>About Us

About Us

Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) is nationally recognised as the peak body representing rural and remote allied health professionals.

SARRAH, established in 1995, is a “grassroots” organisation able to address the very particular needs of the individual rural and remote allied health professional.

SARRAH recognises that allied health professionals are - Tertiary qualified health professionals who apply their skills to diagnose, restore and maintain optimal physical, sensory, psychological, cognitive and social function. They are aligned with each other and their clients.

Professions may include, but are not limited to:

• Audiology
• Nutrition & Dietetics
• Exercise Physiology
• Occupational therapy
• Optometry
• Orthoptics
• Orthotics and Prosthetics
• Medical Laboratory Science
• Medical Radiation Science (Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiography, Nuclear Medicine, Sonography)
• Pharmacy
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatry
• Psychology 
• Social Work
• Speech Pathology

SARRAH recognises RURAL and REMOTE as a continuum of communities outside major metropolitan centres.

SARRAH has established an extensive Regional, State and National network of allied health professionals living and working in rural and remote Australia, encompassing the broad spectrum of health services provided.

SARRAH provides support for allied health practitioners working in both the public and private sector.

SARRAH advocates for rural and remote allied health professionals and allied health practice on local, state and national levels.

SARRAH is a member of:

• the National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA), the peak organisation representing the health and wellbeing of Australian rural and remote communities: NRHA website
• Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), the national peak body for allied health: AHPA website
• Australian Health Care Reform Alliance (AHCRA), calling for the development and implementation of a national health policy: AHCRA website
• National Primary Health Care Partnership (NPHCP), a national alliance of peak organisations representing health professionals involved in the delivery of primary health care services in Australia: NPHCP website 

SARRAH has a key role in promoting awareness amongst other health professions, consumers, government and non-government organisations of the role of the allied health professions in contributing to and meeting the needs for improved health outcomes of rural and remote communities.

SARRAH provides a Central Point of Contact for information, input, advice and feedback for those parties seeking a collective voice concerning rural and remote allied health professional issues.

There are SARRAH representatives on various Australian Government, State and Territory Rural Health and local health area advisory committees and working groups. SARRAH, through its representatives on these National, State and local organisations and committees, and its member network, is able to provide input into the development and implementation of national and state rural health policies and strategies.