Mr Mitchell Smith1
1Hunter New England Health, Newcastle, Australia
Biography:
Mitchell has a background of Physiotherapy and is currently working as a project officer for the Allied Health Directorate within Hunter New England Health (NSW Health). As a part of this role Mitchell currently coordinates the Allied Health Rural Generalist Program for Hunter New England Health and is part of a team that has contributed to the successful implementation and expansion of the program.
Abstract:
The Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) Rural Generalist program (RGP) provides a highly supported two-year supernumerary Allied Health program that aims to address workforce shortages and improve attraction and recruitment to the rural and remote health services within HNELHD.
The HNE RGP, which began in 2018 with two Physiotherapy staff, was adapted from the Allied Health Rural Generalist Program (AHRGP) from QLD Health and the program is currently in its fourth iteration, growing to include staff members from six different Allied Health professions including Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, Social Work, Nutrition & Dietetics and Podiatry.
The HNE RGP continues to be popular among early career Allied Health candidates, with 45 applicants for the 2024 cohort. HNELHD have had great success from the RGP, with 11 successful candidates completing the program, and 8 (72.7%) of these graduates securing full-time employment in Allied Health positions within HNELHD.
Key elements of the program include quarantined weekly professional development time, 4-month rotations across a variety of sites and specialities, a second year quality improvement project and final rotation covering a vacant position within rural HNELHD.
The HNE RGP is a proven example of how to adapt the AHRGP and implement locally to shape healthcare to fit the needs of local services and communities. We have been working extensively with other LHDs in NSW to provide support, advice and resources to establish similar models to improve access to Allied Health and empower lives of patients in rural and remote communities statewide.