Veronique Clyde was awarded Allied Health Assistant of 2023 at the National Allied Health Awards Gala, in Darwin on 14 October. An allied health assistant at Canberra Health Services (CHS) and an AHA teacher at Canberra Institute of Technology, Veronique has previously received the Allied Health Assistant Excellence Award for CHS in 2019 and, with Snezana Vujic (also of CHS), published a poster at the National Allied Health Conference 2023 on the impact of the new Guardianship Coordinator role (a senior social work AHA position) within CHS.

Veronique joined us for a Q&A recently about her career pathway.

Tell us about your professional journey, your learnings and experiences

Being a mum has played a crucial role in shaping my career as an allied health assistant.

My children have always been my top priority, leading me to assist in their classrooms. Concurrently, working as a personal trainer brought a new dimension to how my career was shaped. It was a teaching colleague's suggestion that piqued my interest in becoming an AHA, discussing how my two roles made me highly suited to working as an AHA. This marked a turning point in my career. It’s been a diverse pathway, with my employment covering acute care, rehabilitation, and the mental health sector over eleven years.

After supervising AHA students for years, an opportunity arose to teach in that VET sector. Little did I know that I would become the first AHA to teach in the Cert IV program across Australia. Now in my third year of teaching, while also remaining active in the industry, this dual role has been a tremendous success. I hope more AHAs get the opportunity to also teach into this course and pass on their knowledge and passion to our future colleagues.

What is clear to me is that there is constant growth and change in the AHA industry. There is opportunity and the flexibility to contribute to this changing workforce. To date, it has been not only rewarding but also affirming that I can have a fulfilling, long-term career as an AHA. 

Where do you work?

Social work, University of Canberra Hospital Rehabilitation Specialist Centre, and Canberra Institute of Teaching Allied Health Assistance.

What grade are you?

AHA 3. 

What kinds of clients do you work with?

I work with diverse group of clients with a wide range of conditions, including neurological, geriatric, and post-surgical rehabilitation.

A lot of the clients and families that I work with in social work require a lot of emotional support and advocation.

What first attracted you to your profession—what inspired you to become an allied health assistant?

The variety of work and specialty disciplines.

I saw there was a lot of flexibility to move into different sectors which I found really appealing.

What does a typical day involve?

My main role now in social work is the Guardianship Tribunal Coordinator.

In this role, I oversee the applications, hospital proceedings, and operations of the guardianship tribunal. I ensure the process from application to hearing is smooth and effective. It’s a crucial role as it supports upholding the rights and wellbeing of vulnerable individuals while they are in the hospital.

Can you tell us about opportunities that you’ve had to really make a difference to patient or community outcomes—what’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Throughout my health career and my experience across various disciplines, I've found great satisfaction in knowing that our service consistently delivers the highest quality care throughout a client's entire hospital stay.

It's incredibly rewarding to see the positive impact that our efforts have on their wellbeing, and that of their families and carers.

What advice would you have for others providing care in a similar role?

Stick to it.

Try and become involved in as many working groups as possible, as this will enable you to be a part of and contribute to changes. Share your knowledge and mentor upcoming and new AHAs. Make sure you prioritise your self-care and well-being. 

A dear and wise colleague told me that “person-centred care translates into patient-centred care” and has resonated with me ever since.

Stay open to feedback and learning new techniques and information. I have found that continuing to learn has opened so many new and different avenues.

It's also important as an AHA to set clear boundaries. This helps not only to avoid burnout but also reinforces that you need to be aware of your professional and personal limits.