News

26 May 2025

In Australia, the allied health assistant (AHA) workforce is essential, yet often invisible. These professionals work across our most critical systems — health, aged care, disability, education, justice — but have historically lacked professional identity, recognition, or regulation. Enter AHANA: the Allied Health Assistant National Association, Australia’s first self-regulating body dedicated exclusively to AHAs.

14 May 2025

In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, Allied Health Assistants play a crucial role in supporting professionals like physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists. Despite their significant contributions, there's a glaring gap in the system: the lack of fee-for-service options for AHAs.

11 May 2025

Injury Matters (WA) has made a range of professional development and other resources available online for free, and is inivting AHANA members and other members of the health sector to participate in this training.

01 May 2025

How Four Allied Health Assistants Saved Millions and Transformed Social Work. AHANA members are invited to watch this must-see event designed for AHA employers, and those considering introducing AHAs into their service mix.

13 March 2025

AHANA members already know the value of their membership, in highlighting their commitment to the highest standards of allied health assistant practise, but most have yet to unlock the full benefits.

06 March 2025

Dr Ed Johnson, an allied health professional and entrepreneur, joined the AHANA Board in late 2024. Get to know Ed, what makes him tick and what he wants to bring to AHANA, through this interview by Andy Richardson, AHANA Chair.

06 March 2025

The Department of Health and Aged Care, on behalf of the Australian Government, is working with state and territory governments to develop a National Allied Health Workforce Strategy. Consultation on the draft Strategy opened 20 January 2025 and closed 3 March 2025. The consultation draft excluded Allied Health Assistants (AHAs) from scope; rectifying this critical oversight, whether by incorporating AHAs into the Strategy or via a subsequent component to be developed and implemented within a three year period, is just one of several recommendations made by AHANA in its submission on the draft Strategy.

25 February 2025

AHAs, researchers are seeking your help as part of an Australian-wide project, ‘Implementing Evidence-Based Care for Cognitive and Psychosocial Consequences of Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)’.

18 February 2025

New Practising and Student Members who join AHANA before 30 June 2025 are, along with current Practising and Student Members, eligible for FREE access to Continuing Professional Development through The Allied Health Academy's AHA CPD Community of Practice to 30 June 2026.

31 January 2025

Following on from AHANA's Annual General Meeting in November 2024, there have been several changes to membership of the AHANA Board and Committees. Chair, Andy Richardson, writes an open letter thanking retiring Board and Committee members for their service and warmly welcoming new members.

23 January 2025

Corrie Ramsay, awarded AHA of the Year at the 2024 Australian Allied Health Awards, sat down with Nerida Volker (AHANA Board member until November 2024), last year for a wide-ranging chat covering the Award, her career journey, what she loves about her job, and her future career aspirations.

17 December 2024

An interview with Kylie Saccotelli, new member of AHANA's Standards, Education and Professional Development Committee, on her role as Allied Health Assistant Workforce Advisor in the WISER team at Monash Health, her career pathway into that role, and her perspective on the importance and future of the AHA workforce.

17 December 2024

The registered training associated with the Certificate IV and Diploma of Leisure and Health results in the “attainment of competencies equivalent or similar to those attained” by completing the Certificate III or above in Allied Health Assistance., making holders of those qualifications immediately eligible for AHANA Practising Member (General) membership on the basis of equivalency. AHANA welcomes this new cohort of prospective members and the opportunity to continue serving the AHA workforce and the broader community through the promotion of the safe and effective use of AHA services.

16 December 2024

One of the most common questions AHANA (Allied Health Assistant National Association) receives is whether self-employed allied health assistants (AHAs) who operate as sole traders under their own ABN can safely work under delegation from allied health professionals (AHPs). This article clarifies this issue by addressing key definitions, the relationship between employment and clinical governance, and the role of insurance in ensuring safety and accountability.

26 November 2024

Like all healthcare workers, Allied health assistants (AHAs) face inherent risks while practising. However, the relationship between an AHA and an Allied Health Practitioner (AHP) plays a vital role in facilitating care and minimising potential risks. In this article, AHANA and AHANA's insurance partner, BMS, discuss potential risks to be aware of when care is facilitated by a health team, including between an AHA and AHP.

05 October 2024

On 2 October 2024, aged care employers participated in a pivotal webinar hosted by the Allied Health Assistant National Association (AHANA). The session explored how AHANA can help aged care providers increase the accessibility of key services required for maintaining health and quality of life of older Australians by utilising AHANA practising members in the provision of allied health services.

03 October 2024

On 24 September 2024, AHANA held a session for disability service providers to promote and support the use of allied health assistance within the disability sector.

03 September 2024

This month, Andrew Richardson reached out to Alli Pollard, one of our Practising Members. Alli has been appointed to an exciting new AHA role in South Australia (SA) Health, an AHA Level 4.

02 September 2024

If you experienced an incident or complaint today, how would you respond?

As an allied health assistant, you may face an incident or a complaint from a patient at some point during your career. While having insurance cover is an important step in helping you protect yourself, your response to an incident, complaint, and/or claim can be equally important. This includes the timing of making a notification to your insurer.

In this article, BMS, AHANA's dedicated insurance partner, explains the importance of making a notification, and how to respond in the event an incident, complaint or claim arises.

26 August 2024

The Allied Health Assistants' National Association (AHANA) strongly supports the proposed NDIS worker registration scheme as a significant step towards enhancing quality and professionalism within the disability sector. We welcome the Taskforce's recommendations and emphasise the role of AHANA in the self-regulation of allied health assistants. 

26 August 2024

AHANA recently submitted a comprehensive submission to the federal government, outlining the critical need for AHA workforce recognition and funding. This proposal is a significant step forward in ensuring that AHAs are recognised, supported, and regulated in a way that reflects their vital role in the healthcare system.

30 July 2024

As national allied health leaders convene to develop a comprehensive strategy that will shape the future of healthcare services, it is critical to consider every facet of the allied health workforce.

28 June 2024

We’d like to share the details of our recent webinar with you.

25 June 2024

The Australian Government’s ‘Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce – Scope of Practice Review’ aligns with identifying and addressing barriers preventing health professionals from working to their full scope of practice. 

AHANA's response to the Review’s latest publication, Issues Paper 2, highlights the challenges in effectively utilising AHAs within healthcare teams, emphasising the lack of clarity and recognition of their skills and capabilities. 

25 June 2024

We were thrilled to have 134 people register for the session, which addressed ways of strengthening the allied health assistance workforce through occupational co-regulation.

25 June 2024

AHANA Board Director Tara Intarapanya provided some valuable feedback at the HumanAbility Roadshow in Darwin recently. She emphasised that although AHAs primarily fall under the health sector, their work spans across various industries represented by HumanAbility, including education, disability, aged care, and sport and recreation.

23 May 2024

Susan Nancarrow is the CEO of HealthWork International and was the founding Chair of the Allied Health Assistant National Association.  

Together with the founding CEO, Ben Turnbull and the support of the team at HealthWork Solutions, they were instrumental in forming the first self-regulating professional association for the allied health assistant workforce.

23 May 2024

As HumanAbility undertakes its nationwide roadshow, the AHANA eagerly anticipates the opportunity to engage with industry leaders, educators, and specialists. This initiative by HumanAbility, the Jobs and Skills Council (JSC) for community services and support industries, including aged care, disability services, mental health, and allied health assistance, represents a pivotal moment for the allied health sector. AHANA is prepared to contribute valuable insights to ensure that workforce training and qualifications are effectively aligned with the evolving needs of the industry. 

26 April 2024

We’d love to share a story from one of members, Melanie Keep, an allied health assistant at Perth Children's Hospital.

26 April 2024

Jodie Keller, an AHA from Southern NSW Health, was recently awarded the 2024 Excellence in Allied Health Award for Allied Health Assistance. Congratulations Jodie!

19 April 2024

Allied health assistants (AHAs) play a vital role in supporting allied health professionals, delivering essential services to diverse patient populations, including older adults, individuals with disabilities, and those transitioning from hospital care. However, like any healthcare worker, your role as an AHA carries risks. In this article, AHANA's insurance partner, BMS, discusses the common areas of risk as an AHA, and the benefits of having your own insurance.

27 March 2024

Lucy Whelan is an Allied Health Professional by training. We caught up with her recently to chat about her career and her thoughts on the AHA space.

27 March 2024

Participation in the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator Program (QI Program) has been a requirement for all approved providers of residential care services since 1 July 2019. The QI Program requires quarterly reporting against eleven quality indicators across crucial care areas — pressure injuries, physical restraint, unplanned weight loss, falls and major injury, medication management, activities of daily living, incontinence care, hospitalisation, workforce, consumer experience and quality of life. The workforce indicators have traditionally focussed only on service management, nursing, and the care and support workforce.

26 March 2024

The Framework to Support Delegation and Supervision of Allied Health Assistants in Primary Care, Aged Care and Disability Settings has been drafted by the Department of Health on behalf of the Allied Health Industry Reference Group and the National Allied Health Advisory and Chief Officers Committee.

27 February 2024

At the February AHANA Board meeting, changes to AHANA's Leadership Team were made including saying farwell to Dr Susan Nancarrow as Board Chair and Emily Hoyne as a director. We are excited to introduce the new AHANA Board Chair, Andrew Richardson, and Deputy Chairs: Kirra Hennessey and Tara Intarapanya

22 February 2024

In Australia, the role of Allied Health Assistants (AHAs) is integral to the delivery of quality healthcare services, yet the profession still faces significant challenges due to lack of standardisation, inconsistent training standards, and limited recognition in funding models. With approximately 25,000 AHAs operating under various state and territory awards, the need for cohesive regulation and recognition has never been more pressing.

22 January 2024

You may have heard about Professional Indemnity (PI) insurance. However, do you know what it responds to? And should you consider this insurance cover as an allied health assistant (AHA)?

In this article, AHANA's insurance partner, BMS, explains what Professional Indemnity insurance is, and the benefits of having your own cover.

19 January 2024

Dr Nerida Volker is an Allied Health Professional, and an educator with 30 years' experience in the health and community sectors. In addition to her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Nerida holds a Bachelor of Science, a Graduate Diploma of Dietetics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Promotion.

We caught up with her recently to chat about her career and her thoughts on the AHA space.

13 December 2023

The NDIS Review: Working together to deliver the NDIS (2023), released last week, is a crucial initiative, aimed at providing essential support for people with disabilities. The Review has identified key areas for improvement, emphasising the importance of building trust, addressing workforce challenges, and enhancing service quality. In this context, the Australian Allied Health Assistant National Association (AHANA) emerges as a crucial player, aligning seamlessly with the NDIS Review recommendations.

12 December 2023

We speak to AHANA director Annette Davis. Annette is well positioned to support and advocate for AHAs given her experience as an allied health professional, AHA advisor and now as a senior manager across therapy services. 

19 October 2023

Veronique Clyde was awarded Allied Health Assistant of 2023 at the National Allied Health Awards Gala, in Darwin on 14 October. Veronique is an allied health assistant at Canberra Health Services (CHS) and an AHA teacher at Canberra Institute of Technology. She joined us recently to chat about her career pathway as an AHA. 

13 September 2023

Register now for the upcoming webinar 'Promoting Allied Health Careers in Indigenous Youth' with guest presenter Jed Fraser, Senior Project Officer with IAHA.

08 September 2023

We caught up with allied health assistant and AHANA board member Kirra Hennessey for a chat about how she got started as an AHA and the future of the profession.

11 August 2023

Seeking your input: Strengthening the Allied Health Assistant workforce through occupational co-regulation

28 July 2023

AHANA advocates for the profession and strives to provide education and services to our members. This includes providing membership benefits that serve to support you in your career. The AHANA Member Insurance program in partnership with BMS does just that.

27 July 2023

AHANA frequently hears questions about the difference in and descriptions of AHA levels. The levels, known as Work Level Standards (‘WLS’), were created by the state health directorates. The higher the level, the more complex the role, the greater the wage for the AHA.AHANA frequently hears questions about the difference in and descriptions of AHA levels. The levels, known as Work Level Standards (‘WLS’), were created by the state health directorates. The higher the level, the more complex the role, the greater the wage for the AHA.

18 July 2023

Register now for the upcoming webinar 'Understanding Roles, Responsibilities, and Risks when working as an AHA' to delve into the dynamics of delegated care!

04 July 2023

AHANA is holding a breakfast event on Day 3 of the National Allied Health Conference in Perth, and we would love to see you there.

03 July 2023

AHANA Members have free access to the AHA CPD Learning Community, from now until 30 June 2024.

20 June 2023

Today, we're looking at an important topic for allied health assistants (AHAs) in providing ethical health, support and care services: can AHAs accept gifts from clients?

20 June 2023

Andrew Richardson is a practising allied health assistant based in the ACT who has been working in the field of soft tissue therapy for the last 18 years, and is a member of the AHANA board. We chatted with Andrew recently about his involvement with AHANA, and the future of the AHA workforce in Australia.

01 May 2023

Tara Intarapanya is a senior Allied Health Assistant (AHA) based in the Northern Territory. She’s a co-founder of the Allied Health Assistant Network of Australia and is a board member of the Allied Health Assistants’ National Association Ltd (AHANA). From studying a Diploma of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant in Ontario, Canada, through to her behind-the-scenes work on launching AHANA, Tara’s passion and vision for elevating the AHA workforce is infectious.

Tara spoke with us about championing the potential of AHAs through AHANA, and shared her personal aspirations for amplifying the future AHA workforce in Australia.

28 April 2023

The AHANA Board recently approved its Code of Conduct and Continuing Competence Requirements By-law. These documents impose standards on Practising Members (both documents) and Student Members (Code of Conduct only) designed to ensure that Australians have access to high quality, safe and effective delegated allied health services.

28 March 2023

Cath Maloney, CEO of SARRAH (Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health), publicly recognised AHANA and its initiatives in a high-profile webinar panel discussion last week: "we're very supportive of the work that AHANA is doing."

14 March 2023

Ben Turnbull, founding CEO of AHANA describes his inspiring career trajectory, and how his experience of rehabilitation following a serious car accident led him to become an allied health assistant (AHA). A decade later, Ben was instrumental in forming the NSW association for allied health assistants, which ultimately led to the formation of the Allied Health Assistant National Association in 2022.

We caught up with Ben recently to talk about his career path, the development of AHANA, his overall vision for AHAs, and why a self-regulated allied health assistant workforce is important.

09 December 2022

AHANA Board passed Membership By-law and subsidiary Rules

28 October 2022

Cathy Love from Nacre Consulting leads an online discussion, for Department of Social Services' Boosting the Local Care Workforce program, about the challenges and solutions to support the use of Allied Health Assistants.

24 August 2022

CSIA partnered with Allied Health Assistants Network Australia (AHANA) to bring together a national panel of Allied Health Assistants and Professionals who share their AHA stories and experiences.

04 August 2022

AHANA's development into a peak body for Allied Health Assistants

04 August 2022

View and distribute our latest AHANA flyer, poster and introduction

09 June 2022

Dr Nerida Volker appeared on the Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) podcast "Talking for Purpose" to discuss, amongst other things, the importance of the Allied Health Assistant workforce and its role in increasing the reach and capacity of allied health professionals, particularly in rural and remote settings.

29 April 2022

Draft recommendations and resources from the the Victorian Department of Health sponsored-Victorian Allied Health Assistant Workforce Project released.

01 March 2022

Join Speech Pathology Australia's Anneke Flinn for season 03, episode 19 of Speak Up: A Speech Pathology Australia Podcast to discuss AHAs.

29 November 2021

Ben Turnbull, CEO of AHANA, sat down to talk with Cathy Love (NACRE Consulting) for episode 209 of the Private Practice Made Perfect podcast.

11 May 2020

Brad Dent, Director of WHR Allied Health, sat down with Cathy Love (NACRE Consulting) for episode 138 of the Private Practice Made Perfect podcast.