Allied Health Assistants work within a particular scope of practice and undertake tasks that are delegated to them by a treating Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist or Speech Pathologist, who provide supervision and direction. The Allied Health Assistance service is provided by an Allied Health Assistant with the appropriate Victorian Government grade and is covered by or holds relevant insurances.

An Allied Health Assistant may work in clinics and the community to assist TAC clients with achieving rehabilitation and recovery goals and maintaining optimal function for those with disability and promoting independence by delivering quality, cost-effective support.

The TAC expects a treating Allied Health Professional to identify when a TAC client would benefit from clinical support from an Allied Health Assistant delivering these delegated services or when the support is more appropriately delivered by an Attendant Carer.

The TAC can pay the reasonable cost of Allied Health Assistance provided to TAC clients which is required as a result of transport accident injuries. The treating Allied Health Professional will recommend when to engage Allied Health Assistance to deliver quality, delegated treatment in a cost-effective manner.

Where a pre-existing condition has become aggravated as a result of a transport accident, the TAC will consider funding treatment for that condition. The level of treatment that the TAC can consider funding will depend on the extent to which the transport accident has exacerbated the pre-existing condition.

The TAC will pay the reasonable cost of Allied Health Assistance in line with the provider’s grading and the published TAC fee schedule. If a provider’s fee is higher than the TAC rate, the client may need to pay a gap fee to cover the difference. Information about how the TAC pays for services can be found on the paying for treatment and services page of this website.

The TAC can pay for provider travel when the client is medically unfit to travel or where treatment in the client’s functional environment is clinically justified. Prior written approval from the TAC is required before provider travel can be paid.

• services that are not required for the treatment of transport accident-related injuries
• services provided by individuals who do not meet the Provider Guideline requirements or comply with the Allied Health policy
• services that are not evidence based, reasonable, clinically justified and outcome focused
• non-clinical support including assistance with daily living and assisting the client with travel as these are considered Attendant Care services.
• Allied Health Assistance billed under an Allied Health Professional fee code

For further information see what the TAC cannot pay for.

The treating Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy or Speech Pathology Allied Health Professional must seek TAC approval before funded treatment can be delivered by an Allied Health Assistant. Prior approval is also needed if it has been more than 6 months since the client last received TAC-funded treatment.

The TAC will use information provided by the treating Allied Health Professional to consider if the treatment aligns with the Clinical Framework and is reasonable, clinically justified and outcome focused. Based on this assessment, the TAC will inform the provider and client about what the TAC can pay for and for how long.

Further treatment must be requested by the treating Allied Health Professional.

To provide TAC funded Allied Health Assistance, the Allied Health Assistant must:

• register with the TAC through an Allied Health Professional’s recommendation to provide Allied Health Assistance to an existing client
• comply with the Allied Health policy
• be covered by the appropriate insurances of the supervising Allied Health Professional or hold all relevant insurances in the case of an Allied Health Assistant external to the Allied Health Professional’s practice
• meet relevant worker screening requirements where applicable e.g. police check, Working with Children Check, Working with Vulnerable People check
• meet the Victorian Government Allied Health Assistance grading system requirements:

The treating Allied Health Professional may engage Allied Health Assistants at the rates approved by the TAC. Allied Health Assistance cannot bill at the same rate as an Allied Health Professional.

Allied Health Professionals must ensure their insurance policy covers employing an Allied Health Assistant. When engaging an Allied Health Assistant external to their practice, Allied Health Professionals must ensure the external Allied Health Assistant holds the appropriate insurances and where relevant a current police check, working with children check and/or working with vulnerable people check.

Allied Health Professionals are expected to:

• provide the TAC upon request with a written program of activity when delegating to a Grade 2 or 3 Allied Health Assistant, as part of the Allied Health Professionals reporting requirement
• recommend and delegate to appropriately experienced and qualified Allied Health Assistants
• ensure Allied Health Assistants are following the prescribed delegated program of activity while supporting the client to achieve their TAC approved goal
• identify when a TAC client requires clinical support from an Allied Health Assistant delivering rehabilitation services or when the support is more appropriately delivered by Attendant Care disability services such as disability maintenance and non-clinical support e.g. support with daily living

Allied Health Assistance Service Standards

An Allied Health Assistant must follow the professional standards of the delegating Allied Health Professional.

It is expected that Allied Health Assistance services:

Promote High Value Service

Allied Health Assistance aims to support and deliver the approved service to support best client outcomes under the supervision and delegation of the client’s treating Allied Health Professional. Providers should avoid client dependence, unnecessary or low-value services that do not promote best client outcomes.

Are delivered in an appropriate format by providers with necessary skills and specialised knowledge

The TAC recognises that providers who specialise in a specific area are more likely to achieve positive client outcomes. The Allied Health Assistant is expected to:

• be equipped with relevant or specialised skills and knowledge directly related to the client’s TAC approved goals
• work within a defined scope of practice, only undertaking tasks which they are competent to do
• ask the supervising Allied Health Professional for guidance if they feel they are not able or adequately prepared to carry out any aspect of their work, or if unsure how to safely and effectively complete a task.

The TAC uses the following principles to aid socially and economically responsible decision-making in line with the Transport Accident Act 1986:

The treating Allied Health Professional will recommend when to engage Allied Health Assistance to deliver quality, delegated treatment in a cost-effective manner.

1. Entitled

TAC clients are entitled to Allied Health Assistance if:

• the TAC has accepted liability for the accident-related injury that relates to the Allied Health Assistance service, and
• the treating Allied Health Professional has recommended Allied Health Assistance

2. Reasonable

When determining if Allied Health Assistance is reasonable, the TAC considers whether the cost of the service is an appropriate, cost-effective support for Allied Health Professional services under Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, or Speech Pathology.

When determining whether Allied Health Assistance is a reasonable cost, the TAC considers:

• if the Allied Health Assistance service is necessary as a quality, cost-effective support for approved Allied Health Professional services under Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, or Speech Pathology
• If the supports cannot be provided by an existing treatment/service provider (for example, the client’s existing attendant care provider)
• if the cost of the service is reasonable in relation to the service (refer to the TAC fee schedule).

3. Clinically Justified

When deciding if Allied Health Assistance is clinically justified, the TAC considers whether:

• Allied Health Assistance is clinically appropriate for the client’s transport accident injuries and presentation
• the treatment complies with the principles of the Clinical Framework
  • treatment should result in a measurable benefit to the injured person
  • the treatment adopts a biopsychosocial approach
  • the treatment empowers the client to self-manage their injury
  • the treater implements goals focused on optimising function, participation and return to work/health
  • the treatment is based on the best available research evidence.
• the duration and frequency of treatment is appropriate in relation to the client’s condition and their recovery. These factors are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Treatment sessions may be more frequent during the acute recovery phase but are expected to become less frequent over time.
• treatment should be discontinued, and the client discharged when:
  • the client can independently manage their recovery
  • the client reaches a phase of maintenance and further treatment is more appropriately supported by an Attendant Care disability service under the direction of the treating Allied Health Professional
  • there is no measurable benefit from continued treatment

4. Outcome Focused

The TAC assesses whether Allied Health Assistance services are outcome focused by monitoring progress toward approved individualised recovery or care goals.

For more information on TAC decision making, see the How we make decisions page.