Allied Health Professional Associations Forum

Media Releases

Media releases from the Allied Health Professional Associations Forum (AHPAF) on issues of common interest to allied health professions"With an ageing population and a growing chronic disease burden, our health workforce is going to be under increasing pressure to deliver more and better services for New Zealanders.  The health sector is emerging from a period of advice and discussion and we now have the momentum we need to act and pursue significant reforms for our workforce.

Media Release

Pay Jolt Needed for Allied Health Workers

“The investment made by government in ensuring a realistic increase for nurses must be matched for  allied health professions across all employment settings”, said Gail Leach, Convenor of the Allied Health Professional Associations’ Forum today.

While congratulating nurses on the 20-30% pay rise which has been negotiated for nurses, members of the Allied Health Professional Associations’ Forum have highlighted the need for a similar increase for the professions they represent.

Allied health professionals including audiologists, counsellors, dental therapists, dietitians, medical radiation technologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychotherapists, social workers and speech-language therapists continue to be paid poorly.

For example, after completing a Bachelors degree the average starting salary for  physiotherapists and occupational therapists is approximately $33,000.

This low level of pay means that in many parts of the country, the public health service is struggling to attract and retain a range of health professionals who play vital roles in the treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of ill health.  This has a detrimental effect on the level of services able to be provided to patients.

The Allied Health Professional Association’s Forum looks forward to government increasing the funding available to recognise that all health workers must be adequately paid for the vital services they provide to the New Zealand public.

For more information please contact Gail Leach on 04 801 6500