People who Flourish in your Business

The depth of the challenge cannot be underestimated. A vast need for allied health services exists in the Australian disability and aged care sectors, and new solutions to build a strong and healthy workforce are required to meet that need.

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The need for allied health services

Allied health care has been identified to be core to the person-centred care of the Australian ageing community at home (1). 76 per cent of organisations in the disability sector plan to increase the volume of their therapeutic support services this year (2).

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Building a strong allied health workforce

It has been noted by professional associations that there is evidence of senior therapists beginning to leave the disability sector due to the administrative burden of dealing with the NDIS, leaving less experienced practitioners to provide the services, and often with inadequate clinical supervision and peer support. (3) A number of obvious disincentives for some allied health professions to work in residential aged care facilities exist (4) and significant under-use of the skills of allied health in home based aged care is the norm. (5)

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What it means for managers

If you experience any of the following, you are not alone -

• Frustration at the lack of experienced clinicians applying for your job roles

• Worry that you can’t provide a consistent service to your valued customers, due to lack of staff

• Overwhelm about the many and varied needs of your customers, and wondering where you will find suitably skilled staff to meet those needs, and how to provide comprehensive support to staff working with people who have multiple complex needs

• Concern or panic about the possibility of experienced staff leaving your business and sector altogether

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If you don’t have a personal background in allied health, or ready access to consultancy, you may also feel:

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• A deep desire to provide the best health service and solutions for your customers, but worry that you don’t know what you don’t know

• A nagging concern that your business may lack oversight of clinical performance of your staff

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This challenge can take a toll on your energy and optimism, without comprehensive professional supports in place. You want to show up in your professional role with energy and focus to deliver great results – but how do you get that mindset, when the stakes are high, the environment seems chaotic and the pressures are great?

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