Access to Healthcare Following Serious Injury: Perspectives of Allied Health Professionals in Urban and Regional Settings

Barriers to accessing healthcare exist following serious injury. These issues are not well understood and may have dire consequences for healthcare utilisation and patients’ long-term recovery. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore factors perceived by allied health professionals to affect access to healthcare beyond hospital discharge for people with serious injuries in urban and regional Victoria, Australia. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted with community-based allied health professionals involved in post-discharge care for people following serious injury across different urban and regional areas. Interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Many allied health professionals perceived that complex funding systems and health services restrict access in both urban and regional areas. Limited availability of necessary health professionals was consistently reported, which particularly restricted access to mental healthcare. Access to healthcare was also felt to be hindered by a reliance on others for transportation, costs, emotional stress and often lengthy time of travel. Across urban and regional areas, a number of factors limit access to healthcare. Better understanding of health service delivery models and areas for change, including the use of technology and telehealth, may improve equitable access to healthcare.

Download Full-text

Recruiting and Retaining Allied Health Professionals in Rural Australia: Why is it so Difficult?

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice ◽

10.46743/1540-580x/2004.1040 ◽

2004 ◽

Author(s):

Janet Struber

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Allied Health ◽

Health Service Delivery ◽

Rural Practice ◽

Allied Health Professionals ◽

Attrition Rates ◽

Recruitment And Retention ◽

Health Related

Rural communities in Australia have particular health needs, and the recruitment and retention of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) is a significant concern. Despite the increasing number of AHPs being trained, vacancy and attrition rates in rural areas continue to rise. Professional and social isolation combined with rapidly changing health service delivery structures are identified as major deterrents to long-term rural practice. While strategies are now being implemented, endeavours to resolve the issues lag well behind initiates offered to Medical and Nursing staff. Given the wealth of political, professional and health related issues underlying the recruitment and retention of AHPs to rural areas, total resolution of this issue may not be possible. A unified approach by AHPs combined with concerted effort and collaboration on the part of all the stakeholders may, however, allow management at a level required to sustain a viable rural AHP workforce.

Download Full-text

Exploring utilisation of the allied health assistant workforce in the Victorian health, aged care and disability sectors

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-021-07171-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

J. Huglin ◽

L. Whelan ◽

S. McLean ◽

K. Greer ◽

D. Mitchell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thematic Analysis ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Allied Health ◽

Aged Care ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Allied Health Professionals ◽

Individual Interviews ◽

Care Services ◽

Group Data ◽

Health Assistant

Abstract Background Allied health assistants (AHAs) support allied health professionals (AHPs) to meet workforce demands in modern healthcare systems. Previous studies have indicated that AHAs may be underutilised in some contexts. This study aims to identify factors contributing to the effective utilisation of AHAs across health, aged care and disability sectors and possible pathway elements that may optimise AHA careers in Victoria. Methods Using an interpretive description approach data collection included a workforce survey and semi structured interviews (individual and group). Data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent t-tests and thematic analysis. Participants included allied health assistants, allied health professionals and allied health leaders in the health, aged care or disability sectors; educators, managers or student of allied health assistance training; and consumers of Victorian health, disability or aged care services. Results The literature scan identified numerous potential barriers to and enablers of AHA workforce utilisation. A total of 727 participants completed the survey consisting of AHAs (n = 284), AHPs & allied health leaders (n = 443). Thirteen group and 25 individual interviews were conducted with a total of 119 participants. Thematic analysis of the interview data identified four interrelated factors (system, training, individual and workplace) in pre-employment training and workplace environments. These factors were reported to contribute to effective utilisation of the AHA workforce across health, aged care and disability sectors. Study findings were also used to create a conceptual diagram of potential AHA career pathway elements. Conclusion This study identified pre-employment and workplace factors which may contribute to the optimal utilisation of the AHA workforce across Victorian health, aged care and disability sectors. Further study is needed to investigate the transferability of these findings to national and global contexts, and testing of the conceptual model.

Download Full-text

A qualitative study exploring experiences and challenges of combining clinical academic training with family life

BMC Medical Education ◽

10.1186/s12909-021-02849-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Diane Trusson ◽

Emma Rowley

Keyword(s):

Family Life ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Role Models ◽

Allied Health ◽

Academic Career ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Allied Health Professionals ◽

Positive Role ◽

Family Responsibilities ◽

East Midlands

Abstract Background Concerns are being expressed around the lack of diversity at higher levels of clinical academia. This study aimed to explore experiences and challenges associated with combining clinical academic careers with family life. Methods Qualitative data were gathered from participants from 4 NHS Trusts and 2 universities in the East Midlands of England using online surveys and semi-structured interviews. Results The survey was completed by 67 nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, and 73 medical clinical academic trainees. Interviews were conducted with 16 participants from each group including equal numbers of men and women. Caring responsibilities differed between the two study populations. Medical clinical academic trainees were younger and either had young children or were yet to start a family. In contrast, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals tended to be older when they embarked on a clinical academic career and often waited until their children were school-age or older. Similar concerns were raised regarding working part-time and childcare, and how their career prospects might be affected in terms of fulfilling promotion criteria and being able to relocate for work purposes. The occupation of their partners also featured in participants’ experiences; those who shared childcare with someone who worked ‘regular’ hours, appeared to be better supported to combine a clinical academic career with family life. Gender stereotyping was identified in some reported experiences highlighting a need for appropriate mentorship and for positive role models who were able to demonstrate that it is possible to survive and thrive as a clinical academic with family responsibilities. Conclusions Although people manage to find ways to successfully combine clinical academic roles with family life, findings highlight a need to identify ways of supporting and encouraging trainees with caring responsibilities to ensure that they remain on the clinical academic pathway.

Download Full-text

Barriers and Facilitators to Weight and Lifestyle Management in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: General Practitioners’ Perspectives

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11051024 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 1024 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Alexis Arasu ◽

Lisa J Moran ◽

Tracy Robinson ◽

Jacqueline Boyle ◽

Siew Lim

Keyword(s):

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ◽

General Practitioners ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Allied Health ◽

Polycystic Ovary ◽

Barriers And Facilitators ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Ovary Syndrome ◽

Allied Health Professionals ◽

Lifestyle Management

Background: Weight and lifestyle management is advocated as the first-line treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by evidence-based guidelines. Current literature describes both systems- and individual-related challenges that general practitioners (GPs) face when attempting to implement guideline recommendations for lifestyle management into clinical practice for the general population. The GPs’ perspective in relation to weight and lifestyle advice for PCOS has not been captured. Methods: Fifteen GPs were recruited to take part in semi-structured interviews. NVIVO software was used for qualitative analysis. Results: We report that GPs unanimously acknowledge the importance of weight and lifestyle management in PCOS. Practice was influenced by both systems-related and individual-related facilitators and barriers. Individual-related barriers include perceived lack of patient motivation for weight loss, time pressures, lack of financial reimbursement, and weight management being professionally unrewarding. System-related barriers include costs of accessing allied health professionals and unavailability of allied health professionals in certain locations. Individual-related facilitators include motivated patient subgroups such as those trying to get pregnant and specific communication techniques such as motivational interviewing. System-related facilitators include the GP’s role in chronic disease management. Conclusions: This study contributes to the understanding of barriers and facilitators that could be addressed to optimize weight and lifestyle management in women with PCOS in primary care.

Download Full-text

Capitalising on the transformational opportunities of early clinical academic career training for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals

BMC Medical Education ◽

10.1186/s12909-020-02348-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alison Cowley ◽

Claire Diver ◽

Alison Edgley ◽

Joanne Cooper

Keyword(s):

Health Professionals ◽

Allied Health ◽

Academic Career ◽

Research Training ◽

Early Career ◽

Identity Transformation ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Allied Health Professionals ◽

Career Training ◽

The Individual

Abstract Background A highly skilled workforce is required to deliver high quality evidence-based care. Clinical academic career training programmes have been developed to build capacity and capabilities of nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (NMAHPs) but it remains unclear how these skills and roles are operationalised in the healthcare context. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of early career clinical academic NMAHPs who have undertaken, or are undertaking, clinical academic master’s and doctoral studies in the United Kingdom. Methods We conducted 17 in-depth semi-structured interviews with early career clinical academics which included; nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Two themes emerged from the data; identity transformation and operationalising transformation. Both these highlighted the challenges and opportunities that early clinical academic training provided to the individual and organisation in which they practiced. This required the reconceptualization of this training from the pure acquisition of skills to one of personal and professional transformation. The findings suggest that individuals, funders, and organisations may need to relinquish the notion that training is purely or largely a transactional exchange in order to establish collaborative initiatives. Conclusion Stakeholders need to recognise that a cultural shift about the purposes of research training from a transactional to transformative approaches is required to facilitate the development of NMAHPS clinical academics, to enable them to contribute to innovative health and patient care.

Download Full-text

RapidInfo4U – an online individualised COVID-19 support intervention for nursing and allied health professionals: study protocol

HRB Open Research ◽

10.12688/hrbopenres.13200.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 8

Author(s):

Emma Carr ◽

Arlene McCurtin ◽

Audrey Tierney ◽

Carol-Anne Murphy ◽

Kevin Johnson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Professionals ◽

Allied Health ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

World Health ◽

Technology Enhanced Learning ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Allied Health Professionals ◽

High Quality Research ◽

Health Organization ◽

Additional Support

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11th, 2020. An ongoing challenge in healthcare is ensuring that up-to-date and high-quality research evidence is implemented in practice. In the context of a global pandemic it is assumed, given the increased pressures on healthcare professionals that this problem has the potential to be exacerbated. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many health professionals being reassigned to areas outside their usual scope, returning to practice following absence or commencing their career as new entrants in the midst of a major crisis. These professionals are likely to require additional support to assist their confidence and competence. Aims: This project has two broad aims: to design and deliver an online educational platform to support nursing and allied health professionals in their clinical practice throughout the pandemic and to evaluate that platform and its implementation. Methods: The research protocol for this study consists of two work streams: the development and delivery of the online platform; and the project evaluation. This research will have a mixed methods approach including website data analytics, quantitative surveys and qualitative data analysis of semi-structured interviews. Conclusion: Through knowledge brokering and adherence to principles of effective technology-enhanced-learning this project will provide an accessible, individualised online educational resource to effectively meet the needs of individual nurses and allied health professionals in this unprecedented time. The evaluation of the platform and its implementation will provide key learning for future initiatives and may act as proof-of-concept for other organisations and countries seeking to support healthcare professionals’ knowledge needs during similar future pandemics.

Download Full-text