Full Scope of Practice
The full scope of practice of a profession includes the full spectrum of roles, functions, responsibilities, activities and decision-making capacity that individuals within that profession are educated, competent and authorised to perform. The full scope of a profession is set by professional standards and in some cases legislation.
Working to full scope means working to the full extent of the profession’s recognised skill base and/ or regulatory guidelines, acknowledging that some functions may be shared with other professions, individuals or groups.
Full scope roles and tasks include:
- first contact in the care pathway
- making direct referrals to medical specialists in Queensland Health
- making direct referrals to other allied health professionals
- requesting investigations to enhance current decision-making and care
- prescribing equipment and consumables
- documentation of findings on investigations performed by diagnostic allied health professionals
- criteria led discharge
- criteria led admission (e.g. from acute to sub-acute services).
Advanced clinical practice
Advanced practice roles have been introduced in the allied health and nursing professions in response to systems issues within the health sector, including health workforce shortages. There is a substantial body of evidence that such roles have a positive impact on patient care through improved access, efficiency, workforce productivity and patient experience.
At its core, advanced clinical practice for allied health professionals in the Queensland public health system context involves high levels of clinical skill, knowledge and practice, clinical leadership skills, applied clinical research and evidence-based practice capacities, and competence in facilitating the education and learning of others.
Advanced clinical practice is relevant to generalist and focused clinical contexts, as well as profession-specific situations and situations relating to specific client groups or geographical settings.
The Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer (OCAHO), together with the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA), has developed the Allied Health Leadership and Advancing Practice Framework 2022 (the Framework) and a supporting Assessment Pack and Assessment Tool.
The Framework has been designed to reflect how allied health professionals progressively interact with their service environment. Allied health professionals can use the Framework and supporting resources to develop leadership capability and new skills, and collaboratively influence health care, and the outcomes of people and their communities.
Guideline for allied health professionals requesting pathology
The Guideline for allied health professionals requesting pathology tests (PDF 2297 kB) outlines the practical considerations and clinical governance requirements for an allied health professional requesting pathology tests within a Queensland public health setting.
Radiographer written comment
The Allied Health Professions’ Office of Queensland contracted Monash University to define core image interpretation competencies for entry-level registration and advanced-level practice. The Review of Medical Imaging Competencies for Image Interpretation Capability (PDF 460 kB) outlines relevant standards relating to image interpretation for entry-level and advanced-level diagnostic radiography practitioners and maps image interpretation curriculum and content.
Providing a written comment on a plain X-ray is within the current scope of practice of radiographers although it has not been traditionally performed by radiographers within Queensland Health facilities.
Criteria led discharge
Criteria led discharge enables allied health practitioners with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to review patients and initiate discharge. Clinicians are supported by criteria, policies and procedures which have multidisciplinary agreement. Use of the model facilitates appropriate, safe, patient centered, and timely patient discharge.
For more information please refer to the Criteria Led Discharge Guideline.