Allied Health Assistant (AHA)

An Allied Health Assistant (AHA) works under the guidance of a qualified Occupational Therapist or Speech Pathologist to support therapy goals in a practical, hands-on way.

At Pelorus OT, AHAs help participants build skills through structured activities, repetition, and real-life practice. This can include working on daily routines, communication strategies, motor skills, or other therapy-based goals identified by your clinician.

AHAs do not work independently. They are always part of a supervised therapy model to ensure safety, quality, and consistency.

One of the key benefits of AHA services is that they offer a more cost-effective way to increase therapy intensity and consistency.

At Pelorus OT, we typically structure AHA services as:

• 2-hour sessions to allow enough time for meaningful engagement and practice
• Focus on repetition, routine-building, and skill development in everyday environments

This approach helps participants get more practice time without the higher cost of full clinician-led sessions for every visit, while still maintaining regular professional oversight.

Our AHA service follows a team-based approach, where therapy is planned, delivered, and reviewed collaboratively.

• Your Occupational Therapist or Speech Pathologist completes assessments and develops a personalised therapy plan
• Clear goals and structured strategies are set based on your needs and NDIS outcomes
• The Allied Health Assistant in Melbourne delivers regular sessions, helping you practice and build these skills in a consistent way
• The Allied Health practitioner remains actively involved, reviewing progress, updating strategies, and ensuring therapy is effective

This model allows for more frequent support while maintaining clinical oversight and direction.

AHA services are not suitable for every participant, and that’s completely okay.

Before starting, our Head OT and/or Senior Speech Pathologist will carefully assess whether this model is appropriate. This decision is based on:

• The complexity of your needs
• The type of therapy required
• Whether goals can be safely and effectively supported by an AHA
• The level of supervision needed

If AHA support is not the right fit, we will recommend a more suitable therapy approach to ensure you receive the best possible outcomes.

Our Allied Health Assistant services are currently available across:

• Melbourne

We aim to deliver sessions in environments that are most meaningful to the participant, such as at home, school, or in the community. If you’re considering AHA support, our team can help determine whether it’s the right fit for you or your child.

We’ll guide you through the process, explain how the model works, and ensure everything is aligned with your therapy goals and NDIS plan.

Call 1300 80 60 70 or submit a referral via our website to get started.