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Occupational Therapy Australia
Home Policy and Advocacy Workforce Update 28 January 2025

Policy and Advocacy Workforce Update 28 January 2025

National Allied Health Workforce Strategy 

On 20 January the Federal Government released a draft of its National Allied Health Workforce Strategy for public consultation. Feedback is sought by 3 March 2025. The Strategy proposes five priority areas: 

  • Enhance the impact of allied health professionals: Promote recognition and understanding of the allied health workforce and optimise and value its contribution to service delivery in all sectors.  

  • Improve national allied health workforce data and planning: Enhance national allied health workforce data collection to enable evidence-based and coordinated workforce planning.  

  • Build a sustainable allied health workforce: Build, support and retain a workforce through improved training and career pathways that enable the workforce to meet the needs of the diverse communities accessing allied health care in different sectors.  

  • Grow, support and retain the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health workforce: Attract, grow and retain the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health workforce and ensure culturally safe environments for allied health students, professionals and consumers.  

  • Grow, support and retain regional, rural, and remote allied health workforces: Using proven strategies that address workforce maldistribution, develop and support regional, rural, and remote allied health workforces and enable allied health practitioners to provide high quality services and meet the needs of their communities.   

OTA has engaged throughout the consultation and will consult with our key member groups to produce a submission that represents the needs of the OT workfare. 

Find out more here. 

Meeting with Tasmanian Chief Allied Health Officer 

OTA’s Chief Occupational therapist Michelle Oliver met with Kendra Strong, Tasmania's Chief Allied Health Officer. They discussed the establishment of the first occupational therapy program at the University of Tasmania which is due to commence mid-2025 and plans to ensure student placement supports and other workforce incentives that are under consideration in that state.

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