Advanced allied health assistants: an emerging workforce
Claire Pearce A C and Leanne Pagett BA Chronic Disease Management Unit, ACT Health, 123 Carruthers Street, Curtin, ACT 2605, Australia.
B Chief Allied Health Office, ACT Health, 11 Moore Street, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. Email: leanne.pagett@act.gov.au
C Corresponding author. Email: Claire.pearce@act.gov.au
Australian Health Review 39(3) 260-263 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH14253
Submitted: 17 December 2014 Accepted: 18 April 2015 Published: 9 June 2015
Abstract
Objective Nationally and internationally there is work underway to continue to advance the scope of practice of allied health assistants (AHA). The advanced role requires additional training and competency development, as well as significant clinical experience. To build on the evidence relating to advanced scope AHAs, ACT Health undertook a project to explore the potential for the development of the local AHA workforce. This paper provides an overview of the project.
Methods The potential for advanced AHAs in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) was assessed using literature reviews, consultation with other services working with advanced AHAs and interviews with local allied health managers and assistants.
Results A role for advanced AHAs within the ACT workforce was recommended, along with the need to further develop the AHA governance structure and AHA training packages and to undertake more research into the AHA workforce.
Conclusion AHAs make a positive contribution to the delivery of effective, responsive, consumer-focused healthcare. The advanced AHA role provides further opportunities to enhance the flexibility of allied health services while also providing a career structure for this growing workforce.
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