Support for nursing and allied health students to undertake rural placements should be matched with that of medical students. Currently there is substantial financial and social support for medical students to complete rural placements, but very little exists for other health disciplines. This... more
Workforce education and training
Develop an allied health rural generalist workforce to redress work maldistribution and improve accesss to services by
1. Funding the training support package for early career AHRG trainees. For action by Commonwealth DoH
2. Allocate funding to develop local allied health leadership... more
We recommend that there is education of the current and emerging workforce (undergrad level) regarding the social determinants of health, and the importance of addressing these when managing people's health and wellbeing.
Urban based allied health, nursing and medical students ought to be exposed to positively framed
rural health practice content in their curricula. The content should express rural and remote
practice in a positive manner highlighting the value of rural and remote placements for the... more
Each accreditation panel or equivalent for rural health education provides must include a member with specific rural expertise and a consideration of indicators and metrics that are supportive of positive rural practice andcommunity engagement
Workforce safety needs to be a funding priority with more investment in education, training and ongoing professional development. There is also a need for better coordination and systematic policy to prevent and manage aggression.
95% of frontline rural health staff experience aggression.... more
We call on Commonwealth and State Government to adopt an integrated health and education systems approach in the vitally important health workforce business of creating and sustaining rural and remote clinical placement for health and medicine students
The 2016 National Aged Care Staffing Skills Mix Project Report identifies that the evidence based minimum care requirement and skill mix to ensure safe residential and restorative care is Registered Nurse (RN) 30%, Enrolled Nurse (EN) 20% and Personal Care Worker 50%.
Unregulated Health... more
The picture of rural life, health and education has been portrayed at the conference as one of suicide, violence, lack of access to health and education, unemployment. mortality, addiction and stress, particularly for women. If you had attended the conference and listened to many of the... more
Early career allied health employment opportunities in rural and remote settings should be
supported. For this to be succeed rural and remote health service agencies, particularly
smaller organisations, require secure funding and policy support.
Additionally, support for use of... more
Diversional Therapist are now university trained professionals with specialist training in implementing and facilitating patient, residents and community leisure programs that enhance well-being. They are often undervalued in the allied health professions. They could be utilised more to bring... more