Professional supports for rural allied health

A variety of supports are available to allied health professionals (AHPs) working in regional LHNs, designed to assist career development and ensure high-quality rural practice.

Allied Health Transition to Professional Practice Program (TPPP)

The Allied Health TPPP supports AHPs during their transition to working in country South Australia. Open to all early graduate AHPs in regional LHNs, the program aims to:

• Assist with orientation to SA Health, the Rural Support Service and regional LHNs 
• Improve understanding of the personal and professional opportunities and challenges of working in rural healthcare
• Improve awareness of available resources and supports
• Reduce feelings of social and professional isolation
• Increase networking opportunities and peer supports
• Positively influence early career AHPs’ experiences and intention to continue working in regional SA.

The program includes in-person orientation and evaluation sessions, and eight online monthly support meetings facilitated by the TPPP coordinator.

Hear from past TPPP participants sharing their experience of the program in the following video:

For more information about the Allied health TPPP please email health.TPPPAlliedhealth@sa.gov.au

Regional LHN Allied Health Professional Supervision Framework

The Regional LHN Allied Health Professional Supervision Framework Regional LHN Allied Health Professional Supervision Framework provides a structured approach to supervision, in a way that is adaptable to individual learning goals and profession requirements.

All regional AHPs participate in reflective practice supervision, which provides a safe space for supervisees to explore their own practice, identify strengths and areas for development, analyse responses to situations, and consider actions required to improve clinical skills and service quality.

AHPs may also participate in up to five elective supervision elements to meet individual needs, including point of care supervision, group supervision, peer supervision, extending professional self and facilitated learning.

For more information about the Regional LHN Allied Health Professional Supervision Framework please e-mail: Health:RSSAlliedHealth@sa.gov.au.

Country Allied Health Clinical Enhancement Program plus (CAHCEP+)

CAHCEP+ provides regional LHN AHPs with funding to access approved professional development activities to develop skills, knowledge, and experience in areas aligning with individual learning goals and local priorities.

CAHCEP+ administers funding to all dietitians, exercise physiologists, medical scientists, occupational therapists, orthotist prosthetists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and speech pathologists employed by regional LHNs. Regionally-based AHPs employed by state-wide services (pharmacy, pathology, medical imaging) are eligible for funding through the similar AHP+ program.

For more information about CAHCEP+ please email Health.RSSCAHCEP@sa.gov.au

INVEST Clinical Leadership Framework for regional LHN allied health professionals

The INVEST Clinical Leadership Framework helps guide and support regional allied health professionals at all career stages to develop clinical leadership skills, knowledge, and experience.

The Framework is complemented by the Self-INVEST tool, which assists AHPs to consider their capabilities across domains, identify clinical leadership strengths, and reflect on areas for further development.

The INVEST framework incorporates the individual (in supporting and valuing our staff), collective (in developing teams) and organisation (in improving our organisation to provide the best possible clinical care to our communities) through:

I – Improve Self (Individual)
N – Nurture Others (Individual)
V – Value Teams (Collective)
E – Engage Collaboratively (Collective)
S – Strategic Outlook (Organisational)
T – Transform Systems (Organisational)

For more information about the INVEST Clinical Leadership Framework or the Self-INVEST tool please email Health:RSSAlliedHealth@sa.gov.au 

The Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway (AHRGP)

The AHRGP supports early career AHPs to accelerate their development of rural generalist skills, both clinical and non-clinical. AHPs enrolled in the program complete formal education through James Cook University, which is combined with work-integrated projects and activities specific to their local community.

Cohorts of regional LHN AHPs have been funded to commence the pathway in 2019, 2021 and 2024. As future opportunities arise they will be broadly promoted via regional LHN AHP networks.

For more information on the Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway please email Health:RSSAlliedHealth@sa.gov.au.