Mature-Aged People in the Rural Health Workforce System: A Systems Modelling Approach.

Objective: The median age of people in rural areas is older than those living in metropolitan areas. Harnessing the potential of the mature-aged population in rural communities may present a uniquely sustainable approach to strengthening the rural health workforce system. The objective of this study was to map the rural health workforce system in Australia and identify the current and potential role of mature-aged people in the workforce system.

Location and access to health courses for rural students: an Australian audit.

Background: The undersupply of health professionals in rural areas impacts healthcare access for those living in rural Australia. A strategy to increase the rural health workforce is to recruit and educate rural people. However, long-standing inequities for rural Australians in accessing tertiary education persist.

Enhancing occupational therapy service provision with military veterans through policy reform: Findings from a national survey.

Introduction: Almost half a million Australians have served with the Australian Defence Force. Given the high prevalence of physical and mental health conditions and complexity of civilian life adjustment after military service, high-quality occupational therapy services are critical. However, there is limited description of occupational therapy service provision to individuals funded by the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs to inform government policy.

Professional care workforce: a rapid review of evidence supporting methods of recruitment, retention, safety, and education.

Background: Across the care economy there are major shortages in the health and care workforce, as well as high rates of attrition and ill-defined career pathways. The aim of this study was to evaluate current evidence regarding methods to improve care worker recruitment, retention, safety, and education, for the professional care workforce.

Methods: A rapid review of comparative interventions designed to recruit, retain, educate and care for the professional workforce in the following sectors: disability, aged care, health, mental health, family and youth services, and early childhood education and care was conducted.

Telehealth competencies for allied health professionals: A scoping review.

Introduction: Telehealth has become one of the main methods of delivering allied health professional services world-wide, yet many professionals do not have sufficient training to deliver high-quality telehealth services. This review aims to identify what competencies allied health professionals require for effective telehealth service delivery.

Methods: This scoping review used the Population Concept Context framework and searched the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychInfo, Cochrane, EMBASE, Web of Science, PEDro, United Kingdom Health Forum, WHO, Health Education England, and all UK and Australian AHP professional bodies.

Design and implementation characteristics of research training for rural health professionals: a qualitative descriptive study.

Background: Research capacity and capability of rural health professionals is essential to the delivery of evidence-based care and for informing strategies to address rural health inequities. Effective implementation of research education and training is fundamental to building rural health professional research capacity and capability. A lack of overarching guidance to inform the delivery of research education and training in rural health services can contribute to gaps in capacity-building approaches.

Enhancing the quality of allied health clinical supervision in a regional setting: An action research study.

Objective: To explore and describe strategies to enhance the implementation of an organisational clinical supervision framework and subsequently inform the development of a model of implementation of clinical supervision for allied health professionals in a regional health care setting.

Setting: A large regional health service in Victoria, providing hospital, rehabilitation, community, mental health and aged care services.

Participants: Allied health managers employed at the health service were members of an action research group.

Collaborative team approaches to supporting inclusion of children with disability in mainstream schools: A co-design study.

Background: Collaborative consultation involving educational staff, allied health professionals and parents working towards goals for children with disability is considered best practice in inclusive education. However, challenges can hinder effective collaboration, thereby potentially limiting child outcomes.

Aims: The study aims were to (a) explore the experiences of teachers, teacher assistants, allied health professionals, and parents engaging in collaborative teamwork to support inclusion of children with disability in mainstream primary schools, and (b) identify key factors influencing effective teamwork and the design of support strategies.

Community Health Programs Delivered Through Information and Communications Technology in High-Income Countries: Scoping Review.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has required widespread and rapid adoption of information and communications technology (ICT) platforms by health professionals. Transitioning health programs from face-to-face to remote delivery using ICT platforms has introduced new challenges.

Objective: The objective of this review is to scope for ICT-delivered health programs implemented within the community health setting in high-income countries and rapidly disseminate findings to health professionals.

Effectiveness of allied health clinical supervision following the implementation of an organisational framework.

Background: Clinical supervision makes an important contribution to high quality patient care and professional wellbeing for the allied health workforce. However, there is limited research examining the longitudinal implementation of clinical supervision for allied health. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of clinical supervision for allied health at a regional health service and clinicians' perceptions of the implementation of an organisational clinical supervision framework.

Building a rural workforce through identifying supports for rural, mature-aged nursing and allied health students: A systematic scoping review.

Introduction: There is a long-standing undersupply of nursing and allied health professionals in rural Australia. Rural, mature-aged people form an untapped section of rural communities that could help to address these workforce needs. There is little understanding of the supports required to assist rural, mature-aged nursing and allied health students to complete their studies and enter the rural health workforce.

Group clinical supervision for allied health professionals.

Objective: To evaluate a group clinical supervision program for allied health professionals in a regional health service.

Design: This study used a mixed-methods design including a cross-sectional, quantitative survey of group clinical supervision participants and a focus group of facilitators.

Setting: A large regional health service in Victoria, providing hospital, community and mental health services.

Australian occupational therapy academic workforce: An examination of retention, work-engagement, and role overload issues.

Background: The quality of the academic workforce is influenced by multi-level interactionist factors yet there is limited research into these influencing factors.

Aim: To investigate relationships between individual characteristics of Australian occupational therapy academics and work-related variables.

Method: An exploratory cross-sectional online survey collected demographic data and used standardized scales including the Turnover Intention Scale, 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Work-Life Balance Scale, Role Overload Scale and Self-Defined Burnout Scale.

Ecosystem response persists after a prolonged marine heatwave.

Some of the longest and most comprehensive marine ecosystem monitoring programs were established in the Gulf of Alaska following the environmental disaster of the Exxon Valdez oil spill over 30 years ago. These monitoring programs have been successful in assessing recovery from oil spill impacts, and their continuation decades later has now provided an unparalleled assessment of ecosystem responses to another newly emerging global threat, marine heatwaves. The 2014-2016 northeast Pacific marine heatwave (PMH) in the Gulf of Alaska was the longest lasting heatwave globally over the past decade, with some cooling, but also continued warm conditions through 2019.

Implementation interventions to promote the uptake of evidence-based practices in stroke rehabilitation.

Background: Rehabilitation based upon research evidence gives stroke survivors the best chance of recovery. There is substantial research to guide practice in stroke rehabilitation, yet uptake of evidence by healthcare professionals is typically slow and patients often do not receive evidence-based care. Implementation interventions are an important means to translate knowledge from research to practice and thus optimise the care and outcomes for stroke survivors.