Provider and consumer perceptions of allied health service needs.

The study reported in this paper compared data from 20 separate focus groups, representing providers and consumers of health services in the Grampians region, Victoria, on their perceptions of the allied health service issues in that region. The results of the study indicated that providers and consumers raised many similar issues in regard to allied health services--access to allied health services, service delivery, social and rural issues--but discussed the issues from different perspectives. The provider discussion was concerned with service delivery issues and the consumer discussion was focused on broader social issues which affect health.