Welcome to the website of Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), the national voice of allied health in Australia. This site provides news of issues related to allied healthcare, background information and research, allied health projects and information about health care events.
Australia has more than 90,000 allied health professionals, who work alongside doctors and nurses to provide optimum health care for all Australians. This represents 20% of the country's healthcare workforce - a sizeable proportion which continues to grow. Together with doctors and nurses, allied health professionals are regarded as the third pillar of health care providers in Australia.
AHPA's membership comprises allied health professional associations, including Audiologists, Chiropractors, Dietitians, Exercise Physiologists, Occupational Therapists, Orthoptists, Orthotists and Prosthetists, Osteopaths, Hospital Pharmacists, Podiatrists, Psychologists, Sonographers, Social Workers and Speech Pathologists. The Diabetes Educators and Practice Managers associations are associate members.
AHPA members work closely together to raise issues concerning allied health to policy decision makers at all levels and to share information and views relevant to the organisation's objectives.
AHPA's current priorities include:
- ensuring involvement of allied health in the healthcare reform agenda
- achieving allied health representation at all levels of governance in Medicare Locals
- Federal Government appointment of a National Allied Health Officer
- achieving recognition of allied health as the third pillar in the provision of healthcare
- lobbying for increased incentives for allied health professionals to work in rural and remote areas - incentives which are already available for doctors - to ensure improved healthcare for rural communities
- review of the Medicare Chronic Disease Management items to provide more comprehensive healthcare for people with chronic and complex conditions.
Additionally AHPA has been working with NEHTA on the development of ehealth initiatives.
We would welcome your input, news and issues that you would like AHPA to consider via the Contact Us page.