Overview
Initiative type
Model of Care
Status
Deliver
Published
June 2026
Summary
The Psychology Assistant Model of Care was introduced to explore how a trained assistant can safely and effectively extend the capacity of psychologists.
Dates: July 2025 - January 2026
Implementation sites: Mackay Base Hospital
Partnerships: N/A
Aim
The pilot aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of incorporating Psychology Assistants into hospital psychology workflows to address workforce shortages and service delivery gaps.
Outcomes
- Reduced consumer wait-times
- Increased consumer access to safe and effective interventions
- High consumer satisfaction
- Improved staff satisfaction
- Improved workflow efficiency
- Optimised recruitment opportunity
Background
Access to timely psychological services within Mackay HHS has been increasingly constrained by workforce shortages, rising demand, and growing clinical complexity. Over the past 12 months, the Psychology Department has experienced sustained vacancy rates of between 30% and 50%, reflecting broader statewide challenges. Queensland Health workforce modelling projects that by 2032 the psychology workforce will only meet 49% of projected demand, highlighting an urgent need for innovative workforce solutions.
At the Mackay Base Hospital, increasing inpatient demand and frequent operation at Tier 3 capacity have further intensified service pressures. Consumers present with higher acuity and complexity, requiring timely psychological input to support care, reduce length of stay, and improve outcomes. These pressures have resulted in service delivery gaps, longer wait-times, and high caseloads for psychologists, impacting staff wellbeing, job satisfaction, and the sustainability of practice.
While the utilisation of Allied Health Assistants (AHAs) is well-established across various allied health disciplines within Queensland Health, their integration into psychology services was not adopted.
The Allied Health Assistant Framework (Queensland Health, 2022) supports delegation of defined tasks under supervision; however, psychology has faced unique challenges due to the breadth of competencies required and the theory-driven nature of psychological practice. Concerns have included task appropriateness, consumer safety, variability across clinical contexts, and the alignment of vocational training with psychological clinical reasoning (Australian Psychological Society, 2008).
For example, the delivery of psychoeducation and low-intensity psychological interventions differs to the delivery of manualised physiotherapy interventions. Additionally, delegated psychology tasks within a rehabilitation setting differ to tasks delegated within an acute medical ward. Moreover, the training model of AHA's within the TAFE sector may also fall short of the critical reasoning inherent to psychological training and practice that is based on theory and research (Australian Psychological Society, 2008).
Despite these challenges, emerging international models, particularly within the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS), demonstrate that Psychology Assistants can safely and effectively support service delivery when roles are clearly defined, delegated, and supervised. This pilot was designed to test whether a locally adapted Psychology Assistant Model of Care could address workforce pressures while maintaining clinical safety, quality, and consumer-centred care.
Methods
This project piloted a Psychology Assistant Model of Care within Mackay Base Hospital to evaluate its feasibility, safety, and effectiveness in supporting psychology service delivery. The pilot commenced with development of a clearly defined role description aligned with the Queensland Health Allied Health Assistant Framework (2022) and informed by Assistant Psychologist models used within the UK National Health Service (NHS, 2025), including explicit delegation and supervision requirements. Recruitment focused on mitigating skill and safety concerns by appointing a candidate who had completed Level 2 Pre-Professional Competencies as defined by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (2025), specifically a Bachelor degree in Psychology. This ensured foundational psychological knowledge, ethical understanding, and readiness for supervised delegated practice. The Psychology Assistant collaborated closely with the psychologists working across inpatient and outpatient services to identify appropriate clinical and administrative tasks.
For inpatient services, initiatives included development of a structured chart review and handover protocol to improve triage efficiency and reduce wait-times. The Psychology Assistant provided scribing support during inpatient reviews, drafted clinical notes for psychologist review and completion, and delivered delegated low-intensity interventions such as grounding, mindfulness, and distraction techniques under supervision. To support renal psychology services, the Psychology Assistant developed a task manual encompassing administration of psychometric measures, structured interviews for behaviour plan reviews, and scribing and report drafting for pre-transplant psychological assessments. Across services, the role also included administrative support such as scheduling, managing resources, and coordinating service communications.
Evaluation methods included:
- Feasibility: tracking delegated tasks and time savings
- Safety: scope-of-practice audits and structured supervision
- Effectiveness: staff and consumer satisfaction surveys.
This structured delegation model allowed psychologists to prioritise higher-level clinical formulation, intervention, and risk management, improving workflow efficiency and quality of care.
Discussion
Successful implementation of the Psychology Assistant Model of Care relied on strong leadership support, clear governance, and a collaborative team culture. Psychologists demonstrated high engagement and commitment to training, supervising, and developing the Psychology Assistant's competencies. Regular feedback mechanisms were embedded to monitor workload impact, delegation confidence, and role clarity.
Staff feedback demonstrated strong support for the model:
- 86% reported improved job satisfaction
- 100% reported reduced work stress
- 100% supported ongoing inclusion of the role
Consumer acceptance was facilitated through transparent explanation of the Psychology Assistant's role, scope, and supervision arrangements, with informed consent obtained in all instances. Consumer feedback indicated improved coping and wellbeing during hospital admission.
Broader multidisciplinary acceptance was achieved through collaborative handovers, role shadowing, participation in multidisciplinary team meetings, and formal presentations at Allied Health forums. These strategies improved role visibility, trust, and integration within the clinical environment.
Key lessons included the importance of clearly defining scope of practice and supporting psychologists to confidently delegate tasks. Early and frequent check-ins were critical to reinforcing appropriate delegation and optimising caseload management.
This model demonstrates strong potential for scalability across Queensland Health, and beyond, particularly in services experiencing workforce shortages, high demand, and recruitment challenges. The Psychology Assistant role also presents a valuable workforce pipeline strategy, supporting skill development and retention of future psychologists.
Next steps include formalising the position as a permanent role within the Mackay Base Hospital Psychology Department. The pilot has already supported recruitment pathways, with the current Psychology Assistant commencing a Master of Psychology and continuing in the role part-time while mentoring a new Psychology Assistant.
References
Queensland Health Workforce Gap Analysis:
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/1472720/workforce-gap-analysis-part-a.pdf
NHS Assistant Psychologist model:
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/psychological-therapies/roles-psychological-therapies/assistant-clinical-psychologist
Allied Health Assistant Project - Australian Psychological Society Response to the Discussion Paper from Queensland Health (2008):
https://groups.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/Qld-Health-Allied-Health-Assistant-Project-Final.pdf
Key contact
Rachel Bega
Director of Psychology
Mackay Base Hospital