Friday 21 February, 2025

New survey report reveals Allied Health sector ready for digital transformation; urges further policy and funding commitment 

Conducted last year in collaboration with the Australian Digital Health Agency, the survey sought to understand allied health professionals’ current awareness, use and readiness to use: 

• Provider Connect Australia™ (PCA™) 

• My Health Record 

• Electronic prescribing. 

With a total of 2,419 participants from 36 allied health professions (AHPs), this is the largest and most diverse cohort to respond to a national survey focused on Australian AHPs and their use of digital products. 

AHPA calls for greater recognition of allied health professionals from the Albanese Government

Last week Allied Health Professions Australia expressed disappointment that Australia’s second largest health workforce was overlooked in the Albanese Government’s first ever paid campaign promoting primary healthcare careers. 

AHPA Chief Executive Officer Bronwyn Morris-Donovan said AHPA applauds the focus on sustaining the primary healthcare workforce but the allied health sector deserves better. 

AHPA's pre-budget submission 2025–26 calls for targeted reforms

AHPA's pre-budget submission calls for targeted reforms that improves access and affordability to allied health services.

There are four priorities:

1. Improving access to allied health services for all Australians

2. Ensuring people with disability get the allied health they need

3. Ensuring older people get the allied health they need

4. Facilitating interoperable sharing of allied health information

Last chance to have your say on the inaugural 10-year Allied Health National Workforce strategy

The Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care is working with state and territory governments to develop a National Allied Health Workforce Strategy. This responds to a recommendation from the independent review of Australia’s regulatory settings relating to overseas health practitioners final report.

This strategy will:

• help to address national allied health workforce issues, including the shortage of allied health professionals in Australia

• consider how these issues vary across the allied health sector so we can better align the supply of allied health professionals with current and future needs.

The third round of public consultation is open until to 3 March 2025.

AHPA joins new national consortium to design and test new models of health service delivery

Former Australian Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd was awarded $5 million to form a national Multidisciplinary Primary Care Research, Policy and Advocacy Consortium to ensure improvements across the sector for years to come.

AHPA welcomes the opportunity to embed allied health into multidisciplinary models of care.