The National Allied Health Practice Engagement Toolkit, a practical and accessible resource for allied health clinicians working in primary care, has been officially launched this month, with COORDINARE – South Eastern NSW PHN launching a local version. 

A PHN Cooperative initiative led by the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECC PHN), the Toolkit supports busy allied health clinicians, by providing streamlined and localised content with links to essential information. It is a key component in supporting primary care allied health professionals across Australia to deliver more integrated, efficient, and patient-centred care. 

The Toolkit offers guidance across several critical areas:

• Understanding the local health system, including how to connect with COORDINARE and fellow clinicians
• Education and networking, to enhance professional capability and improve service delivery
• Clinical quality and governance, ensuring safer and higher-quality patient care
• Business efficiency and funding, including insights into grants and other financial supports
• Digital health integration, to improve connectivity and workflow across the system
• Understanding of allied health roles, including education pathways and interprofessional collaboration. 

HNECC PHN Chief Executive Office, Richard Nankervis said, “the Toolkit clarifies the complementary roles of PHNs and peak allied health bodies in supporting primary care clinicians. 

“PHNs welcome continued collaboration with organisations such as Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA), and Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) to build a stronger, more integrated allied health workforce,” said Mr Nankervis. 

The Toolkit builds on the foundations laid by the National PHN Allied Health in Primary Care Engagement Framework released in 2022, designed to strengthen collaboration between Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and the allied health sector. 

Implementation and ongoing development of the Toolkit will be overseen by the National PHN Cooperative Allied Health Framework Implementation Group, which includes PHN representatives, the Department of Health and Aged Care Chief Allied Health Officer, and regular input from allied health peak bodies. 

COORDINARE's CEO, Prudence Buist said, said “COORDINARE’s toolkit offers allied health the opportunity to learn more about patient safety, digital tools and funding and grant opportunities relevant for allied health. 

“Our local Toolkit can help allied health to access local education and increase avenues to connect with other local health professionals.” 

Ms Buist added, “We encourage all our local allied health professionals to visit our allied health webpages, to explore the COORDINARE Toolkit and discover how it can support their work and to complete our Allied Health Survey.” 

This initiative has been funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care.