Mrs. Simone Munro1, Mrs Jessica Huglin1, Ms. Janet Golder1, Dr. Debra Mitchell2, Dr. Abby Foster1
1Monash Health – Allied Health Workforce, Innovation, Strategy, Education and Research unit, Australia, 2Monash University – School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Australia
Biography:
Simone Munro, a speech pathologist by background, is an experienced ‘people person’. With a decade and a half of experience in public health services she brings strong change management and improvement science skills to her role as Allied Health Workforce Advisor at Victoria’s largest public health provider Monash Health. In this role she delivers large scale programs of change for over 1,900 Allied Health clinicians to ensure an Allied Health workforce ready for the future and now.
Abstract:
Workforce challenges are straining allied health (AH) in healthcare. The shortage is thought to be multifactorial; however, literature exploring the drivers of retention and attrition is limited.
Aim:
Understand the impact of tailored, multifaceted workforce strategy on local drivers of attraction, retention and attrition of AH workforces in a large metropolitan healthcare network.
Method:
A pre-post study design was used. A cross-sectional, 51-item online survey was distributed to all AH employees of Monash Health in 2022. Findings informed the design of a local workforce strategy, implemented over a three-year period, with the survey repeated in 2025. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Comparative pre-post analysis was completed.
Results:
In 2022, 35% (n=208) of AH employee respondents indicated an intention to leave their current role, compared to 27% (n=162) in 2025.
Actions designed to address job satisfaction, reward and recognition, work in preferred clinical area and burnout were implemented through the workforce plan, in response to variables associated with intention to leave in 2022. Comparison of these variables with 2025 results highlight changes in the variables associated with intention to leave over time. Changes in the drivers of attraction, retention and attrition will also be discussed.
Understanding of the key drivers allowed us in 2022 to tailor a bespoke and user-driven workforce plan. Repeated measures allow evaluation of the impact of the workforce plan, provide additional insights into needs and supports new iterations of the workforce strategy.