Allied health students demand Federal Government include them in Commonwealth Prac Payments

Psychology, speech pathology and physiotherapy students are demanding they be paid for their mandatory placements after their classmates in nursing were promised weekly paychecks.

The Federal Government is facing mounting pressure to extend its Commonwealth Prac Payment to allied health students, as the sector struggles to overcome skill shortages putting the health of some patients at risk.

The Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences Limited (ACDHS) is calling for psychology, physiotherapy, speech pathology, occupational therapy and podiatry students to have access to the $319.50 weekly payment, which was announced in the federal budget in May.

Currently, only students pursuing a degree in teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work will be eligible to receive the payment which will be rolled out from July next year.

The payment will be means-tested to help those who need it the most, and is designed to support students while they undertake mandatory placements.

Some radiology and medical imaging students are working up to 2000 hours unpaid over the duration of their course.

While ACDHS has welcomed the initiative, chair Professor Terry Haines AM said excluding allied health students from the program will be a disservice to combating skill shortages and could jeopardise the future of patient care.

“The ACDHS is calling on the government to extend the same support to allied health students who will become essential members of the health workforce,” he said.

“For these students, the Commonwealth announcement is bitterly disappointing, they will be on mandatory practical placements alongside their peers in nursing, midwifery and social work and will continue to experience all the challenges of placement poverty.”

Students experiencing “placement poverty” are those who are unable to support themselves while undertaking unpaid placements which are mandatory for a student to graduate their degree.

Speech pathology students are among the many in allied health completing thousands of hours of placements without payment. Picture: Pixelshot

Professor Haines said the payments would be an incentive for Victorians in low socio-economic areas to pursue a career in allied health.

“Do we not also want students from lower socio-economic backgrounds to have the support needed to become physiotherapists, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists, or should these professions just be left to those with financial means?” he said.

Monash University Master of Radiation Therapy student Thomas Street is required to do 1760 hours of placement as part of his course, including 13 weeks of regional or interstate work.

“The entire placement is unpaid and we’re liable for all travel and accommodation expenses,” he said.

While Mr Street works part time, he said the Commonwealth Prac Payment would allow him to work less so he can focus more on his studies and not have to worry about living day-by-day.

“These students will be the future of healthcare. Ensuring they reach the end of their degree is imperative to Australian health,” he said.

The Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences Limited is calling for psychology, physiotherapy and speech pathology students to have access to paid placements.

First year student Ruby Conheady is also studying radiography and medical imaging at Monash University and is required to do more than 2000 hours of unpaid placement over four years.

“We don’t get to choose where we do our placements … sometimes I find myself paying two rents because I have to relocate (from Melbourne) for some placements,” she said.

Ms Conheady works two jobs to make ends meet, but said most of her income is saved up so she can pay for the necessities while she is on placement.

“Not only do I have to pay for rent, but we have to cover the cost of uniform, blood tests, first aid – everything we need for the placement,” she said.

“The government needs to think about the rest of the health care system because it can’t function without us.”

Education Minister Jason Clare acknowledged the education system could be fairer and said this is why the Commonwealth Prac Payment was introduced.

“The Albanese Government is introducing a Commonwealth Prac Payment to give eligible people who have signed up to do some of the most important jobs in this country a bit of extra help to get the qualifications they need,” he said.

“The Universities Accord recommended we focus the Commonwealth Prac Payment first on teaching, nursing, midwifery, early education teachers and social work, and that’s what we’re doing.”