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.
"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." 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."
Many people in the community may not know who allied health professionals are. They may know they were treated by a physio or saw the social worker. Patients may say that someone in a teal-green shirt was really kind or provided great care, and they wanted to thank them, but didn’t know who they were. One of the special aspects of allied health is that it includes professions that engage with a person’s life from birth right through to end of life. Workforce Planning and Talent Development branch aimed to capture this in a short film to tell this story, and to help people understand more about the allied health workforce.
The short film features allied health professionals and multidisciplinary teams from NSW Health. It expresses allied health being in patients’ lives all along, at the heart of their care, every step of the way.
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.
The Allied Health Workforce Portfolio is a clinical pillar within the Health Professional Workforce Unit in the Workforce Planning and Development Branch. The Allied Health Workforce Portfolio provides expert advice on strategic workforce and policy issues pertaining to allied health professions in NSW Health. In addition, the role of the portfolio is to:
The Allied Health Workforce Portfolio works closely with the NSW Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer, NSW Health Statewide Directors of Allied Health Committee, and NSW Health Allied Health Advisory Networks (profession specific) to further develop the role of the allied health workforce and lead, coordinate and contribute to the development of public policy with NSW Health.
