practitioners , full Allied Health status is still not available , and around 700 Chinese medicine practitioners have conditional registration due to the language requirements for communication . In 2022 , the Federal Government finally recognised Chinese medicine as an Allied Health profession on their Department of Health website , though every State and Territory Government is yet to do the same , and even though ATMS and other Chinese medicine professional associations have formally requested this on behalf of their members . So , even with the minimum education standard of a Bachelor ’ s degree , including thousands of hours of clinical training , public universities are terminating their programs in Chinese medicine . Full Allied Health status after 12 years of registration is still unavailable to Chinese medicine practitioners ; private health funds no not offer rebates for Chinese medicine consultations as they do for other
Allied Health ; around 700 Chinese medicine practitioners still have only conditional registration ; and the total number of registered Chinese medicine practitioners in Australia has slowly started to decline .
If the Australian Federal Government seriously proposed the registration of “ low risk ” modalities , such as naturopathy and remedial massage , ATMS would be genuinely interested in supporting this discussion . There are potential benefits for the currently unregistered modalities , such as an increase in the perception of public safety , minimum education standards , protection of title , an external complaints process , potential referrals from other health professionals , increase in the funding and rebates for clinical services , and perhaps even greater public and professional recognition . However , continuation of the existing combined regulatory framework could
keep costs down for practitioners and therefore their patients , maintain clinical competency standards that are set by their own profession , allow the practice of the principles of traditional medicine , have fewer restrictions on marketing , and maintain the existing internal complaints processes .
Until I see a clarification of these registration issues that affect the practice of Chinese medicine in Australia , I do not expect the currently unregistered “ low risk ” modalities will attract the significant Government funding and legislation that would be required to establish and maintain any new AHPRA Boards for naturopathy , remedial massage , or any other natural medicine modality .
My warmest wishes to all members for a safe and happy festive season . Always in your service … Peter Berryman President
CPE PROGRAM
186 | vol29 | no4 | JATMS