A Proper Career Structure for AHP’s…

VAHPA’s proposal for a fair, reasonable and appropriate UG1 classification structure is a cornerstone of our public sector campaign. This shouldn’t be a surprise; your classification structure is the foundation upon which your career is built and a central part of the framework by which you are able to provide healthcare.

The current structure was effectively born in 1966 and is in serious need of reform. It is antiquated, illogical and fails to meet the requirements of the modern Allied Health Professional workforce or the public health sector in Victoria.

We have made it clear to employers in this round of negotiations that this important task can’t be placed in the “too hard basket”. It needs to be addressed in this round of bargaining.

Our proposal:

• Creates clear and consistent Grade 1& 2 classification descriptors across most professions;
• Ensures that Grade 4 applies to all professions;
• Recognises and rewards advanced clinical skills;
• Brings pay rates into line with dietitians rates;
• Properly integrates the managerial structure;
• Removes almost all overlapping and redundant wage tiers;
• Inserts 6 new wage steps; and
• Provides Grade 4s with additional increments.

And is designed to:

• Ensure highly-skilled staff remain within the public sector;
• Ensure high quality clinical education for students, interns and junior staff;
• Ensure clinicians have sufficient time away from educational tasks to focus on providing healthcare; and
• Provide better healthcare for Victorians.

The proposal also introduces four explicit career streams for allied health professionals, commencing at Grade 3:

• An advanced clinical stream
• A research stream
• An expanded management stream (including specific descriptors for managers in community health centres that are part of public health services)
• A more effective educational stream

For the non-UG1 classifications we have also proposed a number of changes and improvements, including inserting rates of pay and descriptors that are currently missing.

An improved career structure is an important part of our broader campaign to ensure the recognition of Allied Health Professionals as an essential third pillar of the health system. Full details of the proposal are available on the VAHPA website