Rural Allied Health Educator Program Welcomed In Griffith

Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) looks forward to playing a part in training the next generation of Allied Health Professionals following the NSW Government announcement of the Rural Allied Health Educator Program set to be rolled out across Murrumbidgee, Western NSW, Hunter New England and Southern NSW Local Health Districts.

MLHD Allied Health Manager, Roanna O’Hara said the program, which is a joint venture between NSW Health and the Department of Regional NSW, sought to boost the number of allied health student clinical placements available in regional local health districts.

“Having Allied Health Educators to work with and supervise speech pathology, occupational therapy and other allied health students enables us to offer more clinical placements in our hospitals and community health services,” Ms O’Hara said.

“It will also ensure that students get the best possible experience working in our health services.

“Enabling students to complete their clinical placements in regional hospitals gives them exposure to the benefits of working in a regional area.

“The Allied Health Educators will also support our new graduate and early career allied health clinicians by providing education and guidance as they progress in their career.

“Students who have an opportunity to complete a clinical placement in a regional area are more likely to consider working in a rural or regional area.

“We look forward to being able to provide more students with the opportunity to complete their student placements with us.”

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park said the program would be rolled out across the four LHDs.

“The Rural Allied Health Educator Program will support the employment of up to seven Allied Health Educators across these four regional Local Health Districts, which will boost the number of allied health student clinical placements we can provide,” Mr Park said.

“By bringing these clinical educators on board, more than 100 additional speech pathology, occupational therapy and other allied health students will undertake clinical placements across these regions each year.

“We are doubling the number of allied health students who undertake clinical placements.”

Independent Member for Murrumbidgee, Helen Dalton welcomed the announcement.

“We welcome this program to increase the number of educators in our health district,” Ms Dalton said.

“This means more trainees and better training and education pathways for medical professional students in NSW.

“Clearly there has been years of neglect in this space and there is a great need for healthcare staff in regional and rural NSW.

“A few months ago, I expressed great concern when the Emergency Department at Jerilderie had to close due to lack of staff.

And just last week at the Griffith Hospital function to mark progress in the construction of the new buildings, I welcomed the milestone there.

“However, I also emphasised that while new buildings are all well and good, we need the staff to make them fully operational.

“A program like this is welcome but much more needs to be done.

“This includes the Federal Government, they need to be doing more as well.”

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