Audit of allied health assistant roles: Suggestions for improving quality in rural settings

Abstract

Training in reflective practice may be a step to realising the potential of this crucial and emerging sector of the rural health workforce.

The Deployment and Utilization of the Allied Health Professions Support Workforce: A Scoping Review

“… Multiple AHPs 119 Allied Health Assistants; AHPs; Allied Health Leaders; AHA certificate training program educators and managers; AHA certificate training program students; and consumers of Victorian, health, disability and aged care services. Mixed Mixed 34 King et al (2022) 42 Australia Semi-structured interviews Multiple AHPs 21 Allied Health Assistants Hospital Mixed 29 Kiss et al (2019) 43 Australia Pre and post-test study Nutrition/dietetics within a cancer treatment clinic 91 Other: Head and neck cancer patients Hospital Not stated 18 Knight et al (2004) 24 UK Case study approach of 13 rehabilitation assistants using time sheets, observation, the think-aloud technique, and semi-structured interviews Multiple AHPs 13 Rehabilitation Assistants, and team leaders Mixed Not stated 23 Kuipers et al (2015) 44 Australia Role audit Multiple AHPs 41 Allied Health Assistants; AHPs; line managers/team leaders; health care team members Mixed Mixed 10 Le Cornu et al (2010) 45 UK Mixed methods - questionnaire and semi-structured telephone interviews Dietetics 18 DSWs, 62 dietitians for survey, sub-sample of 6 DSWs and 6 dietitians for interviews Support Workers; Dietitians …”

“…Deployment varied in the setting (rural versus metropolitan), 44 , 55 allied health discipline, 55 and team structure. 36 , 37 In rural settings, the proportions of SWAPs were reported to be higher than in metropolitan settings, 55 and they performed proportionally more non-clinical tasks.…”

Carers' preferences for the delivery of therapy services for people with disability in rural Australia: evidence from a discrete choice experiment

“…In an audit of allied health assistant roles, Kuipers et al . () described that, if adequately trained, therapy assistants can support clinical service delivery in these areas and would be a viable adjunct workforce to reduce waiting times.…”

Expanding speech pathology delegation practices: engaging Allied Health Assistants (AHAs) in dysphagia management in the acute hospital setting

“…Given that the health services for which the policies were designed cover a variety of inpatient, outpatient and rehabilitation services, it is not unexpected that role descriptions and references to area of practice need to be broad. However, the importance of clearly defined scope, including examples of 'full scope' is also supported by the literature (Kuipers, Hurwood, & McBride, 2015;Moran et al, 2015;Somerville et al, 2015;Stanhope & Pearce, 2013;Stute et al, 2013;Stute et al, 2014). A recent thematic analysis of responses from key focus groups regarding assistant delegation in rehabilitation teams highlighted 'removing barriers to prevent staff from working to their full scope' and 'maintaining role flexibility' as a key mechanism for successful implementation of an assistant model (Moran et al, 2015).…”