Allied Health Professions within NSW Health
The Allied Health Workforce in NSW Health is a diverse group of individual professions, in most instances university qualified professionals who work in a health-care team to support a person's medical care. As stated in the 'Review of Australian Government Health Workforce Programs, 8.2 Allied Health Workforce:
"In very broad terms, allied health professionals provide services to enhance and maintain functions of their patients (clients) within a range of settings including hospitals, private practice, community health and in-home care. There is an emphasis on health lifestyle and on independence; whether that is physically, psychologically, cognitively or socially. Allied health professionals also have a large role in the management of people with disabilities from childhood to adult."
In NSW Health, the following allied health professionals fall within the scope of responsibilities of the Allied Health Portfolio of the Workforce Planning and Development Branch as defined by the NSW Treasury Codes.
As a critical workforce for public health services and the health of the community, NSW Health has a focus on developing the allied health workforce. The Allied Health portfolio also supports a number of other professions identified as small but critical workforce groups.
Allied Health Portfolio
The Allied Health Workforce Portfolio sits within the Workforce Planning and Development Branch and provides expert advice on strategic workforce policy issues pertaining to allied health professions in NSW Health. In addition, the role of the portfolio is to:
Facilitate ongoing development of the allied health workforce through evidence based workforce planning approaches
Lead and undertake allied health workforce projects and guide development of responsive workforce advisory groups and initiatives
Foster interdisciplinary and interagency collaboration in allied health workforce initiatives
Develop and maintain good working relationships with internal Ministry of Health branches, other NSW Agencies and Pillars, external allied health organisations and health jurisdictions across Australia with a role and interest in workforce planning for the allied health professionals.
The Allied Health Workforce Portfolio works closely with the NSW Health Directors of Allied Health and State NSW Health Discipline Advisors Network to further develop the role of the allied health workforce and lead, coordinate and contribute to the development of public policy with NSW Health.