Two recent events have given the Allied Health team at UCRH an opportunity to make a strong impression locally and on the national stage.
National Allied Health Conference: flying the rural health flag
Held in Adelaide, the National Allied Health Conference brought together over 900 attendees from across the country, including representatives from state health agencies, local health districts, community organisations, universities, and fellow University Departments of Rural Health. The opening plenary featured a Welcome to Country by the Kuma Kuma Dance Group and keynote addresses from Dr Ingrid Lensink, South Australia’s Chief Allied and Scientific Health Officer , and the Hon. Rebecca White MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care.
UCRH’s Associate Professor Vanette McLennan and Allied Health Program Manager Kate Van Dommele both spoke at the event also. Vanette presented on the Impact of Rural Clinical Placements on Student Self-Efficacy and Staff Capacity in Aged Care Homes, drawing on our work around longer student placements in rural residential aged care homes in Northern Rivers. The presentation highlighted the transformative potential of rural placements for both students and aged care staff, reinforcing the value of rural clinical education in shaping the future health workforce. Kate’s presentation focused on preparing allied health students for practice while responding to rural community need and workforce shortages.
The conference covered a wide range of themes including workforce development, digital health, Aboriginal health, education, and rural health. The UCRH team who attended all reported a key takeaway of the recognition that regional organisations like UCRH are delivering high-quality, interprofessional education programs that are well embedded and impactful.
Clinical Educators Workshop: supporting supervisors and students
Closer to home, the UCRH Clinical Educators Workshop brought together over 40 attendees across nine disciplines including counselling, exercise physiology, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physiotherapy, social work, radiation therapy, and radiography. Participants represented various community organisations and local health district sectors and hospitals, including Lismore, Byron and Grafton Hospitals, and the Northern NSW Cancer Institute.
Facilitated by Matt Bates, an experienced counsellor and Mental Health First Aid Instructor, the workshop focused on practical strategies for supporting students on placement. Topics included developing learning agreements, building trust and communication, delivering difficult feedback, and promoting psychological safety and clinician self-care.
The session also provided a valuable platform for educators to share their experiences, request support, and learn more about the services UCRH offers to enhance clinical education.
