The Rural Allied Health Educator Pilot Program, a joint venture between NSW Health and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), is helping build a pipeline of allied health clinicians in regional and rural NSW by boosting student placements in Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD).
In WNSWLHD, there have been 435 allied health student placements since the introduction of the Rural Allied Health Educator Pilot Program, with 11 new services offering placements in 2024/2025.
The program is enticing allied health students to stay and take up full time roles in rural, regional and remote locations.
A survey of students participating in the program found prior to commencing placement only 56.2 per cent were interested in working for NSW Health in a rural area as a graduate.
Following completion of placement, 85 per cent were more interested in working for NSW Health in a rural area as an allied health graduate and 95 per cent of students were satisfied with their placement experience and would recommend a rural placement to other students.
Allied health clinical placements typically take 4-8 weeks and up to 25 weeks, and give students experience across a range of clinical areas relevant to their profession. The program includes occupational therapy, speech pathology, social work, dietetics and exercise physiology students.
The allied health educators work with universities to coordinate student placements, develop innovative placement models to address unique rural challenges, and support other allied health clinicians to increase student placement opportunities in regional NSW.
Dietetics students Olivia di Coio and Caitlin Yu are on placement in Canowindra where they have been impressed by the breadth of rural practice. While Caitlin was open to working in a rural town, Olivia had not considered it before her placement. Both will complete their next placement in Dubbo.
The $1 million Rural Allied Health Educator Pilot Program is a joint venture between NSW Health and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development across Hunter New England, Western NSW, Far West, Murrumbidgee and Southern NSW Local Health Districts.
DPIRD has invested $1 million per year over three years into the Rural Allied Health Educator Pilot Program.
For further information visit: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/workforce/alliedhealth/Pages/professions.aspx
Quotes attributable to Regional Health Minister Ryan Park:
"Staffing is one of the most critical issues we face in the healthcare system, and in regional, rural and remote locations that problem is amplified.
"I am really proud a program like this is having great results at encouraging allied health students to take up a rewarding role in the bush.
"The Minns Labor Government is committed to boosting our allied health workforce by increasing training and education pathways for students in rural and regional NSW."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty:
"We support the Rural Allied Health Educator Program through funding these important regional allied health workforces.
"Getting essential workers into regional NSW is a major focus of the Government and this program plays a role in that plan.
"The students also have the opportunity to participate in The Welcome Experience while on placement.
"The Welcome Experience is a service which provides essential workers the support they need to make the move into live and work in regional communities by assisting them to get to know the local area and people first."
Quotes attributable to Labor Spokesperson for Dubbo, Bathurst and Orange, Stephen Lawrence, MLC:
"Rural and regional NSW benefit from programs like this so communities can reach their full potential, which is why it is so great to see the success of the Rural Allied Health Educator Program to date under the Minns Government."
Quotes attributable to Member for Orange, Phil Donato:
"I support initiatives such as this, which form part of the longer-term solution in growing the health workforce we desperately need across regional NSW."
"Our country communities embrace newcomers, and most people soon discover that the social vibrancy throughout rural and regional NSW holds a lot of appeal, making it a great place to work, live and raise a family.
"I welcome Olivia and Caitlin on their placement in Canowindra, and I know the local community will throw their arms around them while on placement there."
Quotes attributable to Allied Health Student, Olivia Di Coio:
"Our supervisor (Dietician) Courtney (Pearce) is a sole practitioner, so we get to see a lot more variety of patient presentations than we would in Sydney. Courtney's a champion.
"I would never have expected to work rurally before this placement, but Canowindra is a really nice community. I would be open to living and working in a rural town in the future."
