Who are we?

Allied Health Assistants' National Association Ltd (AHANA) is the national peak body for Allied Health Assistants (AHAs).

AHANA supports, promotes, informs, and advocates for AHAs across Australia. AHANA also administers the AHA National Certification Scheme—a quality assurance process ensuring excellence across the AHA workforce.

AHANA works to benefit users of allied health services, AHAs and the Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) who provide delegation and supervision to AHAs across the health, disability and aged care systems.

Please refer to this page for AHANA's definition of an allied health assistant (AHA).

Our Prospectus

You can read more about AHANA, our work, membership types and the benefits of joining in our Prospectus.

Our History

In September 2020, the New South Wales and Victorian Allied Health Assistant networks united to form a national network of AHAs. In April of 2022, this network was incorporated as the Allied Health Assistants' National Association Ltd, or AHANA, to become the national peak body for AHAs in Australia.

Our Vision

To increase the accessibility, equity, effectiveness, sustainability, and person centredness of allied health services through the optimal use of Allied Health Assistants, for the benefit of all Australians.

Our Mission

AHANA empowers Allied Health Assistants, shaping a future where their vital contributions to allied health services are universally acknowledged and valued. We do this by:

  • Supporting, promoting and educating AHAs
  • Advocating for the AHA role and value to all stakeholders (for example, the VET sector, Government bodies, Allied health peak bodies, Industry peak bodies, and the community)
  • Advocating for singular policy guidelines to improve the minimum professional standards for AHA
  • Administering the Allied Health Assistant National Certification Scheme
Our Values

Our values reflect the principles that guide AHANA in achieving its mission and vision:

  • Empowerment: We are committed to empowering AHAs by providing them with the resources and opportunities for success in their professional journey.
  • Recognition: We are committed to ensuring that the vital contributions of AHAs are universally acknowledged and valued across the allied health community.
  • Excellence: We uphold the highest standards of integrity in all our actions. This commitment extends to administering the Allied Health Assistant National Certification Scheme, promoting excellence and enhancing the credibility of AHAs.
Our Strategic Plan: 2024 to 2028

We have set ourselves ambituous goals to realise our Vision and Mission. Our strategic goals focus on increasing recognition of AHAs across all health sectors and providing robust professional development opportunities.

We are committed to supporting our members and stakeholders to create a more effective and inclusive allied health workforce.

Join us on this journey to elevate the role of AHAs in delivering exceptional health services to all Australians.You can read more about our plans here.

You can read more about the benefits of self-regulation/self-certification at Why Self-Regulate? and the benefits of joining AHANA at Membership Benefits