Membership FAQs

Unsure which membership class best fits your circumstances?

Complete our AHANA Membership Decision Maker tool to determine which class would best suit you.

What if I'm a practising Allied Health Assistant (AHA) and also currently studying an Allied Health Assistance course?

If you are enrolled/studying a Certificate III or above in Allied Health Assistance, and you are also currently working as an Allied Health Assistant (AHA), you must apply for a Practising Membership regardless of your student status. If you are unsure which Practising Membership you should apply for, please see the below FAQs and our Practising Memberships page for more information.

I have a qualification or experience as an Allied Health Assistant that does not meet the criteria outlined on the Practising Memberships page but I am currently working as an Allied Health Assistant or planning to work as one within the next 12 months.

If you believe your qualifications and experience result in competency equivalence or similar to one of the Board-approved combinations described above for the Practising Member (General) or Practising Member (Certified) membership, we suggest you apply for membership for that class.

The Board will review your application for equivalence/similarity on a case-by-case basis.

If you nominate in the application form that you agree to be provided with the highest class of practising membership the Board determines you are eligible for, and are found to be eligible for a lower class of practising membership to the one you apply for, you will not forfeit your application fee in the event your credentials are not found to meet the appropriate standard for membership of the class you do apply for.

What happens if I apply for a higher level of Practising Membership than I get approved for?

If you apply for Practising Member (Certified) or Practising Member (General) and:

you are found to be eligible for a lower class of Practising Membership than the one you apply for; and
you nominated in the application form that you agree to be provided with the highest class of Practising Membership the Board determines you are eligible for,

you will not forfeit your application fee in the event your credentials are not found to meet the appropriate standard for membership of the class you do apply for.

If I'm a current AHANA Practising Member, can I apply for a higher level of Practising Membership?

Yes, if you are an existing AHANA Practising Member and subsequently gain additional practise hours and/or qualifications within the same membership year that you believe align with a higher Practising Membership class, email membership@ahana.com.au with your details and evidence to support a higher level of membership.

Note: Please ensure that you are providing relevant and satisfactory evidence that would align with the requirements of the membership you wish to apply for. For more details on the evidence required for each Practising Membership class, see Membership Rule 3 and our Practising Memberships page.

Is AHANA Membership compulsory?

Membership of AHANA is not currently mandatory for Allied Health Assistants but is encouraged for the development of the profession in addition to the benefits, for members themselves.