Allied Health Assistance
Service Description
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.
Eligibility
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.
What the TAC will pay for
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.
What the TAC won’t pay for
- 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.
Information required by the TAC
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:
Grade 1 AHA | Grade 2 AHA | Grade 3 AHA | |
|---|---|---|---|
Qualifications and experience | Hold no relevant qualifications | Hold a Cert III or IV in AHA, or its equivalent (as determined by the delegating AHP) | Hold Cert IV in AHA or its equivalent (as determined by the delegating AHP) Three years’ experience (full time equivalent) as a Grade 2 АНА |
Delegation and supervision | Always work directly under the direction and supervision of the delegating AHP | Work directly with an AHP, work alone or in teams under supervision following a prescribed program of activity. Minimum of 80 hours of placement experience | May work with minimum or remote supervision, following a prescribed program of activity from the delegating AHP |
Typical activities | Collect and prepare equipment Complete basic delegated clinical interventions with patients or clients Implement non-clinical activities, including maintaining appropriate documentation | Perform the full range of duties of a Grade 1 AHA Follow a prescribed program of activity Identify client circumstances that need more input from the AHP Perform work of a general nature | Perform the full range of duties of Grade 1 and Grade 2 AHAs Follow a prescribed program of activity Identify client circumstances that need more input from the AHP, including suggestions for appropriate interventions Organise their own workload and set work priorities in the program set up by the АНР |
Provider Guidelines
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:
Grade 1 AHA | Grade 2 AHA | Grade 3 AHA | |
|---|---|---|---|
Qualifications and experience | Hold no relevant qualifications | Hold a Cert III or IV in AHA, or its equivalent (as determined by the delegating AHP) | Hold Cert IV in AHA or its equivalent (as determined by the delegating AHP) Three years’ experience (full time equivalent) as a Grade 2 АНА |
Delegation and supervision | Always work directly under the direction and supervision of the delegating AHP | Work directly with an AHP, work alone or in teams under supervision following a prescribed program of activity. Minimum of 80 hours of placement experience | May work with minimum or remote supervision, following a prescribed program of activity from the delegating AHP |
Typical activities | Collect and prepare equipment Complete basic delegated clinical interventions with patients or clients Implement non-clinical activities, including maintaining appropriate documentation | Perform the full range of duties of a Grade 1 AHA Follow a prescribed program of activity Identify client circumstances that need more input from the AHP Perform work of a general nature | Perform the full range of duties of Grade 1 and Grade 2 AHAs Follow a prescribed program of activity Identify client circumstances that need more input from the AHP, including suggestions for appropriate interventions Organise their own workload and set work priorities in the program set up by the АНР |
Allied Health Professional Responsibilities
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.
