What is AHPA?
The Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) was founded and run by the Australian Psychological Society for many years. It is a collegiate body consisting of 25 national allied health association members and a further 13 affiliate members. AHPA collectively represents some 150,000+ allied health professionals who provide services across a range of health settings, as well as disability, aged care, education, justice, community services and more in Australia.
Membership to AHPA does not formally define Allied Health status. ACA has successfully advocated for our members to be formally listed as Allied Health professionals in several States and Territories.
Is ACA a member of AHPA?
Yes, in 2020, ACA joined AHPA as an affiliate member.Â
What's the difference between an Affiliate member and an Ordinary member?
Ordinary members have the right to vote at company meetings or nominate a person to be elected as a Director. Ordinary members must pay an annual fee of $2 per member to AHPA for voting rights. Affiliate members can attend but not vote.
AHPA has been clear and concise in formally stating it advocates equally for both Ordinary and Affiliate members irrespective of membership status.
AHPA is unable to specifically support advocacy for individual members in areas where other members do not, for example APS and AASW do no support advocacy for Counsellors to be included in the Medicare Benefits Schedule and many other areas. This means AHPA are unable to specifically support the advocacy work of ACA, regardless of membership status.
Why isn't ACA an ordinary member?
ACA has decided, for the time being, to remain an affiliate member based on numerous factors:
- There is no significant difference in employment opportunities between Ordinary and Affiliate members. Employers primarily require registration with ACA, not AHPA.
- The costs of Ordinary membership would have to be passed on to ACA members, without sufficient return on investment.
- ACA prefers to handle its own advocacy rather than rely on third party groups.
- ACA has achieved significant advocacy milestones independently.
Did I hear that being an Ordinary member of AHPA means we can get Medicare and GST exemption?
No, AHPA has stated it cannot advocate for Counsellors and Psychotherapists to be included in the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and other opportunities due to lack of support from all their Ordinary members.
Ordinary membership in AHPA does not correlate with MBS inclusion or GST exemption. GST exemption is based on the service provider delivering services under the Better Access Initiative using an MBS item number, not on membership in any association. The primary barrier for Counsellors and Psychotherapists is the lack of access to provider numbers for MBS services.
Does ACA plan to become an Ordinary member of AHPA?
Although AHPA has advocated effectively on broader issues affecting all Allied Health Professions, such as policy consistency during COVID-19, ACA does not see Ordinary membership with AHPA as beneficial for achieving its goals related to credibility, access, advocacy, registration, or employment opportunities.Â
ACA has achieved significant advocacy milestones independently.Â
