CEO’s Report

CEO’S REPORT

Iam pleased to present the 2020-2021 annual report in what has been another year of change and uncertainty for members, the communities and clients they serve, and for the Occupational Therapy

Australia staff.

Despite the adaptions we have all had to make to all aspects of our lives in response to the ongoing pandemic, OTA has continued to forge ahead in cementing our future as a sustainable, responsive and highly relevant allied health association. Under the stewardship of our Board of Directors a new strategy has been developed with an ambitious operational plan in place to guide us into an exciting future which embraces a strong purpose for our association, and a vision for a future where people and communities are engaged in occupations that bring meaning and purpose to their lives, fostering health, wellbeing, participation, and inclusion. Our ambition is that occupation is highly valued by our communities, and the decision makers that serve them. The actions we take in bringing our strategy to life will ripple outward to enable greater connection to the community and to extend our influence on issues that matter and ideas that shape the future. I encourage all members to see themselves as part of the team that realises this vision – our history is built on the collective and combined talents of our members, our volunteers, our professional staff and our supporters all unified in action. Reflecting on the past twelve months the association has met adversity and challenges with strength and vigour and risen to a range of challenges in a way that has enhanced and illuminated the enormous value occupational therapy brings to the health of our population. In the face of these immensely challenging times, it is more important than ever to project a unified voice. We are honoured to speak for the profession and advocate with and for occupational therapists across our nation on both matters of national and state significance. As our membership base has continued to grow, we have been able to respond by growing our team and I am thrilled to report that all areas of our operations have benefitted from additional staffing as we grow our OTA family, with particular growth in our Professional Standards Team, Policy and Advocacy Team and our Corporate Services, Finance and Governance Team. Every new addition to our team is broadening our capability and capacity and bringing a diversity of skills, thinking and innovation to the association.

Our in-house Conference and Events Team successfully delivered three national major events for our members with OT Exchange, the biennial Mental Health Forum and our National Conference all falling within the same financial year leading to stronger than average earnings from this area of activity. I thank and applaud the team’s tenacity and professionalism in their relentless pursuit of delivering stellar events with the ever changing landscape of border closures, government restrictions and technological adaptions. Throughout a turbulent year we have delivered record numbers in enquiries and engagement from our members as different states responded in varying ways and times to COVID-19 outbreaks. We know our members have appreciated not only being kept abreast of circumstances and restrictions affecting their practices and how they operate safely as clinicians but of being kept informed of what we would routinely see and hear from our association. The normality of reading Connections or an article in our Journal, checking in on OT Today or gathering together with other members with a Special Interest Group or connecting over an area of practice through CPD or Hot Topics. To the members who tirelessly dedicate their skills and expertise through our Board of Directors, Journal Board, Divisional Councils, Reference and Working Groups, Committees and Taskforces, those who speak on our behalf at enquiries and forums and provide feedback on submissions or convene our SIGS – the association quite simply could not operate without you, and I am profoundly grateful for the work you do for your professional colleagues. To our incredible staff who have stepped into uncertainty, embraced change and held our members and each other close during these uncertain times, I am immensely proud to lead you and humbled by your service to our purpose.

Samantha Hunter, OTA CEO