Background to the study
In Tasmania, the problems associated with public health are threefold: our health and wellbeing outcomes lag behind the rest of Australia; the current organisation and delivery of allied health services are inadequate for addressing the state’s public health challenges; and allied health education and training is insufficient to create an appropriate local health workforce. The northwest community in particular is experiencing ongoing challenges in accessing allied health care services in New Norfolk. This region also faces significant workforce recruitment and retention challenges along with high prevalence of chronic disease and ill-health.
In 2021 the Centre for Rural Health received a grant from the Commonwealth government to establish a new rural training site in New Norfolk. The program funding objective is to help deliver improved rural health services through additional infrastructure, increased levels of teaching and training for health practitioners and increases healthy living education to local communities.
Research aim
To partner with the New Norfolk community and surrounding Derwent Valley areas to codesign a new rural training model that facilitates a multidisciplinary approach to population health supportive of the aging experience into AH and nursing education and practice in a Tasmanian regional community.
Ethics
This study has been approved by the University of Tasmania Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) (H0029205).
Objectives
- Identify general characteristics, the underpinning models of practice, experiences and outcomes of establishing public health activities that are supportive of the aging experience and allied health and nursing training.
- Effectively engage with the New Norfolk community and surrounding Derwent Valley areas, its leaders, health professionals and other stakeholders through the framework of participatory action research (PAR) to assess and respond to local health and social well-being needs.
- Effectively engage with AH and nursing academics through the framework of PAR to devise evidence-based multidisciplinary and community-based learning that promotes population health supportive of the aging experience.
Expected Outcomes
There are important study benefits at the individual, community, university and student levels.
- Individual level - the Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) approach can be empowering by including individuals in all aspects of the research process and having their voices represented in health service delivery and education discussions;
- Community level - the study may help to create momentum and opportunities for social change towards strengthening multidisciplinary population health service delivery that is supportive of the aging experience, and at the
- University level - the study will inform the ongoing development of multidisciplinary, community based, population health learning curriculum and work integrated learning experiences.
Download the information sheet (PDF 139.0 KB) and consent form (PDF 177.4 KB).
Register your interest in participating by emailing: Allied.Health.Expansion.SHS@utas.edu.au
If you’re unsure if you meet the requirements, call or email:
Dr Lisa Dalton, Chief Investigator
Lisa.Dalton@utas.edu.au
+61 3 6324 3734
