Resources
On this page you will find various resources to assist Rural and Remote Allied Health professionals. If you are the author of relevant resources, and would like your work represented here please contact us.
Better Help for Health Professionals Means Better Help for Treating Mental Health Problems
Health professionals will have access to new clinical practice guidelines to help them identify and treat mental health problems following National Health and Medical Research Council’s approval of guidelines developed by beyondblue: the national depression initiative.
Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler has welcomed the release of the two clinical practice guidelines addressing depression and related issues, and said that the Gillard Government has a strong commitment to making sure that people who are dealing with mental health issues receive the best possible care and treatment. “These Guidelines will assist health professionals across Australia to identify and respond to depression and mental health risks for young people and mothers. “One guideline will provide guidance in the effective treatment of depression amongst the traditionally hard to target group of adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 24 years. The second will assist primary and maternity care health professionals provide care to those in the perinatal (around birth) period to improve quality of life for mothers and their babies.
“We must not underestimate the effect of depression on people living with the condition and their families. These new guidelines will ensure that people seeking help can be confident that their health professional has the best available evidence to identify depression and to make the best possible decisions for treatment. “Guidelines support experience and good clinical judgment. Today, health practitioners and families have a valuable addition to their treatment tool kit. I urge all health professionals who work with young people and new mothers to get a copy of the guidelines and take full advantage of the important information that they contain,” Mr Butler said.
The beyondblue Clinical Practice Guideline: Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults and Clinical Practice Guidelines for depression and related disorders – anxiety, bipolar disorder and puerperal psychosis – in the perinatal period were partly funded by the Australian Government.
Copies of the Guidelines are available from beyondblue or through the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Clinical Guidelines Portal and can be accessed through the National Health and Medical Research Council's website www.nhmrc.gov.au.
Journey After Stroke Booklet - Survivor Education Resource
- A unique educational resource specifically developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stroke survivors and their families
- Easy to read, practical information to encourage behaviour change to reduce the risk of stroke
- Developed by the Rural Stroke Outreach Service, The Townsville Hospital, after extensive consultation with Indigenous Liaison Officers and Health workers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stroke survivors and their families.
- Please contact Ian Meade (Ian_Meade@health.qld.gov.au or Ph 07 47962370), to receive free copies of the 48 page “Journey After Stroke’ booklet”.
Supervision and Delegation Framework for Allied Health Assistants
In 2010-11 the Department of Health (the department) engaged Healthcare Management Advisors to develop the 'Supervision and delegation framework for allied health assistants' (the framework). The framework has been developed through research and broad stakeholder consultation and provides information and guidance to enhance the utilisation and development of the allied health assistant role (AHA) across health and community services throughout Victoria.
The framework incorporates the breadth of views and opinions of the varying stakeholders who took part in the consultation process from a variety of health care settings in rural and metropolitan Victoria.
The framework is available on the VIC Health Workforce website at www.health.vic.gov.au/workforce.
The department will also undertake a number of activities to promote the uptake of the framework and is currently in the process of developing an additional web page which will provide AHA related information and resources, including the framework.