Client: Katherine Regional Aboriginal Health and Related Services

Feasibility study to assess allied health service capacity and need in the Katherine region to inform the development of a cost recovery model.

Project Timeline: September to December 2006

Brief desciption:

• This feasibility study was funded under the Commonwealth Rural Access Program seeking to increase access to, and availability of privately insurable health services in rural and remote Australia.

• Service mapping and gap analysis of private and public allied health services in the Katherine Region (Northern Territory)

• Broad stakeholder consultation including community groups, public and private allied health professionals, managers of health services, general practitioners, relevant community service agencies including aged care, disability, special needs schools, mainstream schools, Dept of Education, Dept of Community Services, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, Aboriginal Corporations, state and Commonwealth health bureaucrats

Outcome:

Whilst there are significant gaps in allied health services in the Katherine Region, the current health service agencies do not have the clinical capacity to establish and sustainable cost recovery service under the guidelines set out under the Rural Private Access Program.

KBC has undertaken a service modelling exercise to develop and cost a model for sustainable delivery of allied health services to Katherine and the Remote Communities inclusive of allied health skill mix, number of health professional, delivery model, management arrangements, recruitment and retention strategies.