Media Releases

Reforming our health system is a priority long overdue. Our system faces mounting pressures. Ministers acknowledge that key components are no longer fit-for-purpose, and this is putting the entire system at risk. Existing gaps in access and service capacity – long evident and unresolved - must be addressed. READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE 

The theme of International Women’s Day 2023 is Embrace Equity. On this IWD SARRAH encourages our leaders to get behind the workforce opportunities where women excel, where we have critical shortages and future demand growth is certain: to get behind allied health professions. READ MORE

An important step has been made to improved access to Allied Health services in rural and remote areas today with the appointment of Michael Bishop as Executive Officer to the Rural Allied Health Generalist Accreditation Council. Professor David Prideaux, Chair of the Council, said “This is a milestone for the Allied Health sector, and a great acknowledgement of the work done by Allied Health Professionals in rural and remote Australia. Allied health rural generalism is a crucial development which has been a long time in the pipeline. The Council is pleased to support Michael Bishop in this role.” 

   On balance the 2022 Federal Budget has been broadly well received, a considerable achievement given the circumstances. It focused on delivering promises the Government made during the election campaign – which didn’t include much on allied health. But allied health service capacity across rural and remote Australia is in crisis. As the peak body for allied health professionals working in rural and remote Australia, SARRAH is looking to coming months and the 2023-24 Budget for Government to show it understands and intends to help address these issues.  We are more than willing to help.

“Allied Health Professions Day recognises all the health disciplines that make up this vital workforce” said Cath Maloney, SARRAH CEO. “The National Skills Commission has projected demand in the overall workforce will grow by around 9 per in the five years to November 2026. This is more than a statistical curiosity. Surely a professional workforce that has doubled in 5 years and is projected to continue to grow is worth taking time to understand”, Cath says.  READ FULL MEDIA RELEASE HERE 

 CEO RE-APPOINTMENT A POSITIVE FOR RURAL ALLIED HEALTH WHEN CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACHES, EXPERTISE AND REFORM ARE NEEDED Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH), the peak body for allied health professionals working in rural and remote Australia, is pleased to announce SARRAH CEO, Cath Maloney, has been re-appointed for a further three years. SARRAH president, Dr Ed Johnson, said: “I am pleased to announce Cath Maloney will continue to lead SARRAH for a further three years. Cath’s re-appointment reinforces the stability and expertise SARRAH brings to our work to improve access to allied health services for the 7 million people living in rural and remote Australia. We are well placed to represent our members and advocate for much needed health, disability, aged care and other services for rural and remote Australians.” Ms Maloney said she was delighted to have been reappointed and proud of what SARRAH has accomplished over the past three years. “SARRAH is implementing a nationally significant workforce development project that is growing the number of allied health rural generalists – physiotherapists, speech pathologists, psychologists and the like - delivering primary care services across rural and remote Australia. We are also working to increase the reach and capacity of allied health professionals by developing the assistant workforce needed to support them. Both of these projects – funded by the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care - are providing much-needed infrastructure and training supports to service providers working in areas where the need is greatest. Read full media release here 

Meeting 3 -  Communique The third meeting of the Primary and Community Healthcare Advisory Committee (the Committee) was held at 1:00pm AEST on 16 August 2022 via videoconference.The meeting was chaired by Margaret Banks, Director, National Standards Program, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission).Substantive items discussed during the meeting included: Healthcare Variation Measurement and Quality Improvement Implementation of the National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards Improving Stakeholder Experience Read full Communique here 

“Providing NDIS participants with the allied health services they need has been an ongoing challenge for the scheme,” said Cath Maloney, CEO of Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health. “Children with developmental disorders are waiting up to two years to access therapeutic services. The consequences of this delay can mean lifelong challenges for those children. Many thousands of families are being affected, across Australia, but especially in rural and remote areas. It is completely at odds with what the NDIS is meant to deliver.” Read more 

Gemma Tuxworth writes: Six days ago, on 12 May, we saw a rare acknowledgement of the difficulties Australians face accessing essential allied health services. An ABC report shone a light on the need for more occupational therapists and speech pathologists. At SARRAH we know this is a mere snapshot of endemic shortages in allied health professionals and service access across Australia. And, if you live in a regional, rural or remote community that access is harder and, too often, non-existent. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Gemma Tuxworth, SARRAH’s acting CEO, explains: “Skilled allied health professionals - the second largest group of health professionals nationally – lead jobs demand yet they are all but ignored by policy makers. This is unfathomable given existing shortages and the findings of the Aged Care and Disability Royal Commissions that identified this workforce is critical to achieve better outcomes for vulnerable Australians.” Read the full media release here