5 July 2022
PACFA’s move towards applying for full membership of Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) is a step closer.
PACFA has closed our equivalent training pathway to ensure that all new members have qualifications at Bachelor degree level and above, a condition of being a full member of AHPA.
Allied Health Professions Australia is a national peak body representing allied health professionals such as chiropractors, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, music and arts therapists, and rehabilitation counsellors.
Full membership of AHPA will enhance the standing of counsellors and psychotherapists as allied and mental health professionals, PACFA CEO Johanna de Wever told PACFA Council delegates at an Information Session on 11 May. Council delegates voted in favour of applying for full membership in a subsequent ballot.
Full membership would give PACFA more advocacy influence, as well as confer ‘allied health professional’ status on PACFA members, opening up employment opportunities. PACFA expects the membership application process to be complete by our annual general meeting in October.
PACFA is currently one of 13 affiliate members and will seek to join the 24 ‘ordinary’ or full members.
The requirement for all new members of PACFA to have qualifications at Bachelor degree level or above (Australian Qualification Framework Level 7 and above), aligns with PACFA’s Training Standards since 2018. PACFA will comfortably meet the AHPA membership requirement for 75% of current members to have qualifications at AQF Level 7 and above.
Applying for full AHPA membership would have no impact on current members.
PACFA closed the equivalent training membership pathway from 1 July 2022. This will impact only 10 per cent of potential member applications, about half of whom will be able to apply via an enhanced Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) membership track. Applications via the RPL track are on hold until August while the RPL membership pathway is being revised.
Graduates and students of courses which were considered ‘equivalent training’ had until 30 June 2022 to apply for PACFA membership in an appropriate category. Any student who is concerned or believes they will be negatively affected should contact PACFA immediately via [email protected]