The Allan Labor Government is continuing to back Victoria's allied health workforce, with Monash Health appointed to host and manage a brand-new centre to support the sector.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas today announced that Monash Health has been appointed to set up the new Victorian Centre for Advancement in Allied Health (VCAAH).
Made possible thanks to a $3.4 million investment to establish and operate the service - the centralised hub will co-locate health services, academic supports and unions with the sole focus of supporting and developing this critical workforce.
With the establishment of the centre, the Labor Government delivers on a key commitment made to our allied healthcare workers during the last round of EBA negotiations.
Core functions of the VCAAH will include:
- Improving the profile and visibility of the allied health workforce
- Supporting statewide workforce planning
- Improving allied health professional practice, service design, and system policy
- Encouraging the uptake of evidence based clinical methods
- Helping allied health professionals develop and provide leadership across the sector.
Monash Health was awarded the tender in May of this year and has already begun to recruit staff, finalise operational functions and develop the strategic workplan for the coming year.
Victoria is home to 42,500 allied health practitioners across 27 professions including occupational therapy and speech pathology, radiography and physiotherapy.
The Labor Government has made significant investments to boost Victoria's healthcare workforce, growing it by more than 50,000 staff, including more than 7000 allied health professionals.
Almost one in four new roles created have been in regional and rural areas, which have welcomed around 9,500 new nurses, doctors, allied services and supporting staff.
The Victorian Centre for Advancement in Allied Health will begin operating in the coming months as recruitment is finalised.
For more information, please visit vcaah.org/.
As stated by Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas
"Allied health workers do incredibly important work - that's why the new centre at Monash Health will be key to ensuring that the more 42,000 practitioners get the support they need."
"We will always back our allied health workforce so they can continue delivering world-class care to Victorians across the state."
