# Community service rehabilitation therapists’ perspectives of cross-disciplinary supervision

## TL;DR

This study explores the experiences of South African rehabilitation therapists during their mandatory community service year, focusing on the challenges and benefits of receiving cross-disciplinary supervision.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the effectiveness and limitations of cross-disciplinary supervision for novice rehabilitation therapists in public healthcare.

## Key findings

- Cross-disciplinary supervision supports professional development but lacks consistency and discipline-specific focus.
- Community service therapists face high patient loads and insufficient support in resource-limited settings.
- Participants recommended improvements to supervision structures to enhance service delivery and therapist effectiveness.

## Abstract

In South Africa, graduate rehabilitation therapists undertake a compulsory community service (CS) year in public healthcare facilities, often entering this role without sufficient competency to work independently. They rely on supervision and support, which may come from senior therapists of different disciplines. This study, conducted in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, explores the experiences of rehabilitation therapists regarding cross-disciplinary supervision and support during their CS year.

A qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory design was employed. Virtual semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven purposively sampled participants from five KZN districts. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically.

The findings revealed four themes and ten sub-themes, highlighting the challenges and benefits of cross-disciplinary supervision, dissatisfaction with existing support structures, and recommendations for improvement. The CS therapists, as junior staff, often lacked the experience and authority to deliver optimal patient care within resource-constrained settings.

While discipline-specific supervision remains the preferred approach, cross-disciplinary supervision contributed positively to professional development, broadening therapists’ understanding of other rehabilitation disciplines. However, the limited availability of accessible, discipline-specific supervisors remains a significant concern. Given their frequent isolation and minimal experience, CS therapists require consistent, discipline-specific support to meet service demands.

This study emphasises need to address the experiences of CS therapists, who face high patient loads and limited support, in public health sector planning. Incorporating their insights can enhance their ability to deliver essential services, ensuring better outcomes for the populations served by the public health system.