THE Health Services Union (HSU) and Health Students Alliance (HSA) are calling on the Federal Government to extend its Commonwealth Prac Payment to all allied health students, warning of future workforce implications in professions already experiencing critical shortages.

In a joint letter to the Minister for Education, Jason Clare, the two groups congratulated the government for implementing a payment of $331 a week currently made to eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students, and expressed their ongoing support.

However, students in other health disciplines, including pharmacy, report struggling to pay for basics such as food and bills, with some being forced to decide whether they can afford to continue their studies.

Meanwhile, the letter pointed out there are not enough graduates in pharmacy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology and other allied health programs to meet the demands of a growing health system.

“The Health Students Alliance remains deeply concerned by reports of students struggling to put food on the table, just so they can afford to finish their studies,” said HSA spokesperson Sebastian Harper, who is also President of the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association (NAPSA).

“Our partnership with the Health Services Union highlights to the Albanese Labor Government that students across the health disciplines are in urgent need of paid placements, to build the healthcare workforce of tomorrow.”

The HSA and HSU called on the government to expand Commonwealth Prac Payments to allied health students as a matter of urgency in the 2026-2027 Federal Budget, requesting a meeting with the minister to discuss its implementation. KB

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