Emily MacIntyre1
1 WA Country Health Service – South West, SW Regional Office, 61 Victoria Street, Bunbury WA 6230, Emily.MacIntyre@health.wa.gov.au
Rural health services face distinct challenges arising from inadequate healthcare professional numbers and an imbalanced workforce distribution, particularly when compared to urban areas. These disparities contribute to suboptimal health outcomes and hinder access to essential healthcare services within rural communities. Specialised fields like infection prevention and control are even more acutely affected by this issue, as attracting and retaining healthcare professionals in this domain proves especially challenging.
Numerous approaches have been undertaken to address these challenges, though their success has been only moderately effective. The central focus of this presentation is to explore an innovative strategy: the enhancement of workforce capability in infection prevention healthcare workers. By delving into the concept of a ‘capable’ rural infection prevention professional and examining the factors that nurture or impede their capabilities, this approach aims to reinforce rural healthcare systems and elevate the quality of services they offer.
In the specific context of Western Australia’s rural landscape, this theory of capability has assumed a crucial role in nurturing the infection prevention workforce throughout the region. It has served as a catalyst for investigating potential future directions, encompassing the development of core skill sets, strategic enhancements, and the expansion of roles and practices. These efforts are geared towards achieving the overarching objective of addressing the distinctive challenges encountered by rural healthcare services in the area.