Evaluating new roles for the support workforce in community rehabilitation settings in Queensland

Abstract

Introduction. Alternative workforce models need to be explored to adequately meet the future health care needs of the Australian population. A new role for the support workforce, to optimise their contribution in community rehabilitation in Queensland – the advanced community rehabilitation assistant (ACRA) – was developed on the basis of service activity mapping and gap analysis. Objectives. Evaluation of a trial of the new ACRA role at six pilot sites in Queensland. Participants. ACRAs, health professionals and rehabilitation clients. Methods. Transcripts of semistructured telephone interviews conducted with ACRAs, health professionals and rehabilitation clients were thematically analysed. The nature of the role as well as perceived strengths and weaknesses were explored. Results. The presence of an ACRA was generally seen to diversify and expand local service capacity. The major challenge was the initial intensity of instruction that was required from supervising health professionals. Conclusions. ACRAs have potential to be valuable resources in the provision of community rehabilitation services. The challenge of meeting each new ACRA’s preliminary training needs requires further consideration. A critical mass of people trained to this role may be required to ensure sustainability. Further trial and evaluation is needed to investigate the role more thoroughly over time and in different settings. What is known about the topic? It is evident that support workers such as allied health assistants and assistants in nursing make a valuable contribution to healthcare provision. Emerging alternative health workforce models incorporate support workers in a range of capacities including generic health workers through to advanced support roles. What does this paper add? By presenting an evaluation of a trial of an ACRA role, this paper highlights potential benefits and challenges of such a role. What are the implications for practitioners? The trial of the ACRA’s role, as presented in this paper, demonstrates how practitioners can be personally involved in shaping workforce solutions at a service level. The attitude of health professionals to an expanded role for the support workforce and their ability to provide the necessary support for the role will influence its potential as a component of an alternative workforce model.