Mrs Niccola Currie1, Dr Alice Cairns2,3, Dr Jennifer Mann4,5
1Torres and Cape Hospital Health Service, Queensland Health, Weipa, Australia, 2Murtupini Centre for Rural and Remote Health, James Cook University, Atherton, Australia, 3Office of the Chief Health Officer, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Australia, 4Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia, 5Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, Queensland Health, Cairns, Australia
Biography:
Alice Cairns is the rural research coordinator for the Office of the Chief Allied Health Office, Queensland Health and a senior research fellow with James Cook University. Alice is dedicated to developing an evidence base for rural and remote health care, driven by rural and remote clinicians, researchers and communities.
Niccola Currie is an Allied Health Manager in the remote town of Weipa. She has worked in diverse roles across regional, remote and rural multidisciplinary settings in Australia and the United Kingdom. Niccola is passionate about health equity and advocating for more integrated healthcare.
Abstract:
Purpose:
This presentation explores the perspectives of health professionals, community organisations and allied health university students on the integration of care provided by a co-designed student-assisted, community rehabilitation and lifestyle service. The service was provided in three very remote Cape York communities.
Scope:
This was a qualitative study. Structured interviews were conducted with 18 participants who were involved in the delivery, participation or support of the service. Deductive thematic analysis utilised theory-based codes derived from an integrated care theory. Each of the nine pillars of integrated care represented a theme that was further sorted into micro, meso, and macro system-level enablers and barriers to service delivery.
Issue:
Rural and remote allied health services often work in siloed and solo discipline-specific positions. Integrated care service models for clients with complex disabilities or chronic health needs have demonstrated improved outcomes, but feasible service models are rarely described in the context of rural, remote and First Nations communities.
Outcome:
The culture of siloed, discipline focused service models alongside fragmented data systems were barriers impacting on interprofessional working however the co-designed process was an enabler to service innovation, fostering strong meso (community) integration. The most frequently discussed enabler to the success of the service was the collaborative relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff and students, demonstrating that culturally responsive practice principles are an enabler to integrated care in First Nation communities. The results suggest services striving to provide integrated care require organisational scaffolding to embed process that reflect integration of care.