Capital Health Network

CHN partnered with the University of Canberra to develop a platform to engage early-career allied health graduates to increase their preparedness for delivering services in a primary health care setting. Through this project, CHN hosted placements for students completing a relevant allied health post graduate degree for an eight-week duration.

The pilot placement conducted scoping of the need for early career supports for allied health professionals in the ACT. Initial scoping identified barriers to communication and collaboration between general practice and allied health, integration opportunities in co-located practices and outside of referral relationships, and opinions on referral systems and MBS billings in an ACT context.

Possible future application for improving allied health service provision in the general practice environment include:

• interprofessional education for final year allied health students and medical students to develop team skills and competence
• allied health students shadowing an allied health professional co-located in general practice
• CHN organising joint professional development events for allied health professionals and GPs on relevant health topics or niche patient groups.

CHN looks forward to hosting additional allied health students in the future to engage and support early career allied health.