Monday 20th September 2004
Allied health workers deserve a fair deal
The Allied Health Professional Associations' Forum (AHPAF) currently represents 13 allied health professional
associations whose members currently number over 10,000. Together with the PSA, as the largest union representing allied
health professionals, AHPAF asserts that allied health professionals urgently need their salary and conditions reviewed.
Many allied health professionals such as social workers; speech-language therapists; occupational therapists and
physiotherapists who work in the public sector are falling behind significantly and feel their needs are continuing to
be overlooked.
There are some wide spread recruitment and retention issues across the disciplines which AHPAF believe are directly
related to issues of salary and conditions.
Siobhan Molloy, Executive Director of the New Zealand Association of Occupational Therapists speaking on behalf of AHPAF
members would like to see not only improved recognition and compensation for allied health professionals but also timely
analysis of the factors that impact on recruitment and retention and consequent action.
ENDS