President’s Report

Professor Carol McKinstry | OTA President

One of the perks of being president is that I am always aware of the efforts of OTA in the advocacy space to promote and increase awareness of the roles of occupational therapists. The Board of OTA made the strategic decision to increase resources to the area of advocacy to capitalise on the number of opportunities currently presenting. Lobbying and making representation on behalf of the Australian occupational therapy profession can often be a slow burn to see results; however, it is really pleasing to see the increasing recognition of occupational therapists in areas such as working in schools. I know this has not happened overnight – it has been due to years of hard work behind the scenes by dedicated and passionate occupational therapists and OTA staff. Congratulations on what you have achieved not just for current occupational therapists and those who will benefit from receiving occupational therapy, but also for those in the future.

Unlike other occupational therapy associations, such as those in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Norway, who play a dual role of professional association and union, OTA is not a union and does not negotiate collective bargaining agreements or work conditions for occupational therapists. I think there is sometimes confusion because, while OTA is the peak association for Australian occupational therapists, we are promoting the value and need for our services with an emphasis on the benefits to those receiving our services, rather than the approach of pushing selfinterest. We do influence policy, which can lead to increased recognition and employment opportunities. We have also seen an increase in government departments inviting us to the table when discussing reforms and policy change. I thank everyone who has assisted in representing OTA at such forums or collaborating to write submissions.

In 2022, an election playbook was developed to enable OTA to engage with all political parties to raise issues impacting those who receive our services. Focusing on topical areas such as mental health, disability and aged care helps raise our profile. We are building a reputation of an organisation that is trustworthy, balanced and not self-interested or just protecting turf. We are proposing solutions to complex problems by outlining how occupational therapists can play a role in addressing recommendations from Royal Commissions and other government or industry reviews.

At present, there is a major focus on the failings of our health system, particularly in primary care. Occupational therapists play a vital role in working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to adequately assist those with chronic disease, comorbidities and complex health needs. The role of occupational therapists in emergency departments has raised awareness of the need to provide adequate communitybased services to enable people to be the best they can, avoiding the need for hospital admissions. As a profession, we are very much about promoting health, as well as being a valued member of a rehabilitation team or promoting a recovery-based approach for those with enduring mental illness. Highlighting and promoting our role in primary care is more important than ever, particularly given the challenges facing Australia as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is not just OTA staff or those occupational therapists actively working with OTA staff who can promote the profession – it is everyone. An important learning and development goal for occupational therapy students is to be able to articulate what occupational therapy is and what we do. Another important aspect is recognising and respecting our history, particularly the work of our pioneers who laid the foundations. As a profession, we all need to take every opportunity to educate others about occupational therapy. It is important that we retain our professional identity and be loud and proud about remaining an occupational therapist, even if our job description has a different title. Our approaches and perspectives are unique when we use an occupational therapy lens, and this is what distinguishes us from other professions. In the January 2023 WFOT Newsletter, the WFOT Leadership and Advocacy Tools were highlighted, including the WFOT Advocacy Toolkit. I encourage everyone to make use of your WFOT membership (an OTA member benefit) and look at this toolkit and consider using it in your practice, because it provides useful information about how to act strategically to influence change.

This year promises to be a very big year for OTA particularly in the advocacy area. I look forward to hearing about our success, both big and small, in positively influencing and collaborating with those who can create better opportunities and services for those we work with.

Welcome to another year in the profession and as a member of Occupational Therapy Australia.

Christmas and the New Year were a welcome relief to many, and I have spoken with a number of our members who took the opportunity to take a longer than normal break. For those working relentlessly on the front line throughout the festivities, an enormous thanks for your continued commitment to the community.

This year is set to be an exciting one as OTA continues to dive deeper into longterm and systemic issues that face the profession and the communities we serve. We are researching, contributing to the conversation and coming up with solutions and stepping stones for our members to ensure we stay abreast of, or in front of, policies or practices that may pose a future impact, whether that be risk or opportunity.

Many of our members are aware that we commissioned the report Thinking Ahead: The Future of Occupational Therapy and Mental Health to provide us with an actionable road map for the future. According to the feedback at our Mental Health Forum in November 2022, this initiative and the resulting implementation strategy and activities are welcomed. The Mental Health Capability Framework has been released and foundational professional development courses