Dr Sue Fitzpatrick1,2, Ms Angela Allen1, Ms Kate Rowntree1, Dr Denise Edgar1, Ms Emma Woods1, Ms Jessie Nicholls1, Ms Lisa Knowles1
1ISLHD, Illawarra Shoalhaven, Australia, 2ACT Health, Canberra, Australia
Biography:
Adjunct Associate Professor, Dr Sue Fitzpatrick, is a speech pathologist who has worked in allied health leadership for most of her career. Sue worked as executive director of allied health in an Australian Health Service since 2015. In April 2024 she was appointed to the Australian Capital Territory – Chief Allied Health Officer. She completed a Doctor of Health Science in 2016 focussing on allied health clinical supervision. Sue has successfully led across workforce and leadership development in allied health and has presented her work nationally and internationally and is driven by a passion for developing great leaders and achieving solid outcomes.
Abstract:
Purpose:
The project’s aim is to enhance the effectiveness of clinical supervision (CS) by adopting an innovative whole-of-allied-health approach, embedding CS practices to improve the quality and experience of CS.
The nature and scope of the topic:
A mixed method approach evaluated pre and post quantitative and qualitative data. The Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale (MCSS-26) measured effectiveness of CS across Proctor’s three domains of CS (formative, normative, and restorative). The focus groups analysed themes from CS supervisors and supervisees.
The issue or problem under consideration:
Findings indicated CS was well-established, with high MCSS-26 scores. Challenges remained in the normative domain (e.g. finding time). Post-intervention data showed slight improvement in CS effectiveness. While not statistically significant, it highlighted post-pandemic resilience of CS practices. Key themes included education and training, wellbeing and resilience. Challenges remain around inequality and inconsistency of access.
The outcome of the conclusion reached:
The MCSS-26 and focus group results suggest strong CS practices, which were associated with the development of interventions. Interventions included training, intranet resources, CS learning pathway and the supervisor database. The importance of trust, flexibility, and a post-pandemic focus on wellbeing was highlighted. Time constraints and consistent access to CS remain areas for improvement.
Outcomes highlighted the importance of maintaining clear policies, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and continuously evaluating CS practices to ensure the sustainability of high-quality clinical supervision for allied health professionals. Through these efforts, ISLHD strengthened its clinical supervision framework, improving staff support and development at a time where workforce retention is important globally.