Celebrating Allied Health

To celebrate Allied Health Professionals Day (14 October), the RCH Archives and Collections team has produced three new online exhibitions, showcasing the contribution and historical origins of a selection of the 24 allied health specialities at the RCH.

The RCH Orthotic and Prosthetic Department, historically known as the ‘Splint Shop’, has provided expertly crafted splints and braces for children suffering from polio, osteomyelitis and tuberculosis of the bone since the late1800s.

In 2020, the highly skilled RCH team is involved in the treatment of a wide range of neuromuscular-skeletal conditions. Wooden and leather splints have been replaced by advanced technological devices such as prosthetic arms that feature microprocessor-controlled fingers as well as prosthetic legs in bright colours and fun patterns.

Explore the exhibitions here: https://archives.rch.org.au/exhibitions/