Department recognises crucial role of allied health
Allied health professionals are critical for the effective delivery of care, Anita Hobson-Powell tells the PAS audience on day 1, but collaboration between the sector, government and older people is needed for allied health to reach its true potential.
Australia’s Chief Allied Health officer Anita Hobson-Powell has told this week’s Positive Ageing Summit audience that allied health professionals could be the largest healthcare workforce in Australia, but with no consistent workforce data or agreed definition on what the profession includes, the sector is misrepresented and at times, accidentally excluded from policy.
What is becoming more consistently agreed upon, said Ms Hobson-Powell, whose role sits in the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, is that allied health professionals are university trained and play a critical role in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of conditions and illnesses.
“We all know that allied health professionals are not mere support staff,” Ms Hobson-Powell told delegates on Wednesday. “We are critical to effective delivery of health services particularly in prevention, management, treatment of chronic and complex conditions.
“Our unique skills, knowledge and dedications are invaluable to the healthcare system.”
However, without accurate workforce data, workforce planning and resource allocation is effected, and it becomes harder to ensure demand is met, said Ms Hobson-Powell, who pointed to private practices losing staff to the disability sector due to the NDIS funding as an example.
The sector is now entering a time of major reform, Ms Hobson-Powell acknowledged, but the strengthening of aged care quality standards and regulatory changes will include a greater focus on the role of allied health professionals in the assessment, planning and delivery of quality care, she said.
“Calling out the distinct role of allied health professionals in supporting reablement and maintenance of functional capacity within the new standards highlights what we know as allied health professionals – not only do we contribute to positive ageing, but we are critical services to ensuring older people have meaningful lives,” she said.
Strategies to address sector challenges
There is a need to create environments that are conducive to retaining allied health professionals – particularly in regional and remote areas – and Ms Hobson-Powell said the department’s consultation rounds have found particular frustration with funding models that are viewed as not valuing allied health training, costly and complex regulatory requirements and funding barriers to meeting demand in rural and regional communities.
Ms Hobson-Powell assured the PAS audience that the department is addressing these challenges, including establishing a taskforce to consolidate advice.
“The taskforce has a primary focus on five areas,” she explained.
“Firstly, access to primary care in areas of need, particularly rural and remote areas, supporting primary practice providers to operate these teams and at their full scopes of practice, to develop new blended models of care to support multidisciplinary teams. Data and digital reforms that will enhance communication and collaboration between these multidisciplinary teams. And finally, working with stakeholders to support change adaptations.”
Another key priority that Ms Hobson-Powell outlined was the development of a National Allied Health Workforce Strategy, naming it a “critical step to addressing the challenges and the opportunities” facing the sector.
“This strategy will provide a comprehensive framework for the future of the allied health in Australia,” Ms Hobson-Powell told delegates.
The new allied health quality indicator data point acts as an interim measure based on the feedback from the sector, Ms Hobson-Powell said, but the department recognises the need for a new allied health assessment tool for residential aged care homes. In response, it has engaged health consultants in a consortium with Allied Health Professions Australia and Liquid Interactive to develop a new allied health assessment tool.
“This tool will provide a standardised approach to identify when a recipient requires a referral to an allied health professional for service,” she explained.
The aim is that the tool can be used by clinical staff in residential aged care to identify residents’ needs and refer a resident to one more of the five allied health professionals, accurately and effectively identifying the residential aged allied health service needs and support improved delivery and more consistent data for inclusion into the QI program, Ms Hobson-Powell said.
Positive ageing more than just living longer
Ms Hobson-Powell reminded Positive Ageing Summit delegates that during this time of reform, it is important to remember that positive ageing is more than just living longer, and is also about ensuring older people are living optimally.
“Everyone, regardless of their age or health care status, has the right to experience a meaningful, filled life with dignity and purpose and wellbeing. Individuals receiving aged care services are entitled to this right,” she said, adding that aged care providers play a critical role in ensuring clients feel empowered to continue living a meaningfully and socially connected life.
“Positive ageing is also a holistic consideration of one’s mental, physical, emotional and social wellbeing. Allied health professionals play a vital role in making positive ageing possible. They are not optional extras to The aged care services; they are essential services that should be available for all older people.”
Highlights from day 1
Positive Ageing Summit is an initiative of Australian Ageing Agenda and Community Care Review – read our coverage of the event here and find out more on the Positive Ageing Summit 2025 website
