Latest Allied Health News

Shaping the Future of Allied Health:
News and Insights

Thank you for your continued support of Plena Healthcare.

We take pride in offering allied health services to people in their homes, the community, and residential aged care facilities.

Below you’ll find the latest news from our multi-disciplinary allied health team across physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, dietetics and podiatry.

Allied Health trends across Australia to watch in 2025

At Plena Healthcare, we specialise in delivering comprehensive manual handling training for Support Workers and General Services Officers (GSO) across disability and home care settings. Our training goes beyond theory, offering both competency-based training and demonstrated training variations to suit your team’s unique needs. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate recognising their skills and commitment to safe, effective care.

Why Choose Plena Healthcare?

• Flexible Training Options: Competency-based or demonstrated training to meet your specific needs.
• Practical, Hands-On Learning: To ensure your team feels confident and capable in their roles.
• Certificate of Completion: Recognising skills and commitment to safe, effective care.
• Expert-Led Sessions: Delivered face-to-face by qualified Physiotherapists or Occupational Therapists.
• Tailored Assessments: Includes evaluation of handling techniques, equipment suitability, and care environments
• Compliance Support: Plena providers meet Home Care and NDIS compliance standards through tailored training and assessments and can support any questions you have along the journey.

Proper manual handling isn’t just about compliance—it’s the cornerstone of safety, dignity, and quality care. From safe lifting techniques to the effective use of hoists, our training minimises injury risks, meets NDIS standards, and ensures the well-being of both carers and clients.

For more information, please email Community@plenahealthcare.com.au or to send a referral, click here.

Need a Functional Capacity Assessment for your clients?

A Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) evaluates an individual’s ability to perform essential daily activities in physical, cognitive, social, and self-care domains. These assessments are vital for individuals under the NDIS, as they help tailor support plans to specific needs, goals, and circumstances, fostering greater independence and participation in everyday life.

Plena Healthcare specialises in delivering comprehensive FCAs through skilled clinicians who prioritize client-focused care. Their assessments are designed to align with participant objectives, offering valuable insights for developing or reviewing NDIS plans while ensuring timely and high-quality services.

Learn more here.

Are you ready to comply with the new Aged Care Standard 6?

Preparing for the Strengthened Standards continues to be a focus area for Residential Aged Care providers. With Standard 6 Food & Nutrition it will be a requirement for each facility to have a menu & mealtime assessment at least annually. Prepare your facility now to be compliant and avoid a last-minute rush.

What is involved in a menu and mealtime assessment?

An experienced Plena Dietitian will thoroughly review your menu documentation, the plated meals, the dining environment and nutrition and hydration procedures. They will look specifically at how detailed and specific your menu is, as well as how it delivers variety, nutritional balance and adheres to the aged care standards. You will receive a comprehensive report that includes assessment and recommendations.

The Dietitian will conduct an onsite meal audit, where the following factors will be assessed:

• Meal/serving size
• Visual appeal
• Variety
• Alignment with the facility’s documented/planned menu

This on-site audit also provides an opportunity for the Dietitian to review the mealtime experience, which considers the dining room environment, atmosphere, delivery of meals, staff interaction with residents, how assistance is provided to those who may need it, and time allocated for mealtimes. We can also provide guidance regarding methods to engage residents and seek their feedback regarding mealtime experiences.

Read more and book your assessment

Speech Pathology Australia – Annual conference recap

Plena Speech Pathologists Laura Blasdale and Stefanie Gani had the opportunity to attend the annual Speech Pathology Australia conference in Perth this year.

Plena supports its clinicians to stay up to date on the latest research and thinking around evidence-based therapy and treatment.

Read recap article…

Podiatry in Aged Care: We Need You!

Read article…

The Expansion of the National Quality Indicator Program – Time to Move!

Aged care providers are on high alert: from July 2025, the National Quality Indicator Program (NQIP) will require you to meet new standards for allied health services, and the clock is ticking. The Department of Health has introduced Allied Health as one of three key clinical indicators, marking it as essential for the health and well-being of aged care residents.

From July 2025, providers will be required to report on:

• Allied Health
• Enrolled Nurses
• Lifestyle Officers

all critical factors to meeting the evolving needs of residents. The new indicators stem from the QI pilot in March 2024, which saw Plena Healthcare actively partnering with providers to help shape these changes.

Plena is prepared and ready to support providers with a tailored, resident-focused care model. Our Plena Care Pathway  is designed to achieve co-designed resident goals and meet care needs—perfectly aligning with the new clinical focus. As the leading multidisciplinary allied health team in aged care, we bring key industry insights to support providers in meeting new service and reporting standards.

Aged care providers must act quickly, as further pilots will test these new indicators and recommendations from peak bodies stress the importance of assessing individual resident needs. With reports showing a decline in allied health services, providers must step up to ensure they meet these new requirements or risk falling behind in a competitive market.

Plena’s advanced service delivery systems and reporting tools are already empowering strategic partnerships with providers to evaluate current services and plan for the future. As the sector braces for these changes, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Prepare for the future of aged care today – the time to move is now!

Aged Care Act and Support at Home updates

Plena Healthcare support and applaud the passing of the new Aged Care bill through the Senate.  The passing of this Act, which focus on a rights-based model for older Australians, is a pivotal moment in the history of Aged Care in Australia.

The new Act will ensure the long-term sustainability and viability of government funded Aged Care services in Australia, placing a renewed focus on the quality and safeguards around recipient care.

As part of the sweeping reforms, $4.3 billion will be invested into the design and implementation of a new model of in-home care, Support at Home.

The Support at Home Program provides a sustainable and quality model allowing recipients to receive the care they need to stay in their own homes.  Plena Healthcare are excited by the increased focus on clinical and Allied Health services forming core pillars of the Support at Home funding structure.  This change will allow recipients to utilise their funding not only to receive direct care and support services, but to truly focus on improving their health status, independence and quality of life across their lifetime.

Plena Healthcare are committed to developing industry-leading models of care for in-home care recipients, and are excited to co-design these models with our leading industry partners.  To get involved in this process alongside Plena, please reach out to community@plenahealthcare.com.au for further details.

Out and about with Plena

The Plena Healthcare team is always active, engaging in networking, attending events, and participating in various activities to enhance the services we offer and foster stronger connections within our teams.

The recap on this last month:

• The Plena team attended the Allied Health Awards, in support of the two team members who were nominated.
• Various team members attended the Annual Shine Awards Night.
• Our wonderful National Podiatry Manager, Rob Mullins, visited Podiatry Services SA.
• Jason and Ross and the Plena team took over the National ACCPA Conference.

Stay up to date on our socials

Partner with Plena to elevate the industry and create
a healthier Australia

Partner with Plena to drive excellence in healthcare and make a lasting impact. Stay connected and take the first step—contact us today to explore how we can achieve more, together.

With a team of over 1,100 allied health professionals across Australia, Plena Healthcare delivers industry-leading services in residential aged care, in-home care, and via Telehealth

Our skilled therapists offer comprehensive assessments and tailored treatments to meet a wide range of allied health needs.