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.
“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,” said Regional Health Minister, Ryan Park.
“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.”
A survey of students participating in the program found prior to commencing placement only 56.2% were interested in working for NSW Health in a rural area as a graduate.
Following completion of placement, 85% were more interested in working for NSW Health in a rural area as an allied health graduate and 95% 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 Ms Yu was open to working in a rural town, Ms di Coio said she had not considered it before her placement. Both will complete their next placement in Dubbo.
“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,” said Ms di Coio.
“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.”
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: Allied health professions in NSW Health.
