Celebrating Allied Health Professionals
It’s important that we take the time to recognise the important role that allied health workers play in holistic care across a wide range of settings – especially on Allied Health Professions Day.
What is an allied health professional?
If your physical or mental health has ever been looked after by someone who isn’t a doctor, dentist or nurse, then you’ll know just how important allied health professionals are.
Not only are they experts in their field, they’re often the ones advocating for patients, and caring wholeheartedly along the way. Allied health professionals are an integral part of our healthcare system and there are 200,000 working in Australia today, they represent nearly one-third of the health workforce. Each year they deliver more than 200 million health services including osteopathy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, dietetics, audiology, psychology, sonography and many more.
“Many of our patients have very complex conditions and needs,” explains practising dietitian Shelley Wilkinson, director of Lifestyle Maternity and Associate Professor at the University of Queensland. “This means we need to take a holistic approach to treating them. The success of allied health is defined by getting the best outcome for the patient by working with a team to achieve it.”
A day in the life of an allied health professional
These exceptional professionals are university-qualified, practice autonomously, and work on evidence-based principles. Shelley has been a dietitian for nearly 30 years, both in Australia and overseas. She’s passionate about teaching other allied health professionals the importance of working in a multi-disciplinary team, and understanding how other roles can enhance and complement each patient’s journey.
“We have a saying that ‘the patient with the best outcome is the one who’s talked about in the tea room,’” she says. “In other words, a shared approach – which allows us to talk about what we’ve seen and what patients might need – really helps us figure out exactly what the best course of treatment is.”
“When I worked in diabetes clinics, I might be working with a doctor, a diabetes educator, a podiatrist, an exercise physiologist and a psychologist. We all knew the patient’s goals, and could work with each other to achieve them.”
The value of this integrated approach is immense. “We’re trained to work together rather than be lone wolves,” Shelley explains. “We’re always thinking about who else can help. We often act as advocates for the patient – they might not know they need a physio, for example, but we are able to recognise their needs, and help them access those services.”
This team effort is one of the reasons Shelley started her practice, Lifestyle Maternity. “There’s nothing like helping a patient when they come into your care, and seeing it improve their life,” she says.
In her clinic Shelley helps women optimise their fertility through nutrition, then keep healthy through pregnancy and beyond. “I’m not just looking at what women need to know, I’m talking to them about how they can achieve their lifestyle goals,” she says. “I have a PhD in psychology, so I’m able to draw on those skills to help people change their habits. It’s less about being the food police, and more about helping someone change, to achieve the lifestyle they want. It can be challenging but it’s immensely satisfying.”
How Blue Light Card gives back to allied health professionals
Despite the job satisfaction of being an allied health professional, one thing is clear: “We don’t do it for the money,” laughs Shelley. “That’s why it’s so good to be recognised by Blue Light Card. We’d do our job a million times over, but it’s a pleasure to be seen as valuable, because many allied health professionals can feel a bit forgotten.”
Blue Light Card’s best-in-market offers and discounts from the top brands, products and experiences in Australia are a huge benefit for people like Shelley. “It’s the icing on the cake,” she says. “Who doesn’t love a discount on those new clothes and home electronics? And it’s great for all the little things that add up. The cost of living is rising, so anything that takes the edge off – dining out, family events, little discounts here and there – really makes a difference.”
Allied Health Professions Day on 14 October 2022, is an international event to recognise and celebrate our allied health workers, and highlight the essential work they do.
Blue Light Card is proud to support allied health professionals. Sign up or login today.