Country allied health workers build stronger communities

This Allied Health Professions Day (14 October), WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is celebrating our almost 1000-strong allied health workforce and acknowledging all they do for country communities.

Director Allied Health Anna McDonald said this year’s theme ‘Stronger Together’ epitomised the compassion and dedication of country allied health workers.

“Whether they work in audiology, dietetics, occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, or one of the many other allied health areas, our allied health teams form an integral part of the patient’s healthcare journey,” Anna said.

Allied health services across country WA have gone from strength-to-strength over the past 12 months, with some impressive milestones.

In March, WACHS South West Speech Pathologist Sarah Mountford was named Outstanding Child Allied Health Practitioner of 2023.

The Allied Health Assistance Network was launched earlier this year, and provides ongoing support, networking, development and training opportunities to allied health assistants we have across our seven regions.

We also teamed up with East Metropolitan Health Service to deploy metropolitan based physiotherapists to the West Kimberley. The six-month program supported Kimberley-based physiotherapists to provide more face-to-face services in Derby and Fitzroy Crossing as well as surrounding communities.

The Donnybrook rehabilitation team supported close to 100 patients, like Lesley to get back on their feet, by providing rehabilitation close to home, where comprehensive social work assessments and interventions can occur.  

Elsewhere, patients recently took to the Care Opinion platform to thank our allied health teams in the Midwest and Great Southern.

If you’re interested in a future in allied health, check out this video to learn more about why choosing a career in the country is the way to go.