What is Allied Health?
The definition used by the Australian Government and Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) both concur there is no universally accepted definition of allied health, yet there are some basic principles that are agreed on. Allied health professionals use evidence-based practices to prevent, diagnose and treat various conditions and illnesses. They often work in multidisciplinary health teams to provide specialised support to suit an individual’s needs.
Generally, the Australian Government recognises allied health professions that meet the following criteria:
- All practising professionals have a university level qualification of Australian Qualification Framework level 7 or higher in a recognised allied health field, that is accredited by their relevant national accreditation body.
- A national professional organisation with clearly defined membership criteria.
- Clear national entry level competency standards and assessment processes.
- Autonomy of practice and a defined scope of practice.
(Ref: Australian Government Health website).