One question I frequently get asked is, "Can I be a Massage Therapist in Australia with my overseas qualification?" The answer is both "yes" and "maybe". Understanding how the industry in Australia works will help you decide the path to take if you are moving or visiting our beautiful country.
The Title "Massage Therapist"
Firstly, the term "Massage Therapist" is NOT a protected title in Australia. Most people assume if they are seeing a Massage Therapist, that the person is appropriately trained and qualified. However, because the massage industry is self-regulated in Australia, anyone can offer massage services to the public without a minimum qualification. We do not fall under the same national regulatory system as registered health practitioners like Physiotherapists and Osteopaths (AHPRA).
Health Fund Rebates
Generally, when people ask about their international qualifications being recognised, they mean, "How can I offer Health Fund rebates in Australia?" To offer Health Fund (and other third-party payers) rebates, you must hold an Australian nationally recognized qualification. Currently, these are:
HLT42021 Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice
HLT52021 Diploma of Remedial Massage
For most 95% of Health Funds, you need to hold the Diploma, be a member of a Professional Association (like Massage and Myotherapy Australia), have insurance and a current Police Check.
Professional Association Membership
The Associations do not accept overseas qualifications for professional-level membership, nor can they issue a determination of equivalency to the Australian Qualification. The only way to get Health Fund Provider status is to:
1. Enrol with a Registered Training Organisation and undertake a process of RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning)
2. Complete the full course of study (minimum 12 months).
Some companies will offer to issue you a "certificate of equivalency" for your overseas qualification. While this may assist you in finding employment, it will not assist you in joining and Association or in gaining Health Fund Provider status.
Buyer beware
A Registered Training Organisation (RTO) is the only place to get the required qualification - but buyer beware! Just because an RTO claims to be able to issue you with RPL, does not mean it will be recognised by the professional Associations for membership and Health Funds.
ALWAYS check with one of the legitimate Associations (Massage and Myotherapy Australia, ATMS, ANTA, MAA or AMT) to make sure the RTO is fulfilling all the necessary requirements. There are some great RTO's that have very comprehensive RPL processes and there are also some very dodgy ones that will ask for very little evidence of your training, take your hard earned $$ and give you a qualification that is not worth the paper it's written on. The Associations know who these providers are, so always check with them before signing on the dotted line.
If an RTO is offering a fast track, no evidence option that seems too good to be true - it is! The same goes for the full qualification. For the Diploma you must study for a minimum of 12 months AND undertake a minimum of 200 hrs in a simulated clinic environment - anything less will not get you Provider Numbers.
Can I still work?
The answer to this is ABSOLUTLEY. If you have qualified overseas, chances are you may be more qualified than a lot of Australian therapists. So long as you have insurance (and associated work rights on your VISA) you can work. You may find difficulty obtaining employment in an Allied Health Practice (these normally want Health Fund Provider status) but there are plenty of other avenues to explore - mobile, self-employed, day spa etc. If you are a great therapist with excellent hands-on skills, your clients won't care about Health Fund rebates. It's estimated that just over 50% of Australians have Private Health Insurance with Extras, which means just under 50% don't - that's still a big market!
Insurance
The major insurers for Australian practitioners are AON, insurance.com.au, Fenton Green & Co (underwritten by Newline Insurance), GSA Insurance and Guild Insurance. You should have both Professional Indemnity insurance and Public and Products Liability insurance. Make sure that any modalities you plan to practice are listed on your policy. If in doubt, a good insurance broker should be able to assist you to find a policy that works for you.
The National Code
If you are working as a Massage Therapists in Australia, regardless of where your trained, you are still regulated by the "National Code". Currently, NSW, SA, Qld, Victoria, ACT and WA have established versions of the Code. Tasmania and NT will have their versions shortly.
The National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers, including massage therapists, sets out a range of standards to ensure safe and ethical practice. Here are some key points:
Professional Conduct: Massage therapists must provide services in a safe and ethical manner, ensuring the health and well-being of their clients.
Informed Consent: They must obtain informed consent from clients before providing any treatment.
Confidentiality: They are required to maintain the confidentiality of client information.
Competence: Massage therapists must only provide services within their scope of practice and competence.
Record Keeping: They must keep accurate and up-to-date records of the services provided to clients.
Complaint Handling: They must have a process in place for handling complaints from clients.
More information about the code can be found here.
Comments