Supporting the next generation of allied health professionals

An innovative study by Curtin University Occupational Therapy students in collaboration with our health service is shining a light on the treatment journey of regional patients receiving care for serious hand injuries.

It’s one of four honours projects WA Country Health Service is supporting to help develop the project management and design thinking skills of budding allied health professionals.

The projects, which run until later this month, aim to enhance healthcare delivery in communities throughout country WA.

Final year Occupational Therapy students Caitlyn Pratten, Sophie Beckwith, Cate Schaper, Brittany Herron and Shannon Rees have been working under the supervision of Bunbury-based Enhanced Scope Hands Occupational Therapist Barbara Hall and Busselton Physiotherapist Tallulah Anderson.

“Together our student team has conducted an audit of 1000 patients who presented to a WA Country Health Service emergency department with a hand injury between 2023 and 2024,” Caitlyn said.

“Our audit has mapped out these patients’ healthcare journey from their first hospital visit to receiving follow-up hand therapy services.”

The project is specifically looking at the distance travelled by patients, wait times and delivery of services.

“We aim to highlight the need for telehealth services provided by a specialised hand therapist to reduce patients’ travel, identify pathways of care, and increase access to allied health services for patients living in rural and remote parts of WA,” Caitlyn added.

She said it was a privilege working alongside Barbara and Tallulah in collaboration with our Telehands Program, which is bringing expert specialist hand therapy closer to home for country patients.

WA Country Health Service is also championing honours projects focussed on classroom strategies for developmental language disorder, hip and knee replacement preoperative education, and the development of culturally appropriate handouts for common orthopaedic surgeries.

The projects are designed to help develop resources, strategies and service enhancements that directly support allied health professionals and their clients across country WA.

Allied Health Director Suzanne Spitz said the collaboration with Curtin University was an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and skills while contributing to meaningful service improvements.

“This initiative is immensely valuable to both students and country communities,” she said.