Topic: Allied health

This quarterly feature highlights the incredible work of allied health providers across our community. This time we’re speaking with Nicole Robinson, Director and Principal Clinical Psychologist at ProActive Psychology at Fairfield and Bankstown.

Background

ProActive Psychology is a multidisciplinary psychology practice servicing Fairfield and Bankstown — two of Australia’s most culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Co-founded 12 years ago by Clinical Psychologist Nicole Robinson and Director Lindsay Brown, the practice offers psychological support to children, adolescents, adults and families across NDIS, Medicare, Star4Kids, You in Mind and private programs. With a team of 13 clinicians speaking Arabic, Vietnamese, Spanish, Hindi, Tagalog and Urdu, ProActive delivers evidence-based, culturally responsive care to people who have historically faced real barriers to accessing mental health services.

Find out more: www.proactivepsychology.com.au

Follow them on social media: facebook.com/ProActivePsych and
instagram.com/proactivepsych

 

What inspired you to become a psychologist and keeps you motivated in your work today?

I was drawn to psychology because I wanted to do work which actually mattered in people’s lives. My vision was and continues to be providing high quality psychological care which is affordable and accessible for every person. South Western Sydney has never been short of such a need. I continue to be inspired by the clients I work with on a daily basis, regardless of their background, cultural diversity, orientation and mental health needs. What keeps me going now is the team I’ve built around me – in supporting provisional psychologists and registrars develop their clinical skills, and seeing the practice reach communities which genuinely had nowhere else to turn.

 

What does a typical day in a life look like in your role. Is there some aspect about your daily role which people may not expect?

A typical clinical day involves seeing clients across the full age range – I might see a six-year-old with a parent in the morning, an adolescent navigating school anxiety before lunch, and an adult processing complex trauma in the afternoon. What people probably don’t expect is the clinical leadership load which runs alongside it – supervising provisional psychologists and registrars, managing complex case consultations across the team, fielding referral queries, and keeping across AHPRA compliance requirements for a team of 14 clinicians. Running a practice of this size in a community this complex means the clinical work and the operational work are never fully separate.

 

What kinds of patients or health conditions do you see most often, and what are the key signs or situations where referral to your service makes the biggest difference?

At ProActive Psychology we commonly see children with anxiety, emotional dysregulation and behavioural presentations – many of whom are also navigating an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder/autism spectrum disorder and trauma. For adults, depression, trauma and adjustment difficulties are the bulk of what we see. The referrals which make the biggest difference tend to be the ones which come early, before the situation has escalated. A child at session two of 12 under Star4Kids, is a very different conversation from a family who’s been managing a difficult situation for three years before anyone suggested they get support. GPs who refer at first presentation – not after everything else has failed or only during crisis situations – consistently produce better outcomes. The earlier the intervention the better the outcomes. We’re also particularly effective when a family’s language or cultural background has been a barrier elsewhere; having clinicians who share that background changes the therapeutic relationship fundamentally and can reduce the shame and stigma which is commonly associated with mental health in many cultures.

 

Can you share an example of when working closely with another health professional (GP, pharmacist or allied health colleague) improved patient outcomes?

The Star4Kids program funded by the SWSPHN provides free psychological support and is a good example of what collaborative care looks like at its best. The PHN intake process means a child can arrive at our door having already been screened, assessed for appropriateness and referred through their GP with a Mental Health Treatment Plan in place. We also work closely with other health professionals. The Star4Kids program allows up to three sessions when the referral comes from a non-GP source. Because of this, we work closely with school counsellors, early childhood educators, caseworkers and other allied health professionals who are already supporting the child. This shared care approach enables us to build a holistic understanding of the child’s needs and provide early, coordinated intervention within a collaborative team framework.

 

What do you wish more people (including clinicians, policymakers and the public) understood about the role of your profession in primary care?

Psychologists in primary care play a crucial role in whole person healthcare, and I wish more people understood our work extends far beyond treating mental health symptoms. We are behaviour change specialists who support chronic disease management, disabilities, neurodiversity, lifestyle modification, family wellbeing and early intervention. By collaborating closely with GPs and other allied health clinicians, we help manage psychosocial complexity, reduce system strain, and improve both mental and physical health outcomes. Our contributions include tailored assessment, evidence-based interventions, culturally safe practice and preventative care which strengthens the entire primary care system.

 

What advice would you give to other providers about collaborating effectively with your profession?

Be specific in your referrals. “Anxiety” covers a lot of ground – knowing whether you’re referring a seven-year-old with separation anxiety, a 15-year-old with social phobia or a 45-year-old with health anxiety, changes what we do from session one. The more context you can give us, the better we can serve your patient. Also: stay in the loop. Psychology doesn’t work in isolation, and if something significant shifts – a new diagnosis, a medication change, a family crisis – we want to know, because it changes the clinical picture we’re working with. The practices where collaborative care actually works are the ones where the referrer still considers the patient theirs, not a hand-off.

As a psychology clinic, we’ve found the most effective collaborations share a few consistent features: clear communication, shared goals and a genuine respect for each profession’s expertise. Psychologists bring a behavioural, relational and formulation driven lens to care, and when this is integrated well with medical and allied health perspectives, outcomes improve for everyone involved – especially the client.

 

Please highlight a success story that you would like to share about your work as a STAR4kids provider.

Without identifying any individual, I can describe a pattern we see regularly which I find genuinely meaningful. A child arrives – often referred by a GP who’s been managing consultations from a distressed parent for months – presenting with what looks like pure behavioural difficulty. School reports are poor, the family is stressed, the parents have started to doubt themselves. Over 12 sessions, working with both the child and the parents, the picture becomes clearer: there’s an anxiety component which has been presenting as defiance, cultural factors the family hasn’t felt safe raising elsewhere, and a parenting approach which – with very small adjustments – produces a significant shift in how the child functions at school and at home. By session 12, the GP is seeing a different family. The Star4Kids program makes that possible by removing cost as a barrier entirely. In Fairfield and Bankstown, that matters more than I can state.

 

What keeps you motivated to continue working in South Western Sydney and what would you say to allied health professionals considering working in this region?

Honestly? The community. South Western Sydney is genuinely one of the most interesting places to practise psychology in Australia – the cultural diversity, the complexity of presentations, the multigenerational family dynamics, the intersection of migration, trauma, socioeconomic pressure and extraordinary resilience. You will never be bored, and you will never run out of meaningful work. To any allied health professional considering the region: come with genuine curiosity about communities different from your own, be willing to slow down and build trust with families who may have very good reasons to be cautious of medical and allied health services, and understand the work you do here has a disproportionate impact because the need is real and the alternatives are limited. You will be stretched. That is the point.

 

What role can the PHN play in supporting your profession and strengthening primary care in South Western Sydney?

Star4Kids is already a strong example of PHN doing what it’s supposed to do – creating a funded pathway which removes cost as a barrier for children families who would otherwise go without. The areas where I think there’s more to do: earlier identification pathways in schools and early childhood settings, better coordination between mental health services so families aren’t navigating a fragmented system on their own and sustained investment in workforce development in the region. Culturally and linguistically diverse clinicians are undersupplied relative to the community’s needs. The PHN has a real role to play in making the region attractive for clinicians who reflect the communities they serve – through placements, training support and working with practices like ours who are actively building capacity.

 

What’s one wellbeing tip or personal practice you’d like to share with your colleagues across primary care?

Supervision is not a luxury. If you’re carrying complex cases without regular clinical consultation – whether that’s formal supervision, peer supervision or even a good debriefing conversation with a trusted colleague – you’re running a risk which accumulates quietly over time. The same rigour we apply to client wellbeing has to be applied to our own. In South Western Sydney in particular, the presentations are heavy, the systemic barriers are real and the vicarious exposure is significant. Making space for self-reflection and self-care is fundamental to prevent burn out and keeps the work sustainable.

 

If you’re an allied health provider in South Western Sydney and would like to be included in Spotlight, email alliedhealth@swsphn.com.au

PICTURED ABOVE: Nicole Robinson (second from right) and the team from Proactive Psychology strive to provide culturally responsive care to people who have historically faced real barriers to accessing mental health services.

‘When managing patients with complex chronic pain, I don’t know which local allied health providers are taking referrals, what their wait times are or whether they speak a language my patient speaks.’ – Fairfield GP

SWSPHN’s allied health team believes the key to overcoming barriers to multidisciplinary care like the one reflected above, is building connections and communication between allied health providers and general practice, and developing initiatives shaped by the realities of practising in our region.

To this end, our allied health team has engaged with allied health professionals across Fairfield local government area during the past few months. The team spoke with four speech pathologists, three exercise physiologist, three physiotherapists, two chiropractors, two occupational therapists and one psychologist.

 

Why was Fairfield LGA targeted?

• the LGA has an ageing population and an ageing, often solo or small practice GP workforce which should result in an increased demand for allied health services in chronic disease management and an increased burden on the healthcare system
• the LGA’s low socioeconomic status is a barrier to children accessing allied health services; allied health is critical to early intervention, prevention and shaping positive long-term health outcomes
• the need for timelier, and better coordinated and connected care; a strong GP-allied health relationship will create more consistent, appropriate and prompt referrals
• allied health services operate across a diverse business model

 

Why was this engagement important?

• better health outcomes for the community through stronger use of allied health services
• improved multidisciplinary team care, where allied health is actively integrated into patient care pathways
• increased access and utilisation of preventative health services, where allied health plays a leading role

 

What feedback did we receive?

The feedback had three main themes:

• mixed levels of engagement and different referral pathways between general practice and allied health resulting in missed opportunities for patient care and reducing multidisciplinary care utilisation
• low awareness of allied health roles, particularly in culturally and linguistically diverse communities, resulting in patients potentially not accessing the services they need
• a fragmented health system with poor information sharing, which delays care, reduces collaboration, increases the administrative burden and creates a siloed workforce

 

What initiatives are being undertaken to address these barriers?

• Multidisciplinary Team Care small grants program for allied health professionals who service the Fairfield LGA. The grants aim to increase collaboration between allied health services and small/solo GP practices to increase access to allied health services
• GP-allied health co-education and networking events: Joint sessions for GPs and allied health professionals to learn together, build relationships and understand each other’s roles. These events are already receiving positive feedback. Following February’s face-to-face event for GPs and allied health professionals, Bowral GP, Dr Fiona Mackintosh said: ‘Getting GPs and allied health to meet each other and chat about a common issue, was worth the effort and is more meaningful than we can possibly know’
• SWSPHN’s Clinical Council: The inclusion of formal allied health representation on SWSPHN’s Clinical Council for the first time, provides a unique opportunity to contribute directly to regional decision-making alongside GPs and other clinical leaders

 

What are we doing next?

• continuing to identify opportunities to increase allied health service visibility and service navigation
• exploring opportunities to improve allied health integration into the primary care digital eco-system to improve efficient referral pathways and secure clinical note transfers. Read about the National Allied Health Digital Uplift Plan below

 

We hope you’ll read on, share your ideas and help shape our focus during the year. Keep in touch by emailing alliedhealth@swsphn.com.au or contacting Brendan Chiew or Nisha Nair at 4632 3000. Please share this newsletter with your colleagues and encourage them to subscribe via our website.

PICTURED ABOVE: Brendan Chiew or Nisha Nair on the road, meeting with allied health professionals in Fairfield LGA.

SWSPHN’s The Common Ground CPD series brings together allied health providers and GPs to discuss chronic conditions which are prevalent in our region.  

Panel members discuss case studies and highlight opportunities to network and collaborate with other professions. 

SWSPHN held two Common Ground events in 2025. Here’s a sample of what you can expect from future meetings. 

At our The Common Ground chronic pain face-to-face meeting: 

• GP, Dr Lance Holland-Keen talked about the barriers to care he had experienced and the scarcity of pain specialists in the region  

• Liverpool Hospital Senior Physiotherapist Matthew McMullan talked about strategies GPs could use to improve access to the Liverpool Pain Management Clinic, including issues around the quality of documentation and how GP referral letters were an important triage tool  

• SWSPHN’s Brendan Chiew talked about using the Home Medicines Review, and interactions of medications and supplements 

At our The Common Ground obesity webinar: 

• GP, Dr Holland-Keen discussed how no movement was worse than some movement and few conditions truly contraindicate exercise 

• Dietitian Tania Hillman talked about how a dietitian’s role was to help rebuild a healthy relationship between food and the person which had been damaged by unhelpful ideologies of dieting and weight as the sole measure of success 

• Exercise Physiologist Jacob Abella noted the common advice of “eat less, move more” ignored biopsychosocial and environmental influences 

Visit our website to find upcoming The Common Ground CPD events. 

You may have noticed some variations to referrals from general practices following changes to chronic conditions management which took effect on 1 July last year.  

Chronic disease management (CDM) referrals and care requirements were replaced by new GP chronic conditions management plans (GPCCMPs).  

These changes provide greater flexibility for patients to choose which services they access.  

There are no changes to individual allied health items for treating chronic conditions, but referral requirements have been simplified: 

• the number of allied health services under a GPCCMP does not need to be specified by the referring GP (GPs may still specify this on referral letters) 

• the allied health provider does not need to be named 

• team care arrangements are no longer needed 

Chronic disease management services review

The DHDA is currently reviewing MBS allied health CDM services.  

An allied health working group has been developed to review different components of the MBS CDM services. 

If you are interested in participating, contact MRACAlliedHealth@health.gov.au 

Find more information: 

• About the review 

• MBS changes and allied health tips 

• Watch the MBS items online checker tutorial 

SWSPHN is a not-for-profit health organisation funded by the Australian Government.  

We’re one of 31 PHNs across the country, which assess the healthcare needs of our communities and commission health services to meet those needs. We support health services to connect with each other to improve patient care and strengthen the primary healthcare system.  

With the DHDA’s Strengthening Medicare measures, our role has expanded to include more meaningful support for allied health providers. 

As Australia’s population ages, the importance of better integrating allied health and general practice to meet the growing demand for complex, coordinated care for patients with chronic disease, has become increasingly clear. 

We’re working across the healthcare spectrum – allied health, general practice, nursing, community and tertiary services – to ensure the stronger partnerships and multidisciplinary collaboration needed for better health outcomes for our community. 

The 3Cs  

SWSPHN supports allied health, general practice and other primary healthcare providers by: 

Coordinating care: We act as a bridge between GPs, hospitals, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), residential aged care homes and community health. We’ve been funded to bring allied health into the mix with the aim of increasing awareness about the scope and role of allied health providers, and building stronger connections between allied health and other primary care providers.  

Commissioning services: We support locally led, co-designed projects and services, and grant opportunities which address identified gaps in health service provision in South Western Sydney. This provides allied health providers with opportunities to influence priorities, diversify income and contribute to population health initiatives like the Healthy Eating Active Lifestyle (HEAL) program. 

Capacity building: We offer general practice and other primary care providers training and professional development opportunities. For allied health providers, SWSPHN’s The Common Ground series aims to remove siloed healthcare by bringing local GPs, nurses and allied health professionals together to explore real-world case studies, practical workflows, and shared approaches to managing complex care.  

Additional information: 

• Australia’s Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan 2022–2032 – the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s priority to strengthen primary healthcare
• Unleashing the potential of our health workforce – analysis of the barriers and opportunities to allow healthcare professionals to work to their full scope of practice in primary care
• National PHN allied health engagement framework and toolkit – areas PHNs are prioritising to increase our collaboration with allied health 
• Find out more about the role of SWSPHN and our work 

Main picture: Dr Grigoris Platis from Myhealth Macarthur Square Medical Clinic (left to right), Nisha and Anthony Tomelic from Gold Standard Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine collaborate on patient care.

This quarterly feature highlights the incredible work of allied health providers across our community. This time we’re speaking with James Wallace (pictured with a client), Accredited Exercise Physiologist and Director of Harmony Specialist Healthcare at Campbelltown.

Background 

Harmony Healthcare is a multidisciplinary clinic specialising in chronic pain, complex rehabilitation and trauma-informed care. Their team of specialist pain physicians, psychologists and exercise physiologists deliver coordinated, evidence-based support for people who benefit from collaborative specialist medical and allied health support. They deliver integrated rehabilitation services and condition-specific programs, including UpGrade, their intensive pain management program, and Advance, a dedicated CRPS program. They work closely with GPs to reduce fragmentation and improve long-term outcomes. Their focus is on accessible, person-centred care which reduces barriers, builds confidence and helps people re-engage with meaningful, valued activities in daily life. 

Find out more: www.harmonyhealthcare.com.au 

Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HarmonySpecialistHealthcare 

What inspired you to become an Exercise Physiologist and what keeps you motivated in your work today? 

I was inspired to become an Exercise Physiologist because I saw how movement, education and behavioural change could meaningfully transform people’s lives, especially those facing long-standing health challenges. I’ve always been drawn to helping people rebuild confidence in their bodies, and this profession allows me to combine science with practical, meaningful support. What keeps me motivated is witnessing the small but important wins – patients returning to activities they value, feeling more capable and realising they’re not defined by their condition. Many arrive feeling stuck or unheard, and with the right guidance, they begin to move toward goals they once thought were out of reach. I value working in an interdisciplinary team where each profession brings a different perspective. This collaboration leads to clearer care plans, more consistent messaging and improved outcomes for the people we support. 

What do you wish more people understood about the role of your profession in primary care?  

Exercise Physiology is most effective when patients are referred early. Early referral allows us to address deconditioning, fear-avoidance and unhelpful movement patterns before they become entrenched. It’s important clinicians feel confident encouraging people to stay active, even when experiencing symptoms, as it is a key part of early, evidence-based management and helps prevent deconditioning and long-term disability. In primary care, Exercise Physiologists play a key role in providing safe, evidence-based guidance which helps patients build confidence, improve function and prevent escalation to more complex or costly interventions. 

Can you share an example of when working closely with another health professional improved patient outcomes? 

One example is the collaborative work I do with our clinical psychologist, David Batten. Many of our patients present with all-or-nothing thinking, fear-avoidance or underlying mental health challenges which strongly influence their physical progress. David and I regularly case conference, to share observations about a person’s core beliefs, coping strategies and barriers to change. These conversations often give me insight into the psychological drivers behind a person’s behaviour. This allows me to adjust rehabilitation plans, pacing and communication in a way which aligns with what David is addressing in therapy. When we take this unified approach, people feel supported on both fronts and achieve stronger, more stable outcomes. 

What kinds of patients or health conditions do you see most often, and what are the key signs or situations where referral to your service makes the biggest difference? 

We most often see patients with chronic or complex musculoskeletal conditions, persistent pain, functional decline, and psychological factors such as fear-avoidance or low confidence in movement. Many have relied heavily on passive treatments or have become unsure how to safely increase activity. We also specialise in workers compensation cases, where coordinated communication, functional restoration and graded return-to-work planning are essential. Referral is most effective when a patient is struggling to engage in activity, unsure how to pace themselves, or needs structured, behaviour-change-informed rehabilitation. Early involvement prevents unhelpful patterns from becoming entrenched and allows us to build confidence, improve function and provide clear, coordinated guidance alongside GPs and other providers. 

What advice would you give to other providers about collaborating effectively with your profession? 

A quick conversation about a patient’s goals, barriers or recent progress can make a big difference, especially when we’re working with complex presentations. Shared understanding and consistent messaging help patients feel supported and reduce mixed advice. Collaboration doesn’t need to be complicated – even brief check-ins allow us to align plans, adjust pacing and ensure our rehabilitation approach fits well with the broader care being provided. 

What excites you most about the future of your profession and its role in multidisciplinary care? 

What excites me most is the growing evidence supporting safe, movement-based and active therapies as a cornerstone of long-term health. There is also a growing appreciation for trauma-informed, psychologically aware care, which aligns closely with how our multidisciplinary team operates. Exercise Physiology is becoming better integrated into multidisciplinary teams, allowing us to address physical function, behaviour change and health literacy simultaneously. I’m also encouraged by the shift toward early intervention, prevention and lifestyle-based care, which helps people build confidence, improve self-management and avoid escalation to more complex treatments. 

How has delivering the HEAL program in partnership with SWSPHN supported your organisation’s work within the community? 

Delivering the HEAL program in partnership with SWSPHN has strengthened our connection with the community and broadened our clinical networks. The program has helped us engage with new GPs and specialists who were previously unfamiliar with our services, creating clearer referral pathways and opportunities for ongoing collaboration. Making HEAL free for participants has also been incredibly valuable, as it removed financial barriers and allowed many community members – who may not otherwise access allied health – to participate in structured lifestyle and health education. We’ve had strong feedback from participants, with many asking for ongoing group programs, which highlights the demand for accessible, community-based support. 

What does a typical day-in-a-life look like in your role. Is there some aspect about your daily role people may not expect? 

A typical day involves a mix of patient appointments, functional assessment, exercise-based rehabilitation, medicolegal assessments and report writing, as well as regular coordination with our team. What people may not expect is how much of my role involves helping people understand their symptoms and addressing the psychological and behavioural factors which influence rehabilitation. Much of the day is spent providing reassurance, education and clear planning, alongside the practical exercise components. I also engage in collaborative discussions with our interdisciplinary team and referring providers to ensure each person has a consistent, structured pathway which supports their progress. 

From your perspective, what role can the PHN play in supporting your profession and strengthening primary care in South Western Sydney? 

The PHN plays a valuable role in strengthening primary care by continuing to build strong connections between GPs and allied health providers. Their education sessions, networking events and communication channels already make a meaningful difference, and expanding these further would help integrate care even more effectively. It’s also helpful when the PHN actively reaches out to allied health for input, ideas and contributions across programs and initiatives. Ongoing funding for community programs like HEAL is also essential, as it provides equitable access to evidence-based support for people who might not otherwise engage with allied health. 

What’s one wellbeing tip or personal practice you’d like to share with your colleagues across primary care? 

Prioritise one small, non-negotiable health habit each day – such as a short walk, a stretch routine or a moment of stillness – and build brief micro-breaks between patients to reset your breathing, posture or attention. These small, consistent practices, paired with maintaining at least one clear boundary in your day (like taking lunch away from admin or setting a firm cut-off time), can meaningfully reduce stress and support long-term wellbeing in busy clinical roles.