President’s Report

Associate Professor Carol McKinstry | OTA President

Another very strange year has passed, and again we have celebrated OT Week, this time with the theme, “Occupational therapy supports participation, inclusion and independence”. This theme would have resonated with Australian occupational therapists as being the core of what we do, regardless of the workplace setting. This year has seen an increased awareness of the value of participation, with the global pandemic making participation in some occupations challenging for ourselves and for those with whom we work. Inclusion has also been at the fore of our thinking – whether working with those who continually encounter difficulties, looking for ways to increase diversity of inclusion, or just not wanting to leave anyone behind as we enter our new way of living with Covid.

Although it has not been an ordinary year, there are many positives to take out of 2021. As the number of registered Australian occupational therapists continues to grow – and there are now nearly 25,000 of us – demand and recognition of our services has never been higher. We are now one of the biggest allied health professions in Australia. While more people than ever are receiving services from an occupational therapist, there is still that frequently asked question: “What exactly is occupational therapy?” I would love a dollar for every time it is asked.

So how do you describe occupational therapy? Do you base your answer on what you do as a practitioner? Do you base it on what you research – demonstrating how effective occupational therapy is – or our unique approach and contribution? How you respond to the question is possibly closely linked to your identity as an occupational therapist and the setting in which you work. Understandably, it is not uncommon for students to struggle to explain occupational therapy and how it differs from other health professions.

Then there is the need to set straight those who think occupational therapy is all about OHS. Interestingly, in Europe there are some countries in which occupational therapists are called ergotherapists. Early writing about occupational therapy in the Medical Journal of Australia in the 1920s also gave the impression that the medical profession associated occupational therapy with work therapy.

Reflecting on what attracted you to a career in occupational therapy may be quite different to what has sustained you in the profession. For me, wanting to work in a rehabilitation setting was the major attraction. Yet now, as an academic teaching future occupational therapists, promoting occupational therapy as a great profession to attract rural and regional students is what gets me out of bed each day. While the number of Australian occupational therapists continues to grow, we are also continuing to see emerging areas of new practice. This may be due to growing confidence or a sign of a mature profession. There are more occupational therapists promoting well-being in their practice, focusing on working with communities and outside traditional health settings. The Australian occupational therapy profession is becoming a very broad church, valuing and willing to embrace diversity as a strength. There is growth in private practice as occupational therapists see the value in being more autonomous.

I hope you have had the opportunity to celebrate the work of occupational therapists, including your own contributions to the profession. As an organisation, one of our strengths is the volunteers who are passionate about their profession and continue to work on behalf of practitioners and clients. From the OTA Board, many thanks for your ongoing membership, which helps us deliver high-quality member services and advocate and lobby on your behalf.

Reflecting on what attracted you to a career in occupational therapy may be quite different to what has sustained you in the profession.