This paper outlines the Australian Allied Health Leadership Alliance’s position on the allied health assistant workforce, and the opportunities for investment and uptake of allied health assistants to help improve access to allied health services in response to challenges such as workforce shortages and maldistribution in Australia.
Allied health assistants are valued members of the multidisciplinary team and work under the supervision and delegation of allied health professionals to assist with therapeutic and program related activities. Delegation is a defining feature and fundamental to the definition of an allied health assistant role and patient safety.