Searching for an accredited Lymphoedema Practitioner in Australia?

Check out the new web site www.nlpr.asn.au

The Australasian Lymphology Association (ALA) is delighted to notify consumers and health practitioners of the launch of their National Lymphoedema Practitioners Register (NLPR).

Lymphoedema is a swelling caused by a compromised lymphatic system. Lymphoedema may be inherited (primary) or caused by injury to the lymphatic vessels (secondary). Lymphoedema management has a holistic multidisciplinary approach and is administered by specially trained practitioners (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, registered nurses, medical officers and massage therapists).

The NLPR is a public register of lymphoedema practitioners in Australia and New Zealand. The ALA has developed this register to facilitate easy confident referral for health professionals and lymphoedema consumers. These lymphoedema practitioners fulfill the accreditation and registration requirements of the ALA. The ALA is the peak professional organisation promoting best practice in lymphoedema management, research and education in Australasia.

The NLPR has been developed to enable both consumers and health practitioners to:

• Quickly and easily locate practitioners in their area;
• Have confidence that the practitioners listed have undertaken appropriate post graduate training in lymphoedema management;
• Have confidence that the practitioner has undertaken recent up to date professional development to ensure they deliver best current practice;
• Choose a practitioner that offers the services they require;
• Locate public and private services available in their area.

The objectives of the NLPR are to:

• Assist in the maintenance and promotion of professional standards of practice for lymphoedema management throughout Australia and New Zealand.
• Provide a registration and re-registration process for an individual to be listed on the NLPR.
• Maintain a current register of lymphoedema practitioners.
• Distribute the register to health professionals, consumers, health insurance companies, compensable bodies and other interested persons via the ALA web site to enable them to access appropriately qualified lymphoedema practitioners
• Assist lymphoedema organisations, consumers and lymphoedema practitioners to advocate for better health insurance rebates for lymphoedema treatment.
• Enable the ALA to provide government bodies with current information on equity of access to lymphoedema treatment.
• Provide the opportunity to encourage collaborative lymphoedema research and obtain a better understanding of the prevalence of lymphoedema in both Australia and New Zealand.

If you would like copies of the NLPR brochure email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The ALA invites you to visit the register at: http://www.nlpr.asn.au/.