What is an AHA?
By Tiffany Davison (Allied Health Assistant)
Have you ever encountered an “AHA” or Allied Health Assistant, before and been unsure of what they do or how they can help you? Or perhaps you’ve heard of a therapy assistant, a therapy aide, or therapy support worker, and thought the same?
What does it mean to be an AHA?
Allied health assistants (a.k.a. AHAs) support the delivery of allied health services, under the direct supervision of allied health professionals. Within the Queensland Health Services, AHAs currently assist the following professions:
Speech pathologists
Occupational therapists
Physiotherapists
Audiologists
Social workers
Dietitians/Nutritionists
Music therapists
Podiatrists
Pharmacists
Radiographers
The level and form of supervision of the AHA is dependent on their individual experiences, skills, and qualifications, and the service context. An AHA may work in a discipline-specific or multidisciplinary capacity.
Why work with an AHA?
AHAs play a vital and increasingly important role in the provision of high-quality allied health care, and are hence, valued members of the allied health team.
Under direct, indirect, or remote supervision of the trained professional/s, AHAs optimise services by providing less-complex treatment or care tasks that may otherwise reduce the availability of the highly trained practitioner. Choosing to work with an AHA may also be a more cost-effect adjunct to therapy for some families.
What else do AHAs do?
While AHAs work within clearly defined parameters, an AHA’s role is highly versatile, usually involving a mix of direct patient care and indirect support. These duties may include, but are not limited to, performing administrative tasks, creating/sourcing therapeutic resources, and/or providing therapy to clients, depending on the individual’s level of competency.
The role is highly dependent on the specific needs of the professional/s delegating work to the AHA, and the types of services offered by the allied health team.
What can AHAs NOT do?
According to Speech Pathology Australia guidelines, the following tasks are NOT suitable for delegation to an AHA:
independently administering formal assessments
differentially diagnosing
clinical problem-solving
independently planning client therapy
discharging clients from treatment.
What qualifications does an AHA have?
To be an AHA, there are qualifications and experience requirements that must be met. These differ according to a grading system used to establish an AHAs level of competency:
Grade 1 AHA:
No formal qualifications required
Experience desirable but not essential
Grade 2 AHA:
Certificate III or IV in Allied Health Assistance
Currently studying a relevant allied health degree
Grade 3 AHA:
Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance
Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Masters of Speech Pathology from another country
An AHA may be currently undertaking a degree in the respective allied health profession (i.e., Bachelor of Speech Pathology) or may have received a qualification elsewhere, such as in the United Kingdom, that may not be recognised or equal to that required here in Australia.
Where can I find more information?
www.health.qld.gov.au/ahwac/html/ahassist
www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/147500/ahaframework.pdf