17 April 2024
Building on its previous contributions, PACFA has provided valuable insights to the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC)’s Scope of Practice review throughout the past month.
On 21 March 2024, PACFA’s CEO Johanna de Wever attended an Allied Health Forum regarding the Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce Scope of Practice Review. At the forum, Professor Mark Cormack presented on the key themes from Phase 2 consultations as well as issues arising from Paper 1, and all attendees participated in a discussion after this.
Additionally, Johanna de Wever met with AHPA and NASRHP on Monday 15 April 2024 as they sought PACFA’s input to a position paper on self-regulation for the Scope of Practice review. The intention of the meeting was to seek further input in relation to the position paper to support the working group to develop a draft. AHPA and NARSHP’s focus areas for this meeting included exploring different models for setting professional standards, potential benefits like title protection, and the steps needed to implement a chosen model; the goal being to create a regulatory framework that elevates the profession and improves access to quality mental health services.
Present at this meeting were representatives of organisations including the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) and the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
The Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce Scope of Practice review is currently being conducted by the Department of Health, and project is a flagship for Minister for Health Mark Butler and Assistant Minister for Mental Health Emma McBride and reflects their commitment to efficacious use of the Allied Health workforce. We are proud to represent counsellors and psychotherapists in this important advocacy space.
In addition to consulting individually on the review, PACFA has also contributed via our involvement with National Rural Health Alliance, NASRHP, AHPA and Mental Health Australia.
The independent review, headed by Professor Mark Cormack, delves into the evidence surrounding how effectively healthcare professionals can utilise their full range of skills within the primary care workforce. The review's focus is two-pronged: firstly, to pinpoint the obstacles that hinder professionals from working to their maximum capacity, and secondly, to identify successful models of multidisciplinary teams where members leverage their full skillsets to deliver top-notch primary care.
Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce will explore how to empower Australia's healthcare professionals. By recommending system changes and embracing technology, the initiative aims to unlock greater productivity and deliver improved, safe, and affordable care for patients.
The review covers the primary care workforce, including GPs, allied health practitioners (both regulated and self-regulated), nurses, midwives, pharmacists, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners and workers, and paramedics. Its focus areas are legislation and regulation, technology, education and training, funding mechanisms, employer practices and work context, and leadership and culture. Additionally, the review team is undertaking a broad consultation process to consider and hear all perspectives and voices. The review is consulting with governments, peak bodies, health professions, regulators, education and training providers, employers, funders, insurers, professional bodies, unions and consumers.
Professor Cormack, who is leading the Independent Scope of Practice Review, works at the Australian National University (ANU) College of Health and Medicine; he also established the ANU’s National Centre for Health Workforce Studies. Professor Cormack’s academic role follows a long career of senior roles in Commonwealth, state and ACT government, including as CEO of Health Workforce Australia, as CEO of ACT Health, and as Deputy Secretary at three Australian Government Departments.
Read Scope of Practice Review updates here.