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Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway
A multi-jurisdictional strategy to advance the concept of an Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway (AHRGP) has been under development since 2013. The collaboration involved in developing the AHRGP brings together health and education sector partners from across Australia.
An evidence-based strategy that improves access to essential health services and promotes and develops an agile, interconnected rural and remote health workforce with a breadth of skills and capacity needed to work across service sectors.
What is an Allied Health Rural Generalist?
Working within their profession’s scope of practice, allied health rural generalists possess, or are developing, broad clinical competencies, plus one or more areas of “depth” or “special skills” that align to a specific service priority or community need.

Rural generalists provide services to a large range of consumers, for a wide breadth of clinical presentations, and usually work across the age spectrum and in a variety of healthcare delivery settings including hospital services, ambulatory & community care, primary healthcare, disability, and aged care.

Working in small teams and in inter-professional and inter-agency service models is common. This requires a range of non-clinical capabilities including collaborative practice, service evaluation and planning, leadership, education and training, community engagement and cultural safety.
Allied Health Rural Generalist Training Positions
Allied Health Rural Generalist (AHRG) training positions support the graduate/early career practitioner to develop relevant skills to meet the health needs of rural and remote communities. Where workforce shortages are acute, AHRG training positions can improve attraction, recruitment and retention, and build the capabilities of allied health professionals and the multidisciplinary team.

The AHRG Training Position should require the professional to practice with a generalist scope of practice within their relevant allied health profession.
An AHRG Training Position is appropriate for an early career practitioner in one of the following health professions:

  • Dietetics & Nutrition
  • Physiotherapy Exercise
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Podiatry
  • Medical Radiation Science (Radiography)
  • Psychology
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Social Work
  • Pharmacy
  • Speech Pathology

Key elements of an Allied Health Rural Generalist Training Position:

  • Formal education

    A formal education program that supports the development of the clinical and non-clinical rural generalist practice requirements of the relevant allied health profession. This aim enhances the skills and capabilities of the allied health workforce to meet the challenges of delivering services in rural and remote areas.

  • Structured supervision and support

    Workforce policy and employment structures - such as structured supervision and support - that align to development requirements and facilitate progression from entry-level competency to proficient rural generalist in the relevant allied health profession and into extended scope roles where this is required by the service. This aims to improve the recruitment and retention of allied health professionals in rural and remote services with a focus on supporting the AHRG Trainee.

  • Service development project

    As part of their training, rural generalist trainees undertake a service development project that supports and engages the trainee to innovate and implement solutions to the challenges of delivering care across geographically dispersed and culturally diverse populations. This aims to support the growth of allied health service models that meet the needs of rural and remote communities.


Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway structure
Career Pathway Structure

To date, rural generalist training positions have been primarily established to support early-career allied health professionals attain the Graduate Diploma in Rural Generalist Practice while completing structured workplace-based activities including a service development project.
Rural Generalists who have completed this training may be said to have achieved a level of competency in line with the standards outlined in accreditation documents held by SARRRAH through a licence agreement with Queensland Health[1].
Further work is required to develop program standards and requirements that recognised the “proficient” or “expert” rural generalist.

[1] https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/720496/ahha-accreditation.pdf
Access the Terms of Reference HERE
Allied Health Rural Generalist Accreditation Council
Established as an independent council under the Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) corporate governance structure, the Allied Health Rural Generalist Accreditation Council (the Council) accredits post‐professional education programs in rural generalist practice for allied health professions as part of the Allied Health Rural Generalist (AHRG) Pathway.
Meet the Council
  • Prof. David Prideaux
    Chair
    An educator by background with expertise in curriculum development, assessment and evaluation. His roles included curriculum design, assessment, evaluation and staff development for the medical course at Flinders including a pivotal role in the foundation of the new graduate-entry and problem-based learning medical course in 1996. He is the Director and Chair of Assessment Committee at the Australian Medical Council
  • Dr Anthea Brand
    Deputy Chair
    An Accredited Practicing Dietitian with significant experience working in community and primary health care settings across rural and remote Australia. Senior Lecturer College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University where she contributes to health professional education and to the Remote Primary Health Care Manuals which are integral in shaping primary health care health service provision in remote and Indigenous communities.
  • Corey Paulson
    Council Member

    Cory Paulson is a Worimi man, growing up on the east coast of NSW. Cory has been living on Wilyakali country Broken Hill for over 20 years with his wife and 4 children.

    Throughout his working life, Cory has worked in regional, rural, and remote communities across many industries within the Western and Far West of NSW, including mining, telecommunications, retail, construction, and many social services. As an Allied Health professional has an understanding and works with the multi-disciplinary teams that provide services within the area he serves.

    Over his life along with his study, and professional career, he has gained lived experience and knowledge of the issues facing First Nations individuals, families, and the communities he serves. He hopes to continue to add value to the system through leadership, support, and advocacy through actions.

  • Dr Isabel Paton
    Council Member

    A rural generalist physiotherapist, Isabel has also worked in healthcare management, overseeing community care programs for NSW and Victorian health organisations. Isabel serves as a Board Director for Beechworth Health Service and is a member of the exam writing panel for the Australian Physiotherapy Council.

    Isabel has been awarded a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) as recognition of her leadership and influence in higher education practice.

  • Hannah Mann
    Council Member
    Hannah Mann is an experienced community pharmacist in the Kimberley's with responsibilities across several communities. She is a practitioner member of and Chair of the Pharmacy Board of Australia. She is on the AHRG Accreditation Council and has dedicated much of her time to improve the cultural safety and cultural responsiveness of pharmacy services in Australia.
  • Annie Farthing
    Council Member
    Living and working as a physiotherapist in Central Australia since 1992, in urban community health, rehabilitation, remote allied health practice and aged care. She has taught in the Context of Remote and Indigenous health, Recognising and responding to dementia in remote and Indigenous communities, Working with people with disabilities in remote and Indigenous contexts, and is currently involved in further research on assessment and case management with Indigenous people.
The AHRG Pathway National Strategy Group
The AHRG Pathway National Strategy Group (AHRG Pathway NSG) aims to achieve a nationally recognised and accepted, sustainable and valuable rural generalist pathway for the allied health professions.

The AHRG Pathway National Strategy Group (AHRG Pathway NSG) aims to achieve a nationally recognised and accepted, sustainable and valuable rural generalist pathway for the allied health professions. It provides oversight to the development of the Pathway, as well as strategic advice and support to stakeholders, decision-makers and allied health service providers.



ROLE AND FUNCTION


The AHRG Pathway NSG will representatives from organisations with interest and expertise in the development and growth of the AHRG Pathway nationally, including professional associations, health workforce agencies, university departments of rural health, primary health networks and local health networks. Additional members may be invited from time to time to ensure representation from relevant technical experts.


The role of the AHRG Pathway NSG is to:

  • Provide expert advice and oversight to support the successful development and implementation of the AHRG Pathway including coursework accreditation;
  • Provide advice to AAHLF, Departments of Health and other stakeholders regarding the progress of the National AHRG Pathway Development Plan
  • Encourage allied health service providers, commissioning organisations, professional membership bodies and teaching institutions to engage with the AHRG Pathway; and
  • Publicly convey the purpose, benefits and outcomes of the AHRG Pathway for the allied health professions and for rural communities.

Acknowledgements

The Allied Health Rural Generalist Pathway initiative is a collaboration between the Allied Health Professions’ Office of Queensland (AHPOQ), New South Wales Ministry of Health, Northern Territory Department of Health, Western Australia Country Health Service and Department of Health Western Australia, Rural Support Service, SA Health, Tasmanian Health Service, Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, James Cook University, Queensland University of Technology and Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH).

Further Information on the allied health rural generalist pathway and initiatives

Please contact SARRAH if you require more information on the allied health rural generalist pathway.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1800 338 061