Media Releases

“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 

You will be aware of much of the high level priorities and detail included in the Commonwealth Government’s proposed 2022-23 Budget delivered on Tuesday night (29 March) and the Opposiiton response delivered on Thursday night (31 MarchThis document provides a summary of announcements made in the Budget that are likely to be of most relevance to SARRAH members and our organisation’s objectives. We use the original source material (copied where necessary) and links to importance sources. Click here to read the full report 

The Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) is set to commence in October 2022, and aims to support residential aged care providers to boost the quantum of care delivered daily to resident to meet a new standard of 200 minutes per resident per day. While this includes a minimum 40 minutes per day with a registered nurse, no such benchmarks have been set for allied health services. Click here to read full media release.

SARRAH calls on all politicians and aspirants to prioritise access to the ‘universal health care’ we pride ourselves on but too many can’t get. Rural communities need GPs, but they also need all the other services that keep them out of hospital, well and independent.   How universal is a health system that delivers worse health outcomes for people in rural and remote Australia year after year? People have different and complex health needs, they deserve a fit-for-purpose multidisciplinary health workforce, skilled in providing team-based care.  This is what we need from Governments, whoever they are. Allied health workforce and service shortages impact people living in rural and remote Australia adversely every day. Addressing them should be an urgent priority.  Health should be among the highest priorities for candidates in the coming Federal election. How much do they know about access to the services people need?  Click here to read full media release.

Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH), the peak body for allied health professionals working in rural and remote Australia, is proud to acknowledge the amazing efforts and contribution our members and their allied health colleagues make in improving the lives of many millions of Australians every year. Please read here the full Press Release. 

 Attract, Connect, Stay is a two-year project funded by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) and auspiced by Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) - the peak body representing rural and remote allied health professionals.

The Commonwealth Government’s announcement of $9.6 million over three years to improve access to allied health services is a win for regional, rural and remote communities.