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Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Allied health assistants (AHAs) support allied health professionals (AHPs) to meet workforce demands in modern healthcare systems. In an Australian context historically, AHAs have been sub-optimally utilised. Prior research has identified that AHAs and AHPs working in health, disability and aged care sectors, and the Vocational Education and Training (VET) industry, may benefit from access to resources to support the optimisation of the AHA workforce. As a part of a Victorian department of health funded project, several resources were developed in line with workforce recommendations for use in each of the above sectors. Recommendations and resources covered the broad areas of pre-employment training, workforce planning and governance, consumer-centred therapy and supports, recruitment and induction and workplace training and development. This study aimed to evaluate the engagement with these newly designed resources to support optimisation of AHAs in the Victorian context.
METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted to evaluate engagement with resources, from the perspective of AHAs, AHPs and allied health leaders (AHLs) in the health, aged care or disability sectors, and educators and managers of allied health assistance training. Thematic analysis was conducted using team-based framework analysis.
RESULTS: Thematic framework analysis of the interview data identified four themes; Why participants accessed the resources; How participants engaged with the resources; What (if any) changes in practice occurred as a result of engaging with the resources in a participant\'s local context, How did participants envision the resources being utilised for AHA workforce optimisation in the future. Responses were mapped to the AHA workforce career pathway at the career preparation, career development and career trajectory tiers.
CONCLUSIONS: Appetite for AHA workforce development and optimal utilisation is evident across Victoria, Australia. Readily accessible resources that inform AHA role and scope of practice, delegation practice, or improve the ability for an AHA to state their own development needs, were identified as useful by participants. The potential for these resources to assist in the optimal utilisation and development of AHA workforces across the career continuum differs according to the role, sector and geographical location of the resource user. Further study is needed to investigate the transferability of these resources to national and global contexts.
METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted to evaluate engagement with resources, from the perspective of AHAs, AHPs and allied health leaders (AHLs) in the health, aged care or disability sectors, and educators and managers of allied health assistance training. Thematic analysis was conducted using team-based framework analysis.
RESULTS: Thematic framework analysis of the interview data identified four themes; Why participants accessed the resources; How participants engaged with the resources; What (if any) changes in practice occurred as a result of engaging with the resources in a participant\'s local context, How did participants envision the resources being utilised for AHA workforce optimisation in the future. Responses were mapped to the AHA workforce career pathway at the career preparation, career development and career trajectory tiers.
CONCLUSIONS: Appetite for AHA workforce development and optimal utilisation is evident across Victoria, Australia. Readily accessible resources that inform AHA role and scope of practice, delegation practice, or improve the ability for an AHA to state their own development needs, were identified as useful by participants. The potential for these resources to assist in the optimal utilisation and development of AHA workforces across the career continuum differs according to the role, sector and geographical location of the resource user. Further study is needed to investigate the transferability of these resources to national and global contexts.
摘要：
背景：联合卫生助理（AHA）支持联合卫生专业人员（AHP）满足现代医疗保健系统中的劳动力需求。在澳大利亚历史的背景下，AHA已被次优地利用。先前的研究已经确定，AHA和AHP在健康领域工作，残疾和老年护理部门，以及职业教育和培训(VET)行业，可以从资源访问中受益，以支持AHA劳动力的优化。作为维多利亚州卫生部资助项目的一部分，根据劳动力建议开发了若干资源，供上述每个部门使用。建议和资源涵盖了就业前培训的广泛领域，劳动力规划和治理，以消费者为中心的治疗和支持，招聘和入职培训以及工作场所培训和发展。这项研究旨在评估与这些新设计的资源的互动，以支持维多利亚时代背景下的AHA优化。
方法：进行了半结构化访谈，以评估对资源的参与度，从AHA的角度来看，AHP和卫生方面的专职卫生领导人(AHLs)，老年护理或残疾部门，以及专职卫生援助培训的教育者和管理人员。使用基于团队的框架分析进行主题分析。
结果：访谈数据的主题框架分析确定了四个主题；参与者为什么访问资源；参与者如何参与资源；由于在参与者的本地环境中参与资源，实践中发生了什么（如果有）变化，参与者如何设想未来用于AHA劳动力优化的资源。在职业准备时，反应被映射到AHA劳动力职业道路，职业发展和职业轨迹层。
结论：维多利亚州对AHA劳动力发展和最佳利用的偏好显而易见，澳大利亚。易于获得的资源，可告知AHA的作用和实践范围，授权实践，或提高AHA陈述自己发展需求的能力，被参与者认为是有用的。这些资源在整个职业生涯中协助AHA劳动力的最佳利用和发展的潜力因角色而异，资源用户的扇区和地理位置。需要进一步研究以调查这些资源在国家和全球范围内的可转让性。
方法：进行了半结构化访谈，以评估对资源的参与度，从AHA的角度来看，AHP和卫生方面的专职卫生领导人(AHLs)，老年护理或残疾部门，以及专职卫生援助培训的教育者和管理人员。使用基于团队的框架分析进行主题分析。
结果：访谈数据的主题框架分析确定了四个主题；参与者为什么访问资源；参与者如何参与资源；由于在参与者的本地环境中参与资源，实践中发生了什么（如果有）变化，参与者如何设想未来用于AHA劳动力优化的资源。在职业准备时，反应被映射到AHA劳动力职业道路，职业发展和职业轨迹层。
结论：维多利亚州对AHA劳动力发展和最佳利用的偏好显而易见，澳大利亚。易于获得的资源，可告知AHA的作用和实践范围，授权实践，或提高AHA陈述自己发展需求的能力，被参与者认为是有用的。这些资源在整个职业生涯中协助AHA劳动力的最佳利用和发展的潜力因角色而异，资源用户的扇区和地理位置。需要进一步研究以调查这些资源在国家和全球范围内的可转让性。
