At a time of urgent workforce shortages, financial barriers should not prevent students from completing their qualifications. Allied health students are essential to Australia’s health system, and equitable access to placement support must be a national priority.
Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) and Osteopathy Australia, along with other allied health organisations joined Independent Member for Indi Dr Helen Haines MP and ACT Senator David Pocock to launch a national petition calling on the Australian Government to expand the Commonwealth Prac Payment to include all allied health students.
Australia is facing chronic workforce shortages across many allied health disciplines. Yet students are required to complete hundreds – and in some cases thousands – of hours of mandatory unpaid clinical placement as part of their training. For many, this leads to severe financial hardship, often described as placement poverty, as students lose income and face increased costs for rent, travel and food.
AHPA Chief Executive Officer Bronwyn Morris-Donovan said expanding the Commonwealth Prac Payment is a practical and immediate step the Government can take to help secure the future workforce.
“With more than half the allied health professions in national workforce shortage, expansion of the Commonwealth Prac Payment to include allied health is a simple and effective way to ensure Australians can continue to access essential allied health services across the NDIS, aged care and other health settings.”
Ms Morris-Donovan warned the current approach is placing unnecessary pressure on students and undermining workforce sustainability.
“Extending the Prac Payment to allied health students is not optional – it’s essential. Our future workforce is being held back by financial barriers that have nothing to do with capability and everything to do with affordability.”
“Placement poverty is pushing talented students to the brink. If we want a strong, sustainable health, disability, and aged care workforce, we must ensure students can complete their training without sacrificing their wellbeing or financial security.”
She also highlighted the disproportionate impact on students already facing barriers.
“Unpaid placements hit hardest for students already facing financial pressure and barriers – including those from rural areas, mature age students with caring responsibilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and anyone experiencing financial disadvantage. Expansion of the Program is crucial if we are serious about building a more diverse workforce and ensuring every student has a fair chance to complete their training.”
Osteopathy Australia echoed these concerns and is asking their members to sign the campaign petition.
Natasha Owens, Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer at Osteopathy Australia, said the financial strain of placements is already affecting the future osteopathy workforce.
“Osteopathy students complete clinical placements that are essential for developing safe and effective manual therapy skills, yet they often have no capacity to continue paid work while doing so,” Ms Owens said.
“We regularly hear from students who are passionate about becoming osteopaths but are struggling to remain in their course because of mounting placement related costs. When a student’s ability to finish their degree depends on whether they can afford unpaid placements, the sector loses talented future clinicians.”
Ms Owens said expanding the Prac Payment would have direct benefits for communities. “Musculoskeletal pain is one of the leading reasons Australians seek healthcare, and osteopaths play a vital role in addressing this burden. Supporting students through Prac Payment is a practical investment in ensuring communities – particularly in regional and outer metropolitan areas – can access the osteopathy services they need into the future.”
The Commonwealth Prac Payment currently supports eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students. Expanding the program to include all allied health and medical students would help reduce placement poverty and support a sustainable health workforce.
AHPA and Osteopathy Australia is calling on allied health professionals nationwide to add their signature and support urgent reform to ensure students can complete their training without financial hardship.
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