Referring a Participant for AHA Support: A Practical Guide for Clinicians and Support Coordinators

If you have an established therapy program that a participant would benefit from practising more often, an Allied Health Assistant (AHA) may be one way to support its implementation between appointments with their treating professional.

This guide is for treating Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), support coordinators, plan managers, GPs and other clinicians. It focuses on the referral decision and the practical information that helps an AHA provider understand a request, coordinate with the treating professional and plan appropriate support.

When might an AHA referral be appropriate?

An AHA referral process usually starts with a clear program and a treating AHP who remains involved. AHA support may be worth considering when:

• The participant has a treating AHP and an active program.
• The program’s goals and activities have already been established.
• The planned activities are safe for an assistant to deliver under the AHP’s direction.
• Regular practice in the participant’s everyday environment is a useful next step.
• The AHP can provide suitable instructions, supervision and a review plan.

In short, an AHA can help with implementing agreed activities; the treating professional remains responsible for assessment, clinical decisions and program design. If the participant needs an initial assessment, diagnosis, new program or a clinical decision, refer them to the relevant AHP rather than asking an AHA to fill that role.

For a brief overview of the role, see What is an Allied Health Assistant?. This article focuses on the separate practical question: how to refer for delegated support and set it up well.

When is AHA support not the right next step?

Consider a direct referral to an appropriate AHP, or another pathway, if:

• There is no treating AHP involved who can direct the program.
• The program has not yet been designed or the goals are unclear.
• The participant has a new, unassessed symptom or a significant change in function.
• The activity carries a high clinical risk or requires professional judgement at each session.
• The participant needs assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning or a change to their program.
• The requested support is for a different discipline or service entirely.

These situations do not necessarily rule out AHA support in future. They indicate that the participant’s current need may require professional review or a different service first.

What does delegation need to cover?

The treating AHP directs, delegates and supervises the agreed activities. Before sessions begin, the AHA needs enough information to follow the program safely and consistently. In practice, this often means providing:

• A written program, including the activities and how to carry them out.
• The participant’s goals and relevant measures of progress.
• Current instructions on assistance, prompts, pacing and equipment.
• Safety information, precautions and clear stop or escalation points.
• Boundaries: what the AHA may do, and what must be referred back to the AHP.
• Reporting expectations, including who receives updates and how often.
• A review timeframe and a way for the AHP and AHA to communicate.

The AHA reports what happened and what they observed. The treating professional interprets that information and decides whether the program should change. If instructions are missing or unclear, it is appropriate to clarify them with the treating AHP before implementation.

Referral checklist: what to send

With the participant’s consent, a practical referral should include the details below. Not every item will apply to every participant; relevant, current information is more useful than a large bundle of unrelated records.

Participant and funding details

• Participant’s name and preferred contact details.
• Relevant nominee or decision-maker details, where applicable.
• Confirmation of consent to refer and share the information provided.
• Funding type and plan-management arrangement, if relevant to the enquiry.
• Any known timing considerations, such as a plan review date.

Program and goals

• The written program or clear instructions from the treating AHP.
• The participant’s goals and the specific activities proposed for AHA support.
• Baseline and current function, including relevant progress or barriers.
• Equipment required and instructions for its use.
• Any firm limits, contraindications or activities that must not be undertaken.

Safety and communication

• Relevant risks, precautions and what should prompt the AHA to stop.
• Communication, sensory, cultural or accessibility needs.
• How the participant usually communicates discomfort, fatigue or a wish to pause.
• Any relevant environmental considerations for the planned setting.

Delivery and coordination

• Where practice should happen: home, school, workplace, community or another agreed setting.
• Who is in the support team and who should receive updates.
• The treating AHP’s contact details and preferred communication method.
• Requested reporting frequency and format.
• The expected review timeframe and what outcomes should be considered.

A clear referral request might say: “The participant has an established program and would benefit from supported practice in their home routine. Please discuss whether AHA implementation is suitable, what further instructions are needed, and how progress and concerns should be reported to the treating AHP.”

What should the referrer expect back?

Agree on reporting before support starts. Depending on the arrangement, an AHA provider may send progress notes and observations about:

• Which agreed activities were completed.
• The level of prompting or assistance used, within the instructions provided.
• How the participant engaged and responded.
• Practical barriers to carrying out the program in that setting.
• Any concern, change or incident that needs follow-up.

Reporting should stay within the AHA’s role. The AHA can describe what they observed, but does not independently diagnose, interpret clinical significance or alter the program. The treating AHP decides whether a review or change is needed.

Escalation: agree on the pathway in advance

The referral and written instructions should explain who to contact, by what method and how quickly. The AHA should pause an activity and promptly contact the treating AHP if the participant’s response raises a safety concern, the activity appears unsuitable, or the participant’s needs change in a way that affects the agreed program.

Examples may include an unexpected increase in pain or distress, difficulty completing an activity safely, a notable change in function, or equipment that is damaged or no longer appears suitable. The AHA should not push through an activity or independently adjust the clinical program to address a concern.

Agree which issues can be included in routine reporting and which need same-day contact. For an immediate emergency, use the appropriate emergency pathway rather than waiting for routine communication with the treating professional.

Consent, privacy and information sharing

Obtain the participant’s consent before sending personal or health information to an AHA provider. Explain what information is being shared, why it is needed, who may receive updates and how information will be used to coordinate the agreed support. Share only information relevant to the referral and delivery of the program.

Agree who may receive progress information, for example, the participant, treating AHP or nominated support coordinator, and the preferred communication method. Information should not be circulated more widely than authorised, subject to any applicable legal or safety obligations. The participant should know how to ask questions or change their information-sharing preferences.

Practical delivery arrangements

Nurturing Hands provides mobile AHA support across agreed settings, including home, school and workplace, as well as community locations. Practice in the setting where an activity matters can help the AHA follow the agreed program in context.

For school visits, confirm the school’s permission and any visitor, communication or safety requirements before scheduling. For workplace or community sessions, clarify access arrangements, relevant contact people and any environmental constraints.

Scheduling, travel arrangements and cancellation terms should also be discussed before sessions begin. These practical details help the participant and the wider team understand what to expect and how to manage changes.

Whether AHA support is suitable or claimable depends on the participant’s individual plan, funding arrangements and the relevant funding guidelines. Do not assume a referral means funding will be approved. The participant or their representative should check the applicable arrangements before services commence.

For more detail about Nurturing Hands’ delivery approach, visit our services page. You may also find our participant-facing article, What Is an Allied Health Assistant? Who They Are and Who They Aren’t, useful to share when explaining the role.

How to refer

To discuss a referral, use the Nurturing Hands referral page or contact us through our contact page. You can include the participant’s goals, the treating AHP’s details and the program information available, once consent has been obtained. Our team can discuss practical next steps and whether the referral information is sufficient to consider AHA support.

Disclaimer

This article is general information for referrers and is not a substitute for individual clinical judgement or legal advice. AHA support is delivered under the direction, delegation and supervision of the participant’s own treating Allied Health Professional, who remains responsible for assessment, clinical decision-making and program design. Whether a support is suitable or claimable depends on the participant’s individual plan, funding arrangements and the relevant funding guidelines.

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Meta description: A practical guide for clinicians and support coordinators on when to refer for AHA support, what information to include and how to coordinate delegated program delivery.

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