Media release
2 July 2012

Allied Health Calls for Allowance Changes to Be Overturned

Allied Health has called on Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce to reconsider changes to student allowances which will make study for many allied health careers more difficult.

The recent changes to student allowances are a backward step for the health sector workforce, says the Allied Health Professional Associations’ Forum (AHPAF), which speaks for 22 groups representing thousands of allied health professionals.

AHPAF has urged Mr Joyce to reconsider the change, in the interests of the health of New Zealanders and to maintain a strong health workforce.

The change removes eligibility to student allowances for post-graduate study. This change will affect a number of allied health professions whose practitioners require post-graduate education and training to complete their professional qualification, says AHPAF spokesperson Antony McFelin.

For example:
To register as a psychologist in New Zealand requires completion of an undergraduate degree, followed by a Masters degree, and a postgraduate degree for specialisation.
To become a registered dietitian now requires five years study to Masters level.
For speech-language therapy, Auckland University has a two-year postgraduate degree which will be affected by the proposed change.
Osteopaths are required to complete a Masters programme as a pre-entry qualification.

Other allied health professions, such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, encourage practitioners to undertake post-graduate study to further their skills and education.
Dietitians, speech-language therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists (clinical and educational), osteopaths and audiologists are all listed on Immigration New Zealand’s Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL). Many other health professions are listed on the LTSSL and the Immediate Skill Shortage List.

“Also, demographic projections (such as the ageing population) show that more practitioners will be required in the future, so it seems very short-sighted to make university study less accessible,” said Mr McFelin.

“Restricting the allowance will most adversely affect people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, who may struggle to complete their university education.” This will particularly affect Māori and Pacific students, towards whom Health Workforce NZ has made a commitment to increase numbers entering and remaining in the health and disability workforce.

Students who have relied on the student allowance may now have to borrow additional money from the student loan scheme, increasing their debt burden. There is already a problem with allied health practitioners moving and working overseas when they have finished studying, and moves making it more difficult to study here are likely to exacerbate this trend.

The removal of eligibility for allowances may undermine Health Workforce NZ’s efforts to co-ordinate the planning and development of the country's health and disability workforce.
Allied Health represents health professions outside of nursing and medicine. It comprises around one quarter of the health workforce. AHPAF is a group of 22 allied health member associations which work together to raise awareness of the contribution that allied health professionals make to quality health care in New Zealand

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