Allied Health Assistants: Future Workforce Directions Sharon Downie Manager, Allied Health Workforce Department of Health and Human Services November 2019
What do we know about the Victorian AHA Workforce? 2014 2018 Workforce No. n=1009 n=1043 (3.4% growth) Gender 88% Female 87% Female 12% Male 13% Male Av. Age 49 years 48 years • The majority of the AHA workforce hold a Certificate IV qualification or equivalent • Approx. 80% of AHA’s have had a previous profession/career • Most AHA’s operationally report to & are supervised by Allied Health professionals (80%)
Current Landscape • Health, Disability & Aged Care sectors are experiencing unprecedented challenges and reform agendas: - Increased demand for health services & associated costs - Increased healthcare costs & budgetary pressures - Increased focus on patient experience/outcomes - NDIS rollout & transition from State-operated disability services - Impacts of the Aged Care & Mental Health Royal Commissions - Emergence of Digital Health solutions
DHHS Investment in AHA Workforce • Supervision & Delegation Framework for Allied Health Assistants in Health (2012) • Victorian Allied Health Assistant Workforce Model (2015) • Supervision & Delegation Framework for Allied Health Assistants & the Support Workforce in Disability (2018) • Victorian Allied Health Workforce Research Project – AHA Report (2018)
Challenges & Opportunities • Difference in the structure & function of AHA roles across health services & practice settings • Slow adoption of AHA workforce models across all sectors • Concerns that current AHA training pathways do not provide ‘work ready’ graduates • Limited opportunities for post-graduate education/training specific to AHA needs • Resistance from Allied Health professionals to delegate tasks at full scope of AHA role
The Workforce of the Future
The AHA Workforce of the Future – 5 Objectives Embedded across Greater workforce sectors representation Work-ready & Viewed as core to flexible skill-sets the Allied Health Working at full scope of practice
Questions? alliedhealthworkforce@dhhs.vic.gov.au
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