ALLIED HEALTH ASSISTING

> Qualifications & Pathways • Traineeships • VET In Schools • Peak Bodies & Key Stakeholders • Resources

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 2007_006.

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

Qualifications and Pathways

HLT32407 Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance

HLT42507 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance

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 http://apprenticeship.det.nsw.edu.au/index1.htm

Current Allied Health Assistance traineeships in NSW are:

HLT32407 Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance

HLT42507 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance

New payroll tax arrangements for apprentices and trainees

New arrangements for the payment of payroll tax for apprentices and trainees in NSW take effect from 1 July 2008.

Currently, wages paid to apprentices and new entrant trainees in NSW are exempt from payroll tax. From 1 July 2008, this exemption will no longer apply and all employers will be required to include the wages and salaries paid to apprentices and new entrant trainees in their payroll tax calculation. Further information available from Office of State Revenue click here

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 .

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 will be available in 2008 from www.skillsonline.net.au

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

Other resources may be available from industry peaks, National Training Information Service (NTIS), Registered Training Organisations and Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council.