NCAHA Member Events

In 2020 the provision of equitable and accessible allied health professional services in rural and remote Australia remains problematic.

Hear first hand from our three speakers as they present some ideas on how the situation might be improved.

Together our  speakers represent a wealth of experience and insight into rural Australian healthcare, and particularly with regard to allied health services and interventions.  They will lead a panel discussion on issues and challenges for rural allied health workforce, with a particular focus on the context of the NSW North Coast.

Professor Susan Nancarrow is a podiatrist by profession, but she has also become a noted healthcare researcher and consultant with an interest in optimising service organisation and health workforce flexibility.  She has lived for many years on the North Coast NSW and she is a current and founding Director of our North Coast Allied Health Association.  She is current director of the North Coast Local Health District and, in her spare time, has recently authored a book ‘The Allied Health Professions: A Sociological Perspective’ to be published in March 2021.

Cath Maloney is a physiotherapist with over 25 years’ experience in healthcare in rural NSW, both in the public and private sectors, and also as a Director on the Murrumbidgee PHN Board.  Cath completed a Master of Science in Medicine (Pain Management), is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and the advanced leadership program with Women and Leadership Australia (2019).  She now lives in Canberra where she is the CEO for Services for Australian Rural & Remote Allied Health (SARRAH), working hard to promote the benefits of allied health services in rural Australia and striving to improve access to these services for rural and remote communities.  Cath will present an update on the development of the Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathways (AHRGP) Program.

Professor Ross Bailie is a medical practitioner and health researcher, currently residing on the North Coast NSW where he is Director of the University Centre for Rural Health (UCRH) at Lismore.  He has extensive background in rural and remote health care, including in Indigenous health, maternal and child health and public health, and has worked in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Today Ross is speaking about the concept of an Allied Health Service and Learning Consortia here on the North Coast, and will also discuss relevant recommendations for allied health from the recent review of the national Rural Health Multi-disciplinary Teams (RHMT) Program.

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Jo and Anna Moran run a private physiotherapy practice in Wodonga, Victoria. Eighteen months ago, they were working 50 hour weeks and barely making a living. They took a number of steps which have put them firmly in control of their business, increased patient numbers and profitability. They were also well positioned to survive the COVID lockdown. Jo will talk through the changes they made to their practice, with lessons for other regional private allied health practitioners.