Mrs Kristen Foley1, Stacie Attrill1, Gillian Nisbet2, Claire Palermo4, Caitlan McLean1, Merrolee Penman3, Ali Dymmott1
1The University of Adelaide, Australia, 2The University of Sydney, Australia, 3Curtin University, Australia, 4Monash University, Australia, 5Flinders University, Australia
Abstract:
Background:
In Australia, allied health practices and workforce development are situated within a wide range of policy, funding and sectoral contexts. We aimed to explore the positioning of practice-placement requirements in diverse allied health policies, and if/how these positionings differ to that of comparable professions, including education, medicine and nursing. This enables exploration of how allied health placement capacity can be enabled within diverse service landscapes.
Methods:
We conducted a systematic search of policy documents to capture policy breadth and diversity. A sample of 62 policies and statements including general, rural, medical, education, engineering, national workforce, and allied health targeted policies iteratively analysed using a realist approach. Data were synthesised to:
1. Analyse existing funding allocation or assumptions regarding allied health student placements and,
2. Explore how placements, funding and workforce development are configured within other professions.
Results:
Five key categories were identified: opportunities to expand allied health practice; placements as a pipeline for allied health workforce development; implications for placement resourcing; workforce and training positioning of similar professions; as well as funding and co-benefit models.
Discussion:
In contrast with single-sector professions (e.g. medicine and nursing), resources and accountability for allied health placements and broader workforce development needs are not clearly or consistently represented. To support current and future allied health workforce needs, we recommend student placement ownership and resourcing is explicitly stated in policy, and in alignment with the varied sources of allied health funding.