Allied Health in Primary Care Engagement Framework
The National PHN Allied Health in Primary Care Engagement Framework (the Framework) has been developed by the National Primary Health Networks (PHN) Cooperative to strengthen engagement between PHNs and the allied health sector. The Framework will serve as a roadmap for increased and collaborative ways of working.
Allied health peak bodies, practitioners, state and Federal governments, together with PHNs have all played a crucial role in shaping the development of this Framework. Broad stakeholder engagement took place through focus groups, roundtable discussions and a survey between March and June 2022. This input has been invaluable in informing future engagement strategies to support allied health contributions to patient and community outcomes. A Supporting Case Studies document was also developed to assist PHNs
The Vision for Change
This Framework has been developed with the intention of strengthening engagement between PHNs and the allied health sector, serving as a roadmap for increased and collaborative ways of working.
There is an opportunity for PHNs to play a key role in supporting allied health as an important part of an integrated health system. This includes having an increased focus towards wellbeing and prevention within the health system. The newly adopted Australia's Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan 2022-2032 provides the potential for a wider dialogue between PHNs and the allied health sector in these areas.
The Framework was developed to harness the opportunity, and in response to increased engagement with the allied health that arose during COVID-19 when the need for engagement guidelines became evident. In the context of unprecedented workforce challenges, this Framework offers a key opportunity to work together to optimise utilisations of the existing workforce.
The Purpose
The purpose of the Framework is to set out a roadmap to encourage a consistent approach to support efficient and effective primary healthcare allied health service delivery to communities, define roles and approaches for engaging with the allied health sector, and drive change to increase collaboration between allied health and PHNs.
The Framework provides a description of the intentions behind the development of the Framework, the core recommendations underpinning it, roles of PHNs in supporting allied health and six key priority areas including:
- Nationally-led collaboration
- Governance and culture
- Practice engagement
- Data quality and digital maturity
- Workforce and access to allied healthcare
- Integration, models of care and funding
The Framework is designed primarily for use by PHNs, with implementation at PHN level to be guided by the local allied health and other stakeholders. It is intended to support an ongoing process of strengthening PHN engagement with the allied health. As part of the Framework, a Supporting Case Studies document was also developed to assist PHNs with this implementation.
Next steps?
Developed under the National PHN Cooperative, the vision for the Framework is for it to be implemented across all 31 PHNs to encourage a consistent approach to working with the allied health sector.
A key element to successful implementation involves instigating discussions with the allied health sector to determine shared collaborative leadership.
The nine PHNs on the Steering Team for Allied Health in Primary Care Engagement Framework (STAHF) to develop the Framework will be establishing a new PHN implementation group to lead and support the national implementation of the Framework and allocating resourcing for its implementation.
Our Allied Health Clinical Council will also be championing the implementation of this Framework at the local level.
For more information, contact the Stakeholder Governance and Engagement Team via email.
