Dear review panel members,

My concern is with recent reclassification of Prison Liaison Officers down from an APS5 to an APS4,
partly due to ceasing face to face/prison visits, that the same may be on the cards for Assessment
Services APS6.

This coupled with recent mass increases in contract staff this puts downward pressure on wages that
have already been stagnant for 5 years and behind QLD State Government e.g. Qld Health.

I write in good faith that the specialised role of Assessment Services Branch APS6 (Job Capacity
Assessors, Authorised Review Officers, and Health Professional Advisory Unit) may be considered as
that. Unique, and highly specialised. And that recognition of the value of our experience, education,
and delegation for legislative decision making is met with revision of commensurate remuneration,
without significant increases to workload/productivity expectations, or delegations/responsibilities
to “compensate” or “justify” wage correction, to that of industry peers.

I am an Occupational Therapist with 16 years experience. I have run my own Hospital Department,
written and delivered commercial corporate training, and written reports as an Expert Witness. I
have trained Nursing, Allied Health, and other health staff, consulting with Neurologists,
Orthopaedic Surgeons, and Physicians, etc..

My role within the APS has seen me become a mentor to others due to my prior and subsequent
experience. This is a similar story for many of my experienced peers.

I think that due to the unique nature of our work and other Allied Health and Professional staff in
the APS that there should be a separate classification for positions that have a mandatory
requirement for qualifications e.g. Legal Services, Assessment Services, etc.

Within that classification, I think that there should be some equivalence, or parity not only within
the APS, but equivalence to similarly qualified professional peers, in the private and other public
sectors.

Further, I believe that there should be qualification allowance for those with RELEVANT higher/post-
graduate qualifications, in recognition of the value add.

My concerns are these –
We are already significantly behind peers with regards wages, despite requiring degree
qualifications.

We deal with complex medical analysis on a daily basis with decision making that not only is
contingent on complex legislation, but impacts on people’s lives. We must stay abreast of current
conditions, and treatments and their availability and successes.

We must also stay abreast of what is happening with waiting lists and medical and social issues in
the community such as availability of services, or natural disasters etc.

We haven’t had a pay increase in 5 years despite inflation and with innovations and legislation
changes over those 5 years we now only see complex cases. Now that Services Australia doesn’t
have a current Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, only a Determination for wages, we are a minority
and vulnerable.
We are also now required to perform multiple roles.

Previously we were Job Capacity Assessors that did 1 type of Job Capacity Assessment and may have
done some counselling or Specialist Assessment.

Now we pivot to Medical Assessments, Employment Services Assessments, Job Capacity
Assessments, Specialist Assessments, Service Offer Interviews, Authorised Review Officer and Health
Practitioner Advisory Unit roles.

Here is some information on average Occupational Therapist wages in the open market.
I note:
1. Most Assessment Services Allied Health Professionals have been with the organisation for
some time and have vast prior industry experience.
2. Most Assessors are on the highest APS6 band and have been for some time.
3. Therefore the information should be interpreted in this light with higher range wages more
indicative of what relevant pays should be.

Further I note that:
1. As an Occupational Therapist I have included wage information for my profession, this is
similar or below other Allied Health and Nursing fields. However I have supplied this as a
starting point for your consideration.

I have also listed QLD health rates below for all Allied Health.
1. I note Colleagues I graduated from university with are HP4 or HP5.
OT average salary Australia 2021
OT Salary
QLD HEALTH
Hyperlink - Current QLD Health Vacancies
or
https://smartjobs.qld.gov.au/jobtools/jncustomsearch.searchResults?in_version=&in_organid=1490
4&in_orderby=scoring+desc&in_multi01_id=1108&in_others=%2215149%22&in_multi02=%221514
9%22~&in_multi02_id=requirements.agencynumber

Hyperlink QLD Health wages 2019 and 2021
Or https://www.health.qld.gov.au/hrpolicies/wage-rates/health-practitioners#2021

I note:

Paypoint HP3.0 is:

1. The commencing paypoint for an employee
appointed to a position requiring a minimum three
year tertiary qualification of a degree or equivalent in
accordance with clause 12.6(b)(ii) of the Award, or
2. For employees holding provisional registration with
the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation
Authority (AHPRA) in accordance with clause 72.1of
this Agreement.

We are currently behind the QLD Health HP3.6 wage from October
2019!
Our current role is equivalent to an HP4 or 5.

Please contact me with any queries, to consult or
collaborate.
Thank you,

Kind regards
Redacted

Redacted

07.6.2021.
APS CLASSIFICATION SUBMISSION PEER ENDORSEMENT

I hereby endorse the attached submission and have added my name, logon and date as evidence of
my support: Redacted