Visiting Allied Health Professionals

To ensure the safety of Barwon Health consumers and staff, Barwon Health only supports clinical visits from visiting Allied Health Professionals in the following situations:

  • When care is being provided as part of a Service Agreement that Barwon Health has with an external organisation
  • When approved by the Research Development Unit for research
  • When providing care to residents within our Residential Aged Care facilities
  • When invited by Barwon Health for the purpose of clinical handover or complete specialised assessments that facilitate discharge from inpatient settings
  • To provide Spiritual Care as a faith-based leader.

Barwon Health does not support clinical visits from Allied Health Professionals outside of these situations (e.g. upon request by a patient, family or external provider). It also does not support inpatient visits from Allied Health Assistants or other adjunct therapies including but not limited to massage therapy, myotherapy, chiropractic, osteopathy and aromatherapy.

For the above clinical visits that are support, there are credentialing requirements that must be met prior to any clinical visits. These are outlined below.

The credentialing requirements and process are determined by situation in which the clinician is providing services at Barwon Health.

Contracted through a Service Agreement with Barwon Health

Visiting allied health professionals working for a provider who has a contract or service agreement in place with Barwon Health are required to complete credentialing as outlined in the service agreement.

The employer will inform the visiting clinician of how to complete the credentialing application.

Research approved by the Research Development Unit (RDU)

RDU will notify clinician researchers when they are required to complete the credentialing process and will inform the clinician researcher of how to complete the credentialing application.

Residential aged care facilities

It is the resident’s responsibility to determine the suitability of the health professionals they choose to engage with while the aged care facility is their home.  Therefore, allied health professionals wishing to visit residents in Barwon Health’s residential aged care facilities are not required to be credentialed by Barwon Health.

Invited for clinical handover of specialised assessments that facilitate discharge

Barwon Health only permits clinical visits to inpatient settings when invited by Barwon Health for the purpose of clinical handover or complete specialised assessments that facilitate discharge from inpatient settings.

Formal credentialing via an application is not required, but these visits must be approved by the relevant allied health professional manager.

The visiting clinician will be accompanied by a Barwon Health staff member throughout their visit(s) and is not able to be involved in any manual handline or directly access medical records.

Spiritual Care as a faith-based leader

Visits by faith-based leaders are supported by Barwon Health when requested by the patient/family/next of kin.

If a patient/family requests and consents to a visit with a faith-based leader that they have an existing relationship with, the faith-based leader can attend as a non-healthcare professional visitor. These faith-based leaders are not required to be credentialed or have their visit approved.

If a patient/family requests and consents to a visit with a faith-based leader who they do not have an existing relationship with, the faith-based leader should be credentialed by Barwon Health prior to visiting. One-off visits can be supported by other faith-based leaders if required in certain circumstances. Additional requirements and precautions need to be implemented in these circumstances. Please contact the Spiritual Care team on 4215 0627 in these situations.

Faith-based leaders are not to access medical information about the patient.

Barwon Health does not support clinical visits from allied health professionals outside of these situations (e.g. upon request by a patient, family or external provider).

Clinicians who are not with AHPRA registered professions will need to complete this stat dec as part of their application.

If you require further assistance, please email [email protected]

Credentialing applications are reviewed by a Credentialing Officer, Allied Health Professional Manager, and Allied Health Credentialing Committee, to determine suitability of credentials. Additional information may be requested if required to make a decision on the application.

Please note that processing of applications can take multiple weeks. Please email [email protected] if your application is time critical.

You are required to have confirmation of approval of your credentials prior to providing services to Barwon Health consumers.

If your application is approved, you will be able to provide services at Barwon Health within the scope of practice and restrictions detailed in the letter of approval.

If you wish to change the scope of practice you have applied for, you will need to contact [email protected].

Once credentialed, you will be required to submit an annual re-credentialing form to remain credentialed.

If there is any change in your scope of practice or fitness to practice, you are required to notify Barwon Health via [email protected]

Page last updated: May 19, 2025