Dr Tony Fallon1,2, Ms Clara Walker1,2, Mrs Anna Coghlan3, A/Prof Priya Martin2,4, Dr Ansmarie Van Erp3,5, Ms Jessica Elliott2,6, Ms Lee O'Malley7, Dr Bahram Sangelaji1, Dr Hwee Sin Chong8
1Southern Queensland Rural Health, The University Of Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia, 2Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia, 3The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia, 4Rural Clinical School, The University of Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia, 5Queensland Country Practice, Cranley, Australia, 6School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia, 7School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia, 8Queensland Rural Medical Service, Darling Downs Health, Toowoomba, Australia
Biography:
Dr. Tony Fallon is a researcher and educator at the University of Queensland, specializing in rural and remote health. With a strong background in interdisciplinary collaboration, he has led numerous projects aimed at improving health outcomes in underserved communities. Dr. Fallon has supervised multiple PhD and Honours students, contributing to workforce development in rural health. He plays a key role in national research initiatives, including the NAHGOT Data Working Group. Recognized for his contributions, he received the David Lyle Prize in 2024. His research spans interprofessional learning, health program evaluation, and community well-being interventions across diverse populations.
Abstract:
Aim:
Providing appropriate responses to challenges requires understanding those challenges. High staff turnover in rural/remote public sector allied health services in Australia contributes to workforce shortages and poor service continuity. Length of stay of public sector allied health professionals (AHPs) working in regional and rural/remote Southern Queensland between 2010 and 2021, and the effect of COVID-19 on retention, was examined.
Methods:
Data included 1711 eligible employee records from 1454 AHPs.
Results:
Survival analysis revealed an overall median survival in location of 1.27 years [95%CI 1.15-1.46]. Cox proportional hazards analysis, after accounting other covariates, showed those employed in psychology/mental health, social work, pharmacy, radiography/sonography/medical imaging and anaesthetic technician positions stayed in location longer than physiotherapists. Risk of leaving increased with location remoteness. Starting employment under 30 or over 45 years of age and being employed casually or temporarily increased risk, while starting employment at HP-4 (i.e. more senior positions) reduced risk compared to initial employment at HP 3. COVID was not observed to influence retention risk.
Discussion:
This study provides an updated baseline for future studies focusing on retention of public sector AHPs. It highlights that: (a) “allied health” is a diverse set of professions with vastly differing retention rates; (b) while retention is an issue for most public sector allied health professions, specific professions are in dire need of targeted intervention; (c) the riskiest time for AHPs is the first year in location; (d) compared to regional centres, rural and remote Australia continue to experience public sector AHP retention issues.