Public Health Systems & Comparative Models

1. Advanced Practice
2. Optimising Non-Medical Workforce Contributions to enhance patient care and service delivery
3. Scope of Practice
4. Workforce challenges
5. Expanding Innovative Care Models – Scaling and spreading to new models in retina review, diabetes management, patient education, glaucoma monitoring, and post-operative care

Increasing demand, workforce shortages and growing complexity of care require innovative workforce models that maximise the skills of existing professions. Advanced Practice roles in Allied Health and Nursing have emerged as an important strategy to address these pressures. The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne has developed and implemented an Advanced Practice Orthoptist role and shared this work with the WAEH community. Interest from local, national and international health services highlighted the need for practical guidance to support safe, effective and scalable implementation of similar roles.

This presentation will launch the WAEH Advanced Practice Framework and Toolkit, a practical resource designed to guide organisations through planning, implementation, governance and evaluation of Advanced Practice roles. Developed through international collaboration and informed by contemporary evidence and real-world experience, the Toolkit provides a structured approach for organisations at different stages of Advanced Practice development. The presentation will outline key components of the Framework, lessons learned during development, and opportunities for adaptation across professions, services and healthcare systems. It will demonstrate how the Toolkit can support workforce transformation, enhance patient care and build sustainable pathways for Advanced Practice implementation in eye care.