More Flinders allied health students are set to benefit after the Australian Government announced it will expand the Commonwealth Prac Payment to an additional 10 key frontline health professions.
The change means more students will be able to receive financial support while they complete mandatory unpaid placements, helping ease cost-of-living pressures.
From 1 July 2027, the scheme will expand to support eligible students training in areas such as clinical psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, paramedicine, radiography, pharmacy, rehabilitation therapies, audiology and podiatry, in addition to the existing teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work courses.
Last week, twelve of our nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy and clinical psychology students met with Australia’s Minister for Education, Jason Clare and Minister for Health and Aging Mark Butler, to talk about how prac payments (short for practical placement payments) have helped support them during their studies.
For Alex Sutton, who is in her final year of a Master of Occupational Therapy degree, the financial reality of unpaid placements meant putting her undergraduate studies on hold for a year because she could not afford to support herself.
“While I won’t personally benefit from the expansion, I’m genuinely excited for the students who will,” Sutton said.
“Students shouldn’t have to choose between pursuing a healthcare career and being able to afford rent, groceries or other basic necessities.
“This change makes occupational therapy and other healthcare degrees more accessible, regardless of someone’s financial background.”
Hannah Brumpton, who is studying a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), said that the funding will “change the way myself (and many others) are able to live while on clinical placement”.
“This financial support from the government will help prevent ‘placement poverty’, diversify the psychology workforce, and create more equitable opportunities for all students,” Brumpton said.
“”It means I am able to sustain my own wellbeing while I work to support that of others.”
Professor Tracy Humphrey, Vice-President and Executive Dean of the College of Health and Enablement, said the government’s announcement will help reduce the risk of student placement poverty, stress and anxiety.
“We do know that one of the reasons our students take longer to complete their course or have to leave is the cost of travelling to and from placement and the loss of income from paid employment whilst on placement,” Professor Humphrey said.
“There are local, national and global health workforce shortages contributing to patients not being able to access services locally or in a timely way, which leads to poorer outcomes and experiences.
“This decision will enable our students to continue to progress through their course in a timely way so they can enter the workforce sooner.”
Dr Ali Dymmott, Lead of Rural Health Transformation at the College of Health and Enablement, said the move will provide a welcome boost to students studying at Flinders’ regional and rural campuses – many of whom come from low socioeconomic backgrounds, are the first in their family to attend university, have family or caring responsibilities, or have to travel long distances to get to university.
“We really want to be able to reduce any barriers for people who want to do a healthcare degree, particularly in regional and rural areas,” Dr Dymmott said.
“So hopefully this decision will help attract students who are going to make excellent health professionals because they have the drive, the passion and the ability to be excellent in the practice, not just those who can afford it.”
More than 1,300 Flinders nursing, midwifery, education and social work students have so far benefited from the prac payment initiative since it was introduced on 1 July 2025.
The scheme’s expansion will help hundreds more Flinders students complete their studies and enter the frontline health workforce sooner.
