Direct Client Care Work

ALLIED HEALTH ASSISTING

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NSW Context

Allied Health is an emerging industry sector and job roles for allied health workers is expected to steadily increase as health professionals require skilled assistants to support the demands of their workload.  In NSW there are only a small number of allied health assistants and of these few have formal training or qualifications despite an industry need for trained allied health assistants.

In NSW, HLT32407Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance is recognised as the appropriate entry level qualification for this industry sector.

The term 'Allied Health Professions' (AHPs) or 'Health Professions' has a variety of definitions and a number of professions are included under this umbrella, depending on the definition used.

The definition used by the Tasmanian Health Professional Council (the body representing the professional associations of AHPs) to define membership of the Council is "professions:

  • which are involved in health care, other than the disciplines of medicine, nursing and health administration;
  • for which tertiary qualifications exist and which are essential for professional registration or admission to a relevant professional body; and
  • whose professional activities focus on client diagnosis, treatment and/or primary health care."

Allied health professionals include, audiology, dental therapy, dietetics, health librarian, health information management, medical illustration, nuclear medicine technology, occupational therapy, orthoptics, orthotics and prosthetics, medical science, pharmacy, physiotherapy, podiatry, psychology, radiation therapy, radiography, social work and  speech pathology.

An assistant is some one who assists these professionals.  These positions are probably most common in physiotherapy, occupational therapy and also in rehabilitation and community settings.  They are less common in acute hospital settings. An allied health assistant position needs to work with an allied health professional.  The training for this qualification needs to include on the job training assisting an allied health professional, as well as off the job training.   

Immunisation: Health workers and learners undertaking work placement in NSW Health facilities must comply with the assessment, screening and vaccination requirements of Policy Directive PD 2011_005.  

 

Employment Screening Policy :  Health workers and learners undertaking work placement in NSW Health facilities must comply with the Employment Screening Policy. This Policy Directive sets out the mandatory requirements and procedures for the undertaking of Employment Screening of preferred applicants seeking employment for paid and unpaid positions, which includes the Working With Children Check, the Aged Care Check and the National Criminal Record Check. Further detail at Policy Directive PD2008_029

 

Student Clearances for Clinical Placements in NSW Public Health Facilities

NSW Department of Health Employment Screening Policy PD2008_029 requires all students enrolling in courses that involve clinical placements in NSW Public Health Facilities must undertake a National Criminal Record Check and comply with other policy requirements.  For details click here

 

Changes to OH&S

The Commonwealth and each state and territory government have agreed to harmonise their work health and safety laws, including Regulations and Codes of Practice, so that they are similar in each jurisdiction.

The Commonwealth, states and territories are responsible for making and enforcing their own work health and safety laws. Although there are many similarities between the laws there are also some differences that can cause confusion. Australian workers should be entitled to the same work health and safety standards, regardless of the jurisdiction in which they operate.

This regulatory inconsistency is being addressed through an intergovernmental agreement(IGA) where, for the first time, governments from each state and territory and the Commonwealth have formally committed to harmonise work health and safety laws by developing and adopting a model Work Health and Safety Act supported by model Regulations and model Codes of Practice. The intention is to deliver the same work health and safety protections to all Australians.  For more information click here

 

 

Qualifications and Pathways

 

 

 

 

HLT32407 Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance

HLT42507 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance

 

Recognition

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a significant pathway for candidates to attain a national training package qualification.  There has been strong support from Commonwealth and NSW governments for RTOs to find innovative and accessible RPL strategies and approaches. 

NSW Department of Education and Training is actively assisting this quest for improved RPL pathways and has worked in partnership across many industry sectors to pilot best practice models of recognition and develop supporting resources.   Some of the innovation recognition pathways trialled included group, project and workplace based models. 

Resources and further details are available at  State Training Services  

 

Traineeships

The Vocational Training Board establishes traineeships in NSW.  Through a consultative process between peak industry groups, employers and unions, facilitated by the ITAB, qualifications are identified that meet industry requirements and have appropriate award arrangements.  This information is submitted to the Board for the declaration of a vocational training order in accordance with NSW legislation.

As qualifications have a vocational training order established, they are posted on the NSW DET Commissioner’s Bulletin.  Further advice is available through New Apprentice Centres and at www.training.nsw.gov.au

Current Allied Health Assistance traineeships in NSW are:

HLT32407 Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance

HLT42507 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance
 

NOTE:  The Human Services Curriculum Framework includes provision for school-based trainees to gain unit credit towards the HSC for the school-based formal training component of their traineeship.  See VET in Schools section below.

 

VET in Schools

The HLT32407 Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance qualification in the HLT07 Health Training Package has been identified as suitable for VET in Schools pathways.

Resources to support appropriate models of delivery for VET in Schools will be available for 2008.  See Resources below.

For more information about VET in Schools in NSW visit: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/vetinschools/

The NSW Board of Studies is responsible for the inclusion of training package qualifications in the HSC studies. Further information is available at www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au .

 

Human Services Curriculum Framework

Industry curriculum frameworks provide high school students with the opportunity to gain industry-recognised national vocational qualifications under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as part of their NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC).
Industry curriculum frameworks include an optional HSC examination which eligible students may elect to undertake. Students who choose to sit the HSC examination can have the results of the examination count towards their Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

The qualifications available in the Human Services Curriculum Framework are:
• Certificate III in Aged Care (CHC30208)
• Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance (HLT32407)
• Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (HLT32507)

There are 2 programs in the Human Services Curriculum Framework, a 360 hour course or 240 hour course.  If undertaking the Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance pathway in the Human Services Curriculum Framework students must complete mandatory work placement for a minimum of 105 hours (for 360 hour course) or 70 hours (for the 240 hour course).

Details and all documentation are available on the Board’s website at www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/human-services.html.

 

Peak Bodies and Key Stakeholders

Occupational Therapy Australia- NSW

OT AUSTRALIA NSW is the peak body representing occupational therapists working in New South Wales, Australia.

APA Australian Physiotherapy Association

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is the peak body representing the interests of Australian physiotherapists and their patients. The APA is a national organisation with non-autonomous state and territory branches and specialty subgroups.

Speech Pathology Australia

Speech Pathology Australia is the national peak body for the speech pathology profession in Australia.

 

 

Resources

Please contact NSW Community Services and Health ITAB regarding training and assessment resource needs for the qualifications or skills sets in this industry sector.

 

NSW Community Services and Health ITAB and NSW DET resources include:

VET in Schools- HEADSTART TO HEALTH

These resources will support the VET in Schools delivery of the HLT32407 Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance and include:

  • RTO Guide
  • Student Guide
  • School Guide
  • Employer Guide

The resources are available from Skills on line

Contact the NSW Community Services and Health ITAB for more details.

 

NSW Community Services and Health ITAB and Board of Studies resource:

 

This free e-resource provides information for secondary students to make informed choice about working in community services and health industries. It will help make the decision about whether to take up a HSC VET program in community services and health, what work placement is needed and where to get more information..

Access the e-reource from the icon on Community Services and Health ITAB website

or click here: http://www.csh-itab.com.au/schoolpathways/

 

 

  

Other resources may be available from industry peaks, Registered Training Organisations and Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council.

 

 

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