Anthill and other injuries: a case for mobile allied health teams to remote Australia

Remote rural districts of Australia can continue to expect a loss of public services due to the low population density and migration loss. However allied health services such as physiotherapy, are cost-effective services that are in demand in remote Australia. This paper was derived from a report to the Rural Health Policy Unit of Queensland Health that granted funds for a mobile allied health team to visit the remote western shires of the Peninsula and Torres Strait health region. By presenting an outline of an unusual group of parochial occupational injuries it can be shown that there is indeed both a considerable demand for allied health services and these services can be provided to remote communities by a mobile remote outreach service for a reasonable cost.