MSAV dietitian members (Jacqui Bailey, Leanne Augusteyn and Anne Gordon) and Rosemary Kelly, Executive Officer met with consultants HMA last week over a draft Supervision and Delegation Framework for Allied Health Assistants (AHAs). HMA have been engaged by the Department of Health to develop the Framework.

The general principle is that health professionals including dietitians are responsible for the assessment of patients and the development of plans, and that the AHAs work under the direction and control of the health professional to assist with their implementation.

The MSAV’s major concern with the draft Framework, as it relates to nutrition and dietetics, is that insufficient attention has been paid to specifying AHAs competencies and the limitations on their roles. The MSAV’s submission can be accessed at Documents -> Campaigns General (login first).