Why this matters for your practice
Getting the award right is one of the highest-exposure compliance tasks a practice manager owns. If you underpay staff by classifying them at the wrong level, paying a flat rate that does not cover penalties, or missing the annual increase, the liability is back-payable for years, and from 1 January 2025 intentional underpayment ("wage theft") is a criminal offence. The Fair Work Ombudsman actively targets the health sector.
The award is the floor. It sets the minimum a practice can lawfully pay for a given role, and the National Employment Standards sit on top of it. You can pay above it or use an individual agreement, but you cannot contract below it.
Who and what the award covers
The Health Professionals and Support Services Award (MA000027) covers a broad slice of private-practice staff, organised into classification streams, most commonly:
- Support services employees: receptionists, administration staff, medical typists, and practice support roles.
- Health professional employees: many allied health practitioners (for example some physiotherapists, psychologists, and dietitians employed in practices), graded by qualification and experience.
Two exclusions catch practices out. Registered and enrolled nurses employed in a medical practice are usually covered by the Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034), not this award. And medical practitioners (doctors) are generally award-free: they are typically engaged under common-law contracts or as contractors, or sit above the high income threshold. Always match the person to the correct instrument before setting pay.
What the Fair Work Ombudsman expects
- Correct classification. Place each employee in the right stream and level based on their duties and qualifications, and reassess when their role changes.
- Pay at or above the award minimum, including the base rate for the level plus any applicable penalty rates (weekends, public holidays, evenings), overtime, and allowances.
- Apply the Annual Wage Review increase each year, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July.
- Keep records and issue payslips that make the calculation auditable, and provide the Fair Work Information Statement to new starters.
If you pay an annualised salary, it must be high enough to cover everything the employee would have earned under the award for the hours actually worked, and you should reconcile it periodically.
Common mistakes
- Paying a flat hourly rate that looks generous but does not cover weekend or overtime penalties once they are added up.
- Misclassifying the level, for example paying an experienced practice administrator at an entry grade.
- Applying this award to a practice nurse who should be under the Nurses Award instead.
- Missing the 1 July increase, which turns a previously compliant wage into an underpayment overnight.
- Assuming salaried staff are exempt from penalty and overtime entitlements when the annualised amount does not actually cover them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which award covers medical practice reception and admin staff?
Receptionists, administrators, and practice support staff in a private medical or allied health practice are generally covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award (MA000027) in its support services stream, unless a more specific award or a registered agreement applies.
Are practice nurses covered by the Health Professionals Award?
Usually not. Registered and enrolled nurses working in a medical practice are typically covered by the Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034). The Health Professionals and Support Services Award covers support staff and many allied health professionals, so check which instrument fits each role.
Are doctors covered by an award?
Generally no. Medical practitioners are usually engaged under common-law employment contracts or as independent contractors, and salaried doctors often sit above the high income threshold, which places them outside modern award coverage. Their engagement terms still need to be lawful and correctly characterised.
When do award pay rates change?
Each year following the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review, with the new rates taking effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. Practices must apply the increase to every affected employee, so it is worth diarising as a recurring compliance task.
What happens if we underpay staff under the award?
Underpayments are recoverable by the employee (often for up to six years), and the Fair Work Ombudsman can pursue penalties. Since 1 January 2025, intentional underpayment can be a criminal offence, so correct classification and regular pay reviews are essential risk controls.
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