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Allied health assistant

14 July 2022

What is an allied health assistant?

An allied health assistant is a healthcare professional who provides support to patients and families in a variety of settings. They may work in hospitals, clinics, or community health centers. Allied health assistants typically have an associate's degree from an accredited program.

The role of an allied health assistant is to provide support to patients and families. This may include providing transportation, scheduling appointments, and providing emotional support. They also play an important role in patient education and discharge planning.

Allied health assistants are an important part of the healthcare team. They play a vital role in supporting patients and families during their time of need.

What does a childhood allied health assistant do?

A childhood allied health assistant helps children with developmental disabilities and chronic health conditions. They work with other allied health professionals, such as occupational therapists and speech pathologists, to provide care for their patients.

Childhood allied health assistants typically have an associate's degree in a field such as child development or psychology.

The duties of a childhood allied health assistant vary depending on the needs of their patients. They may help with activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing, or they may assist with therapeutic exercises prescribed by a therapist.

Childhood allied health assistants typically work in clinics, hospitals, or schools. Some may also work in private homes.

Does an allied health assistant replace my child's therapist?

No, they are not a replacement for your child's therapist. They are an important part of the team who work together to support your child. The therapist will continue to provide the clinical interventions and the allied health assistant will support with implementation of therapy programs and other aspects of care.

The role of an allied health assistant can vary depending on the needs of the individual child and their family. They may be involved in providing therapy services, supporting families with home exercise programs, or helping to implement behaviour management strategies.

Allied health assistants play an important role in supporting children with developmental disabilities and their families. If you have any questions about how they could help your child, please talk to your child's therapist or doctor.

Does the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) cover allied health assistants?

The NDIS does cover allied health assistants. This means that if you have an assistant who helps you with your daily living activities, they can be funded through the NDIS. The amount of funding you receive will depend on your individual needs and circumstances. If you need help finding an allied health assistant, the NDIS can assist you with this. They can provide you with a list of registered providers who offer this service. You can then contact these providers to discuss your needs and see if they are able to help you.

Who can be an allied health assistant in Australia?

An allied health assistant (AHA) is an unlicensed health care worker who supports licensed allied health professionals, such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech pathologists.

AHAs work under the direct supervision of these professionals and perform tasks that do not require a license, such as administrative tasks, clinical tasks and patient education.

In order to become an AHA in Australia, you must have completed an accredited AHA training program. These programs typically take 12-18 months to complete and are offered at both the certificate III and diploma level.

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