Western NSW Local Health District

Winner: Secretary's Award

Finalist: People and Culture Award

The Allied Health Rural Graduate Program (AHRGP) began in 2023 as a pilot project aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of allied health professionals in Western NSW Local Health District. With a focus on strengthening the future allied health workforce, this structured two-year program assists recent graduates transition to the workplace and build skills across a range of clinical settings.

In its first year, 15 graduates from five disciplines—dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social work, and speech pathology—joined the program in Bathurst, Orange, and Dubbo. A second group of four graduates started at Dubbo Health Service in 2024.

The program is characterised by a positive participant experience, an 80% retention rate in the initial year, and demonstrated growth in workforce capability.

The AHRGP has since expanded to support 50 allied health graduates across eight disciplines (including pharmacy, psychology, and radiation therapy) at seven District sites. It remains a distinctive initiative within NSW Health, providing valuable support, networking, and education to early-career allied health professionals. The AHRGP has since expanded to support 50 allied health graduates across eight disciplines (including pharmacy, psychology, and radiation therapy) at seven District sites. It remains a distinctive initiative within NSW Health, providing valuable support, networking, and education to early-career allied health professionals.​​​