Context Matters: Findings from a Qualitative Study Exploring Service and Place Factors Influencing the Recruitment and Retention of Allied Health Professionals in Rural Australian Public Health Services.

Catherine Cosgrave

doi:10.3390/ijerph17165815

Abstract

Chronic health workforce shortages significantly contribute to unmet health care needs in rural and remote communities. Of particular and growing concern are shortages of allied health professionals (AHPs). This study explored the contextual factors impacting the recruitment and retention of AHPs in rural Australia. A qualitative approach using a constructivist-interpretivist methodology was taken. Semi-structured interviews (n = 74) with executive staff, allied health (AH) managers and newly recruited AHPs working in two rural public health services in Victoria, Australia were conducted. Data was coded and categorised inductively and analysed thematically. The findings suggest that to support a stable and sustainable AH workforce, rural public sector health services need to be more efficient, strategic and visionary. This means ensuring that policies and procedures are equitable and accessible, processes are effective, and action is taken to develop local programs, opportunities and supports that allow AH staff to thrive and grow in place at all grade levels and life stages. This study reinforces the need for a whole-of-community approach to effectively support individual AH workers and their family members in adjusting to a new place and developing a sense of belonging in place. The recommendations arising from this study are likely to have utility for other high-income countries, particularly in guiding AH recruitment and retention strategies in rural public sector health services. Recommendations relating to community/place will likely benefit broader rural health workforce initiatives.

Highlights

Many rural communities around the world struggle to attract, recruit and retain a full spectrum of health workers to service the often-complex health needs of diverse populations living in rural places
The findings from this study highlight that there are many shared organisational and workplace challenges that contribute to poor recruitment and ‘avoidable’ Allied health (AH) staff turnover
To support a sustainable AH workforce, rural public sector health services must be efficient and demonstrate strategic leadership and vision. Efficiency means such things as improving recruitment processes and ensuring that professional development (PD) programs are accessible to all staff, while strategic leadership and vision mean going beyond just understanding AH workforce challenges and taking action to develop local programs, opportunities and supports that allow AH staff to thrive and grow in place

Summary

Introduction

Many rural communities around the world struggle to attract, recruit and retain a full spectrum of health workers to service the often-complex health needs of diverse populations living in rural places. In Australia, these chronic rural health workforce shortages have been identified as significantly contributing to the substantial unaddressed health care needs found in rural and remote communities [1]. Of particular and growing concern are shortages of allied health professionals (AHPs), given the greater reliance on collaborative, team-based care in rural places and the lead role that. Shortages of AHPs are likely to be a contributing factor in the lower hospitalisation rates for rehabilitation care among Australians living in rural areas, with 6.9 hospitalisations per 1000 population for outer regional areas and 6.2 for remote areas compared to 19 in major cities [1]. Public Health 2020, 17, 5815; doi:10.3390/ijerph17165815 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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