From fragmentation to influence: Building a global allied health voice
1
Centre for the Business and Economics of Health (CBEH), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
2
University of Winchester, Winchester, United Kingdom
3
HealthWorx Futures, Brisbane, Australia
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Allied health professionals play an essential role in prevention, rehabilitation, and reablement, yet remain under-recognised and inconsistently integrated into global health systems. Despite growing demand for prevention focused care, allied health lacks collective leadership and strategic positioning, constraining the allied health workforce’s contribution to population health and system reform.
METHODS:
This study used a two-phase global collaboration and co-design approach drawing on the outcomes of the Global Allied Health Leaders’ Summit 2024 and subsequent international engagement. Phase 1 involved a descriptive cross-country comparative analysis of all 220 World Bank-classified countries to map formal recognition and governance of allied health within national health systems. This analysis was complemented by an online survey and semi-structured interviews with senior allied health leaders, capturing perspectives on system barriers, leadership gaps, and reform priorities. Phase 2 applied an experience-based co-design approach, using facilitated workshops with global allied health leaders to translate shared challenges into actionable principles. Findings across both phases were synthesised to inform development of a global position paper.
RESULTS:
The process produced the Global Allied Health Position Paper: Allied Health – A Strategic Imperative for Global Health Transformation, which articulates seven foundational principles to guide collective action and system-level reform in response to workforce shortages, rising system complexity, and sustainability pressures. These principles emphasise global collaboration, distributed leadership, shared language, and alignment with population health, equity, and economic participation agendas.
CONCLUSIONS:
The findings demonstrate how intentional global coordination can shift allied health from fragmented advocacy to strategic influence. This model offers a scalable approach for strengthening the contribution of the allied health workforce to population health outcomes, health equity, and health system productivity.
Allied health professionals play an essential role in prevention, rehabilitation, and reablement, yet remain under-recognised and inconsistently integrated into global health systems. Despite growing demand for prevention focused care, allied health lacks collective leadership and strategic positioning, constraining the allied health workforce’s contribution to population health and system reform.
METHODS:
This study used a two-phase global collaboration and co-design approach drawing on the outcomes of the Global Allied Health Leaders’ Summit 2024 and subsequent international engagement. Phase 1 involved a descriptive cross-country comparative analysis of all 220 World Bank-classified countries to map formal recognition and governance of allied health within national health systems. This analysis was complemented by an online survey and semi-structured interviews with senior allied health leaders, capturing perspectives on system barriers, leadership gaps, and reform priorities. Phase 2 applied an experience-based co-design approach, using facilitated workshops with global allied health leaders to translate shared challenges into actionable principles. Findings across both phases were synthesised to inform development of a global position paper.
RESULTS:
The process produced the Global Allied Health Position Paper: Allied Health – A Strategic Imperative for Global Health Transformation, which articulates seven foundational principles to guide collective action and system-level reform in response to workforce shortages, rising system complexity, and sustainability pressures. These principles emphasise global collaboration, distributed leadership, shared language, and alignment with population health, equity, and economic participation agendas.
CONCLUSIONS:
The findings demonstrate how intentional global coordination can shift allied health from fragmented advocacy to strategic influence. This model offers a scalable approach for strengthening the contribution of the allied health workforce to population health outcomes, health equity, and health system productivity.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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