Principles of Allied Health Governance
Isaac Cockroft1, Hassan Kadous1, Karla Armson1, Andrew Davison11NSW Ministry of Health, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
Abstract
Background:
Previous work has identified variability in operational and professional Allied Health governance arrangements across NSW health districts as a priority to address for safe and quality care. The NSW Health Workforce Plan 2022-2032 emphasises that NSW Health must ‘Develop, define, pilot and publish best practice multidisciplinary processes while strengthening clinical and professional governance’.
Method:
This project took a consultative, multidisciplinary, evidence based, interstate informed approach.
•A scan of relevant literature
•An online survey was open to all Directors of Allied Health to seek their early input
•An Expert Multidisciplinary Advisory Group was established. The group had representatives nominated from the Senior Executive Forum (CEs), Directors of Workforce, Directors of Nursing, Directors of Medical Services, Directors of Allied Health, Directors of Clinical Governance, subject matter experts in allied health governance and others.
•A broader range of stakeholders were also consulted during the project and validation process, including Chief Allied Health Officer from other jurisdictions.
•A discussion paper was shared with Directors of Allied Health, all NSW Health allied health professional advisory networks (or equivalent) and the Multidisciplinary Advisory Group.
Results / Discussion:
The Principles of Allied Health Governance document is structured under four domains of governance: strategic, clinical, operational, and professional. Each domain has several specific principles to support consistent best practice and effective allied health governance across all NSW Health districts. They aim to strengthen and support the attraction, retention and recruitment of allied health professionals.
The report provides a self-assessment tool to assist LHD/SHNs to understand their current position and provides a roadmap of opportunities to strengthen allied health governance within LHD/SHN local context.
Biography
Isaac currently works at the NSW Ministry of Health as a Senior Project Officer in the Allied Health Portfolio. During 2021, he worked in the NSW Health State Health Emergency Operations Centre (SHEOC) on projects ensuring vulnerable populations had equal opportunity to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. He has previously worked on projects for Arthritis NSW. Isaac’s background is as a physiotherapist working with musculoskeletal, inflammatory, and chronic pain disorders. This has included work public hospitals and private practice in both metro and rural settings. He has also worked overseas in Nepal, Cambodia and Kazakhstan, as part of short-term medical teams.