Northern Health Allied Health students and graduates have access to an Interprofessional Passport, designed for students and early career clinicians across all professions including allied health, nursing and medical.

The passport is a learner-led and clinically-based suite for interprofessional learning activities. It has been designed to help students and early career clinicians better understand their role, the role of others and how to work collaboratively in a team to deliver safe and trusted care to our community.

Talin Gochian, Interprofessional Educator – Allied Health, highlighted the importance of interprofessional practice.

“Today’s patients have increasingly complex needs. In order for us to fully address the spectrum of their needs, we are required to work together interprofessionally,” Talin said.

“When done successfully, interprofessional practice helps to improve the patient experience, improve health outcomes and reduces related costs.”

“At Northern Health, we are committed to educating students and early career clinicians not only about their profession, but how to work effectively in interprofessional teams.”

When asked about what made a great team, Talin said it was a multitude of factors.

“If we look at the most successful teams on the sporting field, in a survivor challenge or in a hospital, there are a few essential elements which make theses teams – communication, a common goal, understanding each others roles and responsibilities and mutual respect,” she said.

“The Interprofessional Passport helps to inform the importance of these elements, transforming clinicians beyond professional to interprofessional practitioners.”

Peter Brack, Associate Director – Education, Allied Health and Interprofessional Programs, said working within collaborative teams had shown to have a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of team members.

“As a health service, we are going through an extraordinarily challenging time and now, more than ever, we need to rely on those around us. We hope that participation in the Interprofessional Passport will help our students and early career professionals make connections with others and reflect on the importance of our teams in supporting our patients and each other,” Peter said.

The resource is being launched initially with new graduates and students from Allied Health, but is planned to be rolled out with other disciplines from early 2022. The Interprofessional Passport is also available on the Intranet.

Anyone with questions can contact Peter at peter.brack@nh.org.au.