It takes around 15 minutes to complete and participants will have the opportunity to enter a draw to win a $250 voucher.
“We’re hoping to hear from as many people as people, from those who have worked in remote settings to those who may have never ever considered it, all feedback will help us understand how best to assist our regional allied health workforce,” says Dr Dymmott.
The project builds upon Flinders University’s years-long evaluation of the South Australian government’s Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway; a post graduate work integrated education program designed to enhance early career allied health professionals’ clinical capabilities and improve service delivery in rural settings.
