Jessica Burrey of Emerald Pharmacy Services (QLD) speaks to SARRAH's Bonnie Collins about the challenges of recruitment and retention in rural Australia and how organisations may be better supported to recruit and upskill overseas-trained Allied Health graduates

Supporting rural and remote service providers to find and keep staff

The Singleton summit brought together SARRAH members, service providers and partner organisations, a range of Commonwealth and NSW government officials, educators from the school, VET and university sectors, the Mayor of Singleton and more to put a spotlight on how everyone's effort can come together in a place like the Hunter to make a real difference to improve services and job opportunities where it counts: in our rural and remote communities.

Singleton Allied Health Workforce Summit

In this episode, the Regional Australia Institute's Chief Economist, Dr Kim Houghton, provides an overview of recent labour market trends, including substantial growth within the health and community services sector, that help explain why having a rural and remote health workforce strategy is so important.

Dr Kim Houghton: Health and Community Services workforce trends in the regions

On 25 September 2023 SARRAH hosted an allied health workforce summit in the Hunter Valley to highlight the acute workforce shortages being experienced by service providers.  Richard Nankervis, CEO of the Hunter New England Central Coast PHN, provided an overview of the work of PHNs in supporting primary care services, and of their increasing involvement in supporting local allied health services and workforce development.

Primary Health Networks supporting allied health service development

The AHA's Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award recognizes outstanding efforts among hospitals and health care systems to advance equity of care and reduce health disparities within their communities. 2023 Rural Winner, Monument Health, was honored for their journey in health equity progress that has spanned over 8 years. In this conversation, Paulette Davidson, president and CEO of Monument Health, and Sandra Ogunremi, DHA, vice president of diversity, inclusion and belonging at Monument Health, discuss how one incident made the rural health system vow to do better and commit to a strong path forward in health care equity.

Equity of Care Award Winner Monument Health: A Commitment to Inclusion

Megan Callinan, CEO of Marathon Health, describes their approach to health workforce development, incorporating robust a governance framework, strong linkages with education providers and a focus on the "enabling health workforce", that have seen the organisation's workforce double in size despite workforce shortages. Listen in to hear how they did it!

Megan Callinan: Rural employers need support so workers can "learn where they earn"

In this week's edition of Ferncast, we interview Dr Veronika Rasic, a doctor in rural England. Veronika discusses the challenges involved in providing care and the ongoing pressures on healthcare providers with strained budgets.

Dr Veronika Rasic is the creator and host of the Rural Road to Health Podcast which aims to amplify the stories and voices of rural communities and people working in rural health. As an advocate for rural health equity, Dr Rasic encourages students and early career healthcare professionals to delve into opportunities within rural healthcare. In 2017 she co-founded Rural Seeds, a global network designed for students and early-career health professionals with an interest in rural health. Dr Rasic also holds an executive role within EURIPA (European Rural and Isolated Practitioner Association), she is a part of the WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice and contributes to the WONCA Europe Working Party for Policy Advocacy. Dr Rasic is passionate about working on the intersection between rural health and policy to improve health outcomes for rural communities.

Dr Rasic earned her medical degree from the University of Rijeka in Croatia. Her early career in Croatia cantered around pre-hospital emergency medicine and rural primary care. In 2016, she relocated to the UK and by 2019, completed her GP training. She now actively practices as both a locum and digital GP across various primary care settings in the UK while also undertaking a Masters in Global Health Policy with the University of Edinburgh.

E24 Dr Veronika Rasic - Rural Road To Health

Cath and Al discuss the latest publication from the "Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce" Scope of Practice Review in preparation for an upcoming member forum.  Join the SARRAH Circle to find out more!

Scope Of Practice Review Issues Paper 1

Cath speaks to Anna Pannuzzo, Founding Director at WorkPlacePLUS, about the challenges of allied health workforce recruitment and retention from the perspective of an HR specialist.

Health Workforce Recruitment and Retention: an HR Specialist's perspective

Louise Whitton, Managing Director of Gunnedah-based Focus on Function, talks to Cath about strengths-based approaches to growing and retaining a local allied health workforce in rural NSW.

A strengths-based approach to growing and keeping a local allied health workforce

Rural GP Dr Philip Webster and Pharmacist in General Practice Brooke Shelly, from Ontario Medical Clinic in Mildura Victoria,  talk to Cath about emergent roles for Pharmacists in Primary Care and other aspects of primary care reform.

Pharmacists in General Practice adding value to Multidisciplinary Team Care

April is the Chief Executive Officer of the North Carolina Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. She shares her insights of providing care to the uninsured population in North Carolina and the challenges of providing care in the 65 clinics across North Carolina. Read more about April and the NCAFCC at https://ncafcc.org/

H.I. Ep. 114 - April Cook, CEO North Carolina Association of Free and Charitable Clinics

'सड़कों की आवाज़ें'
शुरुआती दिनों मे एक यंग एनेरजेटिक पब्लिक हेल्थ रिसर्चर के रूप में मैं लोगों को तंबाकू छोड़ने के लिए कहता रहता था। ‘भारत मे तंबाकू से संबंधित बीमारियों से हर दिन 2000-3000 लोग लोग मरते हैं। ‘पैकेट में मौत लिखी है वाली अक्षय कुमार की ऐड नहीं देखी?’ वगेरे वगेरे। 
फिर मैं 30-35 साल के कैब  ड्राइवर रमेश  को मिला। क्यूंकी ड्राइवर लोगों मे तंबाकू का उपयोग बहुत आम है, मैं तंबाकू के बारे मैं रमेश को बताता गया और वो दिन रात सड़कों पर अपनी टेकसी चलाते चलाते मुजे चुपचाप सुनता गया ।  रोजाना मिलों का सफर तय करने वाले रमेश ने एक दिन अपने भीतर की यात्रा की, और हिम्मत जुटा कर मुझे  अपने मन की बात कह दी।  ''सड़कों की आवाज़ें' नाम के इस एपिसोड में आइए रमेश के तंबाकू छोड़ने के दिलचस्प दृष्टिकोण को उसी की जबान मे सुनते हैं। 
__
“I’m off now, wherever the road takes me…”
As a young and spirited public health researcher, the presenter urged people to quit tobacco. And then he met Ramesh, a cab driver in his mid-thirties, who listened to him quietly as he drove the researcher around on his field visits. In answer to the social worker’s long sermons on the ill effects of tobacco, Ramesh said nothing. 
One day, unexpectedly, the researcher receives a notification on his phone. It is a long message, in Hindi, from Ramesh. The cab driver politely speaks his mind and opens his heart in a way that makes the researcher think, and consider the question deeply.
“Professor Saab, you might think I chew tobacco out of habit or for fun. But no, it’s not like that. It helps me work. I have to drive for hours, day and night. You guests rest in the back after your meals, but I have to stay alert to get you home safely. When one is alone and has to stay awake, one needs some company. It keeps us going…”
Ramesh appears to be defending his tobacco habit, but in actuality he is uncovering the hard life of a daily wage earner who toils to make ends meet, and has to withstand numerous societal challenges every day. More so, it shines a light on the public healthcare system that makes little effort to prevent tobacco consumption but wakes up only when a user falls ill. 
“If society or the government really wanted us to quit, they’d make it harder to access tobacco, wouldn’t they?” Ramesh asks. “But no, it’s available everywhere. Every other shop sells it alongside biscuits, hair oil, and shampoo. It’s cheaper than tea.” 
What do you feel after listening to Ramesh’s letter? Drop us a note with your thoughts.
CREDITS
Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Taxi driver voiced by Sanjay Chauhan
——
Chapters:
0:00:00 - Introduction - Sadakon Ki Awaazein
0:01:19 - A Public Health Researcher Reflects
0:02:35 - Meet Ramesh, the taxi driver
0:03:49 - Ramesh’s Message
0:04:59 - Tobacco Addiction Since Childhood
0:06:19 - Struggles To Quit Tobacco
0:09:15 - Outro
0:10:00 - Epilogue

Sadkon Ki Awaazein - सड़कों की आवाज़ें - लिखो जो ख़त मुझे मयूर त्रिवेदी के साथ Ep 1

Mississippians are no strangers to ticks, but residents of the Magnolia State may be surprised to learn that these pesky parasites are capable of spreading a food allergy that makes red meat particularly hazardous. 

The allergy, known as alpha-gal syndrome, affects hundreds of thousands of Americans and is particularly prevalent in the southeastern United States, where ticks thrive due to the warm, humid climate. 

Mississippi researchers investigate growing tick-borne allergy to red meat

Ilsa Nielsen, Principal Workforce Officer for Queensland Health, talks to Ruby about QLD Health's Service-critical Workforce Framework and its role in ensuring continuity of care for Queensland's rural and remote communites.

Service-Critical Workforce Framework

Laura Simmons is an OT and the founder and creator of Theratrak. A digital health platform for allied health professionals. Laura is a practising paediatric OT and has worked across Sydney's private disability sector for the last 10+ years. Aside from OT, Laura is a passionate techy; she loves seeing how technology can make our workflows easier and help therapists support their participants reach their potential.

Future-Proofing Therapy: Leveraging Digital Innovation in Regional Communities

Tristan and Victor host a discussion with Dr. Alana Knudson, director and Senior Fellow at the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis. Key points include:

Dr. Knudson's early passion for rural health, stemming from her upbringing in a rural North Dakota community and work with the state's Department of Health.

The challenges facing rural communities, particularly around poverty, livable wages, and access to essential services like healthcare.

The impact of state and federal policies on rural healthcare delivery, and the need for financing models that account for the unique circumstances of rural providers.

The role of emerging technologies, such as remote patient monitoring, in improving access to healthcare in rural areas.

Successful community-driven interventions, like community health worker programs, that have made a meaningful impact.

Advice for researchers and public health professionals to listen to rural communities and collaborate with them to address their specific needs and concerns.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/news-items/plugged-in-to-public-health-challenges-and-opportunities-in-rural-health-with-dr-alana-knudson/

Have a question for our podcast crew or an idea for an episode? You can email them at CPH-GradAmbassador@uiowa.edu

You can also support Plugged in to Public Health by sharing this episode and others with your friends, colleagues, and social networks.

#publichealth

Talking Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Health with Alana Knudson

The United States has a maternal mortality issue. In 2021, the U.S. ranked 55th in the world for maternal mortality, by far the worst of any higher-income country. Even more concerning, Black women are disproportionately impacted and experience maternal mortality 2.6 times the rate for White women. Beyond the lack of access and ongoing systematic racism, a wave of hospital mergers has increased consolidation in the hospital industry, leaving vulnerable populations with no access to quality maternal care. Joining us today is Professor Theodosia Stavroulaki, who joined the Center for Health Law Studies Faculty in 2024. Professor Stavroulaki’s research has uncovered the overlooked impact of hospital mergers on maternal mortality and how antitrust law can influence the outcomes. Thank you for joining us today.

The Hidden Cause of Maternal Mortality in the United States - Professor Stavroulaki

Successes with Self Monitored Blood Pressure: Rural Health Lessons Learned

Welcome to “Talking For Purpose", SARRAH’s weekly podcast for anyone interested in changing up rural and remote health.

SARRAH talks to allied health leaders and others about the changes needed to achieve better access to allied health services for rural and remote Australia.  If you’re looking for informative and entertaining chat while you cover those miles between country towns on your daily rounds, this is the podcast for you.

Future Economic Rural Network's FERNCAST programme covers weekly issues related to rural development and rural economy.

You are listening to Radio Azim Premji University, our campus radio station. Azim Premji University was founded in 2010 with the vision to contribute to the realisation of a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society. On our channel, you can tune in to a variety of engrossing shows on themes ranging from democracy and culture, science and mathematics, and more. You can also experience a slice of campus life. If you are a seeking student, an arts aficionado, curious about science, or just passionate about India, subscribe and start listening.

Credits:
Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar

Each episode will be a 15-20 minute dive into a diverse mix of legal topics, explored by members of the Saint Louis University School of Law faculty.

The University of Iowa College of Public Health is a top-ranked school of public health, meeting the public health challenges of the 21st century through education, research, outreach, and community engagement.

Advancing Health is the American Hospital Association’s podcast series. Podcasts will feature conversations with hospital and health system leaders on a variety of issues that impact patients and communities. Look for new episodes directly from your mobile device or by visiting aha.org/advancinghealth

Timely and relevant discussions about professional and public healthcare in our 17-county region of northwest North Carolina. Guests include faculty, clinicians, researchers, and community members involved in improving the health of our community.

New tracks tagged #rural health