Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences - ACDHS

14/04/2026

The Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences supports the call from Allied Health Professions Australia to expand the Commonwealth Prac Payment to include all allied health students.

A national petition launched by Dr Helen Haines and David Pocock highlights the urgent need for equitable placement support across the health workforce.

Allied health students undertake extensive mandatory unpaid placements, often relocating or reducing paid work in order to complete their training. These placements are essential to workforce preparation, yet they can place significant financial pressure on students.

Expanding the Commonwealth Prac Payment to include allied health would be a practical step toward:

• reducing financial hardship for students

• supporting completion of essential clinical placements

• strengthening Australia’s future health workforce

Equitable placement support must be a national priority.

If you would like to support the campaign to end placement poverty for allied health students, please consider signing and sharing the petition with your networks.

https://lnkd.in/gDBRsEwu

13/04/2026

Opportunity to help shape the Future of Allied Health

The Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences is inviting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from experts across member universities to join a new Expert Advisory Panel.

This is an exciting chance to contribute to national policy, research, and advocacy, and help drive leadership across the allied health sector.

Apply by 5:00pm, Friday 1 May

You can find out more and submit your interest via our short online EOI form here: https://lnkd.in/g_Zwcv_S

We simply ask for a short statement about your interest, along with a brief bio highlighting your experience and areas of expertise. For bio examples: https://lnkd.in/g6vrbw9g

Apply now or share with your network.

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02/04/2026

Call for Nominations: ACDHS Board Director

The Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences is inviting nominations for an elected Director position on the ACDHS Board.

This is an opportunity for senior leaders in allied health education to contribute to the strategic direction and governance of the national council representing health sciences faculties across Australia.

Eligible candidates must hold a senior leadership role within an ACDHS member institution and have strategic responsibility for allied health professional education.

Nominations close: 5:00pm (AEST), Monday 6 April 2026.

Members are encouraged to consider nominating a suitable candidate to help guide ACDHS’s work in advancing allied health education, research, and workforce development.

Learn more and access the nomination materials:

https://acdhs.edu.au/call-for-nominations-acdhs-board-director/

02/03/2026

Placements: Barriers and Enablers – Joint UK, Australia and New Zealand Event

This joint online event, Placements: Barriers and Enablers, brings together members of the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (CDNM), the Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences (ACDHS), and the Council of Deans of Health (CDH) for a focused cross-sector conversation on the future of clinical and professional placements.

The session will open with short, thought-provoking perspectives from speakers across New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. These contributions will highlight the key barriers and enabling factors currently shaping placement delivery, including pressures associated with mandated placement hours, workforce capacity constraints, supervision models, and the increasing complexity of both student cohorts and service environments.
Building on these insights, the event will prioritise networking and structured discussion. Participants will have the opportunity to share experiences, compare approaches across professions and jurisdictions, and exchange practical examples of innovation and good practice.

This event is designed to strengthen cross-council dialogue, surface shared challenges, and identify opportunities for coordinated action in support of sustainable placement systems.

Date: Thursday, 23 April 2026
Time: 5:00pm AEST

Time zones: UK - 8am, Australian Eastern Standard Time - 5pm, New Zealand Standard Time - 7pm. This joint online event, Placements: Barriers and Enablers, brings together members of the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery, Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences, and Council of Deans of...

09/02/2026

ACDHS supports Allied Health Professions Australia in calling for the expansion of the Commonwealth Prac Payment to include all allied health students.

A petition launched today by Independent MP Dr Helen Haines and Senator David Pocock, alongside Allied Health Professions Australia, calls for equitable placement support across health disciplines.

Allied health students complete extensive mandatory unpaid placements, often at significant personal cost. Expanding placement support is a practical step to reduce financial hardship, strengthen workforce sustainability, and ensure students can complete their training without unnecessary barriers.

Equitable access to placement support must be a national priority.

If you want to help end placement poverty for allied health and medicine students, sign the petition below.

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/expand-prac-payments-to-allied-health-and-medical-students?source=direct_link&


Helen Haines MP Senator David Pocock

Unpaid placements are pushing future health workers into placement poverty. Petition by: Allied Health Professionals Australia Sponsored by: Helen Haines MP and Senator David Pocock

29/10/2025

Strengthening Multidisciplinary Primary Care

A landmark national collaboration is underway to shape the future of multidisciplinary primary care in Australia.

Led by Professor Michael Kidd AO at UNSW’s International Centre for Future Health Systems, the National Multidisciplinary Primary Care Research, Policy and Advocacy Consortium brings together leading researchers, clinicians, and over 30 national peak bodies - including ACDHS - to drive evidence-based reform and stronger, more connected models of care.

Learn more via the Consortium’s updates: elizabeth.byrne@unsw.edu.au

26/10/2025

Celebrating World Occupational Therapy Day - 27 October

Today we celebrate the remarkable work of Occupational Therapists across Australia and around the world.

Occupational therapy empowers people of all ages to live meaningful, independent lives - supporting recovery, participation, and wellbeing through person-centered care.

At ACDHS, we acknowledge and thank occupational therapy educators, researchers, and practitioners who are shaping the next generation of allied health professionals. Your contributions are essential to building a healthier, more inclusive Australia.

13/10/2025

Stronger Together: Celebrating Allied Health Professions Day - 14th October 2025

Join health organisations, and allied health professionals nationwide to celebrate Allied Health Professions Day. This year’s theme, "Stronger Together", recognises the power of multidisciplinary, collaborative care in delivering better outcomes for patients and communities.

Allied health professionals are essential in prevention, diagnosis, rehabilitation, chronic condition management, mental health, disability, aged care, and much more. In Australia alone, there are over 300,000 allied health professionals delivering an estimated 200 million health services annually, accounting for more than a quarter of the health workforce. Allied Health Professions Australia

23/07/2025

SUPPORTING THE FUTURE ALLIED HEALTH WORKFORCE: ACDHS CALLS FOR PRAC PAYMENT SUPPORT

The Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences (ACDHS) is urging the Commonwealth Government to expand the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) scheme to include all allied health professional courses - an essential step in addressing workforce shortages and placement poverty across the sector.

Practical placements are vital to allied health training, yet thousands of students are forced to forgo part-time jobs to complete mandatory placement hours - often exceeding 1000 hours.

“The CPP recognises the link between financial security and successful completion of care-sector courses. It’s time allied health students were included,” says ACDHS Chair, Professor Terry Haines.

Backed by a new report, A call for the inclusion of allied health professions in the Commonwealth Prac Payment program, ACDHS is advocating for a principles-based and inclusion of all allied health students.

We're ready to work with Ministers Jason Clare and Mark Butler, along with sector stakeholders, to make sure no student is left behind - and that every community has access to the care people need.

Read the full media release and report here:
https://acdhs.edu.au/policy-advocacy/

17/06/2025

Introducing the ‘ACDHS Update’ – Subscribe Today!

From 26 June we’re excited to launch the ACDHS Update, a new monthly newsletter designed for academic and administrative staff across ACDHS member institutions.

Our goal is to create a broader sense of shared purpose across our national network – and to make sure the important work happening in every corner of our sector gets seen, shared, and supported.

Keep connected with key developments, sector-wide initiatives, and professional opportunities. Included will be:
• Research highlights and collaboration calls
• Strategic policy issues and updates
• Mental Health First Aid program updates
• Board-led strategic issue group news
• Event announcements and funding opportunities
• Jobs Board

Delivered monthly. Free to subscribe. Subscribe here: https://expertevents.eventsair.com/acdhs-update-subscribers/subscribe/

Please share with colleagues, peers, and teams who’d benefit from staying connected with ACDHS activities - and let us know if you have any Allied Health job vacancies to advertise, or if you're working on a research project and seeking collaborators or participants. We'd love to feature your work!
Contact: acdhs@expertevents.com.au.

14/05/2025

ACDHS is thrilled to announce a landmark partnership with our colleagues from the UK Council of Deans of Health and the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (ANZ). Together, we are committed to driving excellence and innovation across health education, training, and research in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand.

This collaboration will foster stronger international ties, share best practices, and address key global health challenges—ensuring that our graduates are prepared to lead and excel in rapidly evolving healthcare environments.

26/03/2025

Rural and remote Australia deserves better healthcare access — and the allied health workforce is key.

Professor Gregory Kolt recently completed a consultancy project for ACDHS highlighting urgent action needed to support and expand the rural allied health workforce.

The National Rural Health Alliance echoed this in their response to the Federal Budget, calling out a $6.55 billion underspend and shocking gaps in service access.

Did you know?

Rural Australians are dying up to 13.6 years earlier than city residents

Over 18,500 people lack access to essential care within an hour of home

We're proud to support universities working to train and grow a sustainable, place-based allied health workforce. The future of rural health depends on it.

Read more:
https://bit.ly/4ccFg1U
https://bit.ly/4iIBuiY