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Become a member

Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) is the peak body and national voice for allied health professions. Through our member organisations we represent allied health practitioners, who together make up a third of Australia’s health workforce but also have important roles in disability, aged care, social services, education and justice.

The allied health sector is diverse, with many professions working across a range of sectors, clinical settings and funding schemes. But together, allied health professions are a strong network with expert knowledge and a passion for making a difference. AHPA works with government departments and agencies, and other organisations, providing the allied health sector’s collective insights and perspectives on complex issues.

Benefits of membership

By working together, we can strengthen the voice of allied health, initiate change, and improve the access of Australians to allied health services. There are three key areas where we support our members in this.

  • Advocating on key issues to advance allied health
  • Supporting member advocacy capability
  • Enhancing relationships with key stakeholders

AHPA undertakes a range of activities to involve our member organisations and promote allied health. Our members are a key part of our success – we all benefit from our collaborative involvement in the following AHPA activities.

There are two categories of AHPA membership: Ordinary Membership and Affiliate Membership. Please refer to the information below for eligibility criteria.

Read more about AHPA member benefits. For further information about membership and how it can benefit your organisation, please contact us.

*Please note that AHPA membership is not available to individuals.

An Ordinary Member has the right to:

  • receive notices, and attend meetings of the Company;
  • vote (personally or by proxy) or as a proxy for another Ordinary Member at meetings of the Company; and
  • nominate a person to be elected as a Director.

Applying for Ordinary Membership

The AHPA Constitution sets out the eligibility for membership.  To be eligible to apply to become an Ordinary Member, your organisation must:

  • be a national organisation or peak body of an allied health profession with members in at least five Australian States or Territories and its constitution mandates that it acts nationally;
  • represent a single health profession which can be comprised of more than one discipline and at least 75% of the entity’s voting members and all of its new members within the primary discipline hold a recognised tertiary health qualification at a level of at least Australian Qualifications Framework 7 (AQF7) or any equivalent standard or framework which replaces AQF7; and
  • represent members who are recognised to practise in main stream government funded health, disability, education, social and/or other systems or schemes.

In addition, members of the entity must practise within an evidence-based paradigm.

An Affiliate Member has the right to receive notices and attend meetings of the Company.  However, an Affiliate Member is not entitled to vote on any matter relating to the Company and has no right to nominate a person to be elected as a Director.

Applying for Affiliate Membership

The AHPA Constitution sets out the eligibility criteria for membership.  To be eligible to apply to become an Affiliate Member, your organisation must:

  • be incorporated in Australia (national or State/Territory based); and
  • either represent a single or a mixture of allied health professions or therapies; or
  • be an organisation with an interest in working with or supporting allied health.

Organisations which are commercial or for profit entities are not eligible.