Commissioners Information Bulletin 351
Issued: 11 April 2008

Health Services - Establishment of the recognised traineeship vocation of Health Services - Massage Therapy Practice

At the request of the NSW Community Services and Health Indusry Training Advisory Body (ITAB), the Commissioner for Vocational Training has established the new recognised traineeship vocation of Health Services - Massage Therapy Practice under section 5 of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 and made the relevant Vocational Training Order (VTO) under section 6 of the same Act.

Vocational Training Order Standard Format

The VTO in each instance may make reference to:

1. the appropriate term or terms for apprenticeship or traineeships in that vocation
2. the appropriate probationary period or periods for apprenticeships or traineeships in that vocation, having regard to the term or terms specified for them under paragraph (a)
3. the appropriate qualification or qualifications that may be awarded in relation to an apprenticeship or traineeship in that vocation
4. any other training to be provided in addition to the training required for an appropriate qualification
5. such other matters relating to the training of apprentices or trainees in that vocation as the Commissioner considers appropriate.

A copy of the VTO supporting the recognised traineeship vocation of Health Services - Massage Therapy Practice is at Attachment A.

HLT40307 Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice

HLT40307 Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice falls within the complementary and alternative health qualification pathways in the HLT07 Health Training Package. This Training Package includes 86 qualifications ranging from Certificate II to Advanced Diploma level.

The HLT40307 qualification covers people who work as basic level massage therapists. It provides skills in therapeutic, relaxation massage including basic health assessment and treatment. It may be used by people working within a clinic or in their own clinic, in an aged care facility, in a health service, in a spa facility or in a palliative care facility or hospital.

Units of competency

The packaging and combination of the minimum number of units required for the traineeship pathway are outlined at Attachment B.

Industrial arrangements

The following industrial arrangements apply to this traineeship:

• Clerical and Administrative Employees Consolidated (State) Award (135)
• National Training Wage Award 2000
• Other present and future collective agreements established under the Workplace Relations Act 1996 and the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Act 2005 that relate to the Health Industry.

Note - Applications under the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 to establish any traineeship or apprenticeship will not be approved unless the Commissioner is satisfied that appropriate industrial arrangements are in place.

Vocational Education in Schools

The ITAB has advised that the Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice is not suitable for delivery as school based part-time traineeship.

Licensing

There are no licensing requirements for this traineeship.

Health NSW has released a draft Code of Conduct for Unregistered Health Practitioners. Trainees will need to comply with this Code of Conduct when it commences, which is anticipated to be in April 2008. For more information on the draft code, go to http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2008/pdf/Unreg_practise_impct.pdf

Certificate IV graduates will be eligible to take out membership to any of the major associations representing Massage Therapists.

Professional indemnity

Trainees may need to have professional indemnity insurance, when they are ‘practising’ their skills in environments other than:

• the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) clinical environment that replicates a real massage therapy practice work environment
• other clinical environment, practice centre or workplace environment agreed to and coordinated by the RTO for the purpose of skill development towards completion of the qualification.

This insurance may be provided either by the employer or trainee in their own right. There are insurers who have trainee or student policies, for example the Association of Massage Therapists Ltd website http://www.amt-ltd.org.au/

This critical factor of insurance should be addressed when the traineeship is being established.

Learning resources and assessment materials

There are limited resources available from the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council that align to common competencies drawn from the HLT07 Health Training Package and that are included in this accredited qualification.

RTOs delivering this qualification will need to develop training and assessment resources for the specialist units in massage therapy practice.

Availability of Registered Training Organisations

A list of RTOs in New South Wales who can deliver HLT40307 Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice may be found on the National Training Information Service (NTIS) web site at www.ntis.gov.au

For any enquiries regarding this CIB, please contact the Vocational Training Tribunal Unit on (02) 9266 8579.

PHILLIP MOORE
Commissioner for Vocational Training