Allied Health Services in Australia: The Disciplines and What They Cost

Where can I find allied health services near me?

No single directory covers every allied health discipline. The AHPRA public register verifies individual practitioners in the registered professions (AHPRA, 2026), professional associations keep member lists for the self-regulated professions, and the NDIS Provider Finder shows registered organisations only. The ranked list above pulls those sources together and shows discipline-verified practices only: a listing that advertises physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, psychology or podiatry has been checked against that specific profession rather than a generic allied health label. Most listed practices offer mobile allied health, where the practitioner comes to your home instead of a clinic.

What are allied health disciplines?

Allied health disciplines are regulated health professions that assess, treat, and support people outside of medicine and nursing. The group covers occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, podiatry, dietetics, psychology, and exercise physiology, with most professions requiring registration through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency or accreditation with a national professional association (AHPRA, 2025). NDIS and aged care programs fund each discipline as a distinct support type rather than folding them into one generic therapy line.

The regulation split matters when you verify credentials. Occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology and podiatry are AHPRA-registered professions, so a practitioner’s registration, endorsements and any conditions on their practice are public (AHPRA, 2026). Speech pathology, dietetics and exercise physiology are self-regulated: practitioners are certified through Speech Pathology Australia, Dietitians Australia and Exercise and Sports Science Australia. Funding programs treat both groups the same way, but the register you check differs by discipline.

How to choose a provider for this service

The list above is ranked using the criteria explained in the methodology above it. Four checks matter specifically when comparing allied health providers.

Registration. Confirm the therapist’s AHPRA registration for occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, and podiatry, or accreditation with the relevant professional body for dietetics and exercise physiology.

Response time. A provider listing several disciplines can still reply unevenly by profession; check the response-time table further down this page rather than a general promise.

Pricing transparency. Ask for a rate card broken down by discipline, since NDIS hourly price limits differ across each profession.

Coverage. Carevo lists 9,573 allied health providers nationally, but not every discipline is rostered in every suburb; confirm the specific therapist type you need is actually staffed in your area before booking.

Which discipline treats which goal?

Match the discipline to the functional goal rather than the diagnosis. Movement, strength, balance and falls prevention sit with physiotherapy. Showering, dressing, cooking, equipment and home safety sit with occupational therapy. Speech, language, swallowing and mealtime management sit with speech pathology. Mental health, behaviour and cognition sit with psychology. Foot care, gait problems and diabetic foot checks sit with podiatry. When one goal spans two professions, safe showering after a stroke for example, an occupational therapist usually leads and brings the second discipline in, which costs less than running two uncoordinated referrals.

How much does in-home allied health cost?

The 2026-27 NDIS Pricing Schedule caps each discipline separately: $193.99 an hour for occupational therapy and speech pathology, $183.99 for physiotherapy, $252.99 for psychology, $188.99 for podiatry, $178.99 for dietetics and $161.99 for exercise physiology. Travel for home visits is billed on top at 50 percent of the service rate. Under Support at Home, allied health is typically priced around $185 an hour, and because government price caps were deferred in May 2026, prices still vary between registered providers, so compare rate cards (Department of Health and Aged Care, 2026). Medicare rebates part of the fee for up to five allied health sessions each calendar year under a GP chronic condition management plan, shared across all disciplines, and most mobile practitioners charge a gap above the rebate.

Which funding pays for allied health therapy, and who qualifies?

NDIS participants access allied health disciplines under the Capacity Building - Improved Daily Living support category, funded once a plan includes a stated goal linked to the person’s disability; a plan manager or support coordinator confirms which disciplines and hours are approved (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, 2025). People 65 and over, or 50 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, access the same disciplines through Support at Home’s Clinical Supports category after assessment through the Single Assessment System, funded with no participant contribution regardless of income or assets (Department of Health and Aged Care, 2025). Lower-intensity, short-term therapy for people not yet assessed for Support at Home is funded through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme. Medicare sits outside all three programs and applies at any age, and anyone can book directly through private funding options.

Do I need a referral for in-home allied health?

That depends on the funding route. NDIS participants need no GP referral: the therapy must link to a goal in the plan, and a plan manager or support coordinator confirms which budget it bills to (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, 2025). Support at Home clients access allied health through their care plan once the Single Assessment System sets a classification (My Aged Care, 2026). Medicare’s chronic condition pathway does require a GP plan and a named referral before any rebate applies. Private clients simply book. Whichever route applies, having recent reports and a clear goal ready usually shortens the wait for a first appointment.

Can I get a multi-disciplinary team at home?

Yes. Larger mobile practices employ several disciplines and run them under one intake, one client file and one invoice, which suits people with layered needs such as stroke recovery or a progressive neurological condition. The alternative is building your own team from sole practitioners, which gives more choice for each role but leaves the coordination work with you or your support coordinator. If you need a team, look for practices on the list above verified across multiple disciplines; clinicians who share one file do not repeat the same history-taking at every assessment. How the NDIS structures the therapy budget itself is covered under NDIS therapy services.

Availability

Carevo lists 9,573 allied health providers among 32,033 NDIS and 4,325 aged care providers across 8,918 suburbs nationally, with records updated 2026-08-26. Allied health is named in 578 of the 9,483 inquiries tracked on the platform. For a single discipline rather than the full group, compare occupational therapists or physiotherapists directly.

How this page is compiled

The provider rankings and figures on this page come from Carevo platform records, including provider registrations, measured response times and coverage, together with the cited official sources. Carevo is an Australian platform that connects families with NDIS and aged care providers. Carevo does not deliver care itself.

Funding sources and checks

Check the current NDIA pricing arrangements and Support at Home program rules for the proposed service. Funding depends on the approved support and available budget; a Carevo listing is not approval. Confirm availability and a start date directly with the provider.