Allied Health Assistant Service Policy
Allied Health Assistants (AHA) are employed at Next Challenge and assigned or delegated work dependent on their specific training and competencies. AHAs may also operate as part of the Next Challenge support team and conduct indirect work such as booking appointments, liaison with families, resource preparation and maintenance.
AHAs employed by Next Challenge have:
AHA services are offered to families where a child will benefit from consistent and regular practice of a skill that does not need the regular support and adjustment by a therapist. Allied Health Professionals at Next Challenge are accountable for the direct program an AHA undertakes with a client at their direction. The Allied Health Professional is available to the AHA for clinical questions as they arise for the duration of the client’s program.
Due to this direct accountability of the AHA Program held by the Next Challenge Allied Health Professional, the AHA Program is to only be distributed internally and is not to be provided to AHA’s who are not employed by Next Challenge. This policy adopts a best practice model whereby an AHA Manager is present at Next Challenge to oversee AHA programs, provide direct supervision to the AHA and liaise directly with the Allied Health Professionals.
In the event that external AHA’s are involved with Next Challenge clients, it is within the scope of the Next Challenge Allied Health Professional to provide the external AHA with opportunities to observe therapy sessions and discuss current goals. AHA Programs cannot be provided to external AHA’s. It is recommended that external AHA’s seek their own supervision support.
Next Challenge follows the delegation framework set by the WA Country Health Service - see diagram below
AHAs employed by Next Challenge have:
- a current police clearance and working with children check
- experience interacting with children
- minimum qualifications of a Level IV Certificate in Allied Health Assistance or are currently studying a Bachelors level Allied Health degree (i.e. Speech Pathology, Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy).
- An understanding of the professions of speech pathology, physiotherapy, or occupational therapy.
AHA services are offered to families where a child will benefit from consistent and regular practice of a skill that does not need the regular support and adjustment by a therapist. Allied Health Professionals at Next Challenge are accountable for the direct program an AHA undertakes with a client at their direction. The Allied Health Professional is available to the AHA for clinical questions as they arise for the duration of the client’s program.
Due to this direct accountability of the AHA Program held by the Next Challenge Allied Health Professional, the AHA Program is to only be distributed internally and is not to be provided to AHA’s who are not employed by Next Challenge. This policy adopts a best practice model whereby an AHA Manager is present at Next Challenge to oversee AHA programs, provide direct supervision to the AHA and liaise directly with the Allied Health Professionals.
In the event that external AHA’s are involved with Next Challenge clients, it is within the scope of the Next Challenge Allied Health Professional to provide the external AHA with opportunities to observe therapy sessions and discuss current goals. AHA Programs cannot be provided to external AHA’s. It is recommended that external AHA’s seek their own supervision support.
Next Challenge follows the delegation framework set by the WA Country Health Service - see diagram below
Date written: July 2017
Date reviewed: August 2021
Date due for review: August 2022
Date reviewed: August 2021
Date due for review: August 2022
