Joint Association Statement
There is currently widespread confusion in the massage and myotherapy industry after recent government announcements shutting down "non-essential services".
Unfortunately, there has been no clear, national definition of permitted healthcare services. Some states and Territories have adopted the Commonwealth's unclear wording. Other States and Territories have provided their own, clearer definitions.
The national approaches are summarised in Attachment 1.
This is resulting in unnecessary fear and confusion in the community. This is exacerbated by police across Australia visiting legitimate remedial massage clinics and warning them to shut down before or be fined.
We urge the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments to adopt one single, clear definition of health professions permitted to operate on an in-person basis under the current COVID-19 restrictions. We have provided three possible definitions below.
Background
Beauty and personal care massage parlours were included in the Prime Minister's 24th March list of prohibited non-essential services. The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) lists "massage parlours" in a list of "highly discretional services that require close and prolonged personal contact between the service provider and the client".
What is Remedial Massage?
Remedial massage is a healthcare service that "aims to reduce or eliminate pain, and restore normal function of muscles and joints. It can help increase joint mobility and flexibility, stimulate the lymphatic system and promote blood flow, particularly to injured areas" (Medibank).
What is Myotherapy?
Myotherapy is a health service that specialises in assessing, treating and preventing specific musculoskeletal conditions and somatic dysfunction. Myotherapy uses clinical examination skills to locate the sources of symptoms and identify dysfunctions, then design and implement patient-specific treatment and management programs.
Mytherapists work as:
- the first point of treatment, implementing expert knowledge of the function and dysfunction of the soft tissue of the body in relation to movement; and/or
- a specialised member within an interdependent multi-disciplinary team of health professionals.
Three Options to Define Permitted Healthcare Services
Option 1: PHI-registered providers. Health professionals who meet certain criteria can apply to the private health insurers (PHIs) for a provider number. This allows payment of PHI rebates for services performed by that individual provider in a particular location (a separate provider number is provider for each location).
Most PHIs follow Medibank in determining who is eligible for a provider number. PHIs have robust fraud detection mechanisms, including de-registering and referring for prosecution fraudulent providers.
Option 2: AHPRA-regulated professions. The list of AHPRA-regulated professions is found in the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law 2009. (This would exclude both massage and myotherapy).
Option 3: Commonwealth Department of Health. "In very broad terms, allied health professionals provide services to enhance and maintain function of their patients (clients) within a range of settings including hospitals, private practice, community health and in-home care. There is an emphasis on healthy lifestyle and on independence; whether that is physically, psychologically, cognitively or socially. The allied health workforce works across the spectrum from acute to primary care and aged care. Allied health professions also have a large role in the management of people with disabilities from childhood to adult." (Review of Australia Government Health Workforce Programs).
We urge Commonwealth, State and Territory government to adopt one single, clear definition of health professions permitted to operate on an in-person basis under the current Covid-19 restrictions. We have provided three possible definitions to choose from.
Sincerely,
Joint Associations
ANTA, Massage and Myotherapy Australia, Myotherapy Association Australia and ATMS.