Wednesday, 23 July 2025
Urgent action needed to extend the Prac Payment scheme to sonography students
Sonography students are required to complete long hours of clinical placements yet remain excluded from the Federal Government’s Prac Payment scheme.
Today, Dr Monique Ryan MP and Senator David Pocock will hold a press conference at Parliament House and introduce an amendment that seeks to expand eligibility for the Prac Payment to all healthcare students.
Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), the national peak body for allied health and ASA are urging the Government to act to address the growing financial pressure on students in allied health professions, including sonography.
The Commonwealth Prac Payment, which began on 1 July 2025, provides $331.65 per week to eligible students in nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work during mandatory placements. The scheme recognises the financial toll of these placements and aims to reduce barriers to completing essential training.
Despite facing similar or greater placement demands, most allied health students are not eligible for support. Sonography students must complete more than 2,000 hours of supervised clinical training - delivered over a minimum of three days per week across a two-year full-time equivalent period.
These financial pressures have significant consequences. Many students do not qualify for income support and must manage tuition, housing and daily expenses on their own. Financial hardship is contributing to course deferral, withdrawal and burnout. For students from low-income, regional or culturally diverse backgrounds, the risk of exclusion is even greater. This form of hardship, often referred to as placement poverty, has become a structural barrier to workforce entry.
The workforce shortage in sonography makes action even more urgent. Demand for ultrasound services continues to rise yet the number of graduates entering the profession has not kept pace. Sonography has experienced a significant national workforce shortage for more than a decade.
Extending the Prac Payment to sonography students is an immediate and practical step the Government can take to strengthen the health workforce. It would reduce financial hardship, improve placement access and help build a stronger pipeline of qualified sonographers across Australia, particularly in rural and regional communities where services are most under pressure.