Quarterly update – Member news

OTA engagement with MPs

On 26 August 2022 OTA was delighted to meet with the federal Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, and Rural and Regional Health, the Hon. Emma McBride.

OTA discussed the importance of mental health occupational therapists, and how to support and promote their work. The minister said she appreciated and understood the value of occupational therapists across diverse settings and was determined to raise their prominence and the profile of all allied health professionals to ensure they could work at their full scope of practice and contribute to the wellbeing of all Australians.

On 6 September 2022 OTA was pleased to meet with the Victorian Shadow Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Georgie Crozier. OTA discussed the current issues facing occupational therapists across the health sector, and OTA’s work to support the profession, particularly in mental health, public health, disability and aged care. Ms Crozier spoke about the important contribution of allied health professions, including occupational therapists, in the health sector.

OTA has also recently written to the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the Hon. Bill Shorten, to restate its interest in being involved in the coming NDIS review. More specifically, OTA highlighted to Mr Shorten the critical role that occupational therapists play in the NDIS, and the need for the NDIS fee structure to offer fair and appropriate remuneration for the high quality and wide scope of services that occupational therapists provide to NDIS clients.

OTA mental health strategy

As many of us know, the practical, recoveryfocused approach of mental health occupational therapists is under-recognised. OTA recently commissioned a research report “Thinking ahead: Mental health” that was the culmination of substantial engagement with occupational therapists, consumers and the mental health sector. This report forms the key input into OTA’s mental health strategy.

In addition to the lack of awareness of occupational therapy mental health practitioners, the nature of mental health work means occupational therapists working in this area may become burnt out. There is a need for ongoing career support, including training and education, and a defined career pathway to enable full recognition of this work as a specialist skill.

As a peak body, OTA can use its influence by engaging more fully with all stakeholders in this area, including consumers, to ensure the value of mental health occupational therapy practice is communicated, new opportunities are uncovered, and consumer needs are understood and supported.

To support the occupational therapy profession, and specifically mental health practitioners, OTA will deliver

OT full membership of Employee Assistance Professional Association of Australia

At a member request, OTA recently lobbied the Employee Assistance Professional Association Australia (EAPAA) for eligibility of occupational therapists in its clinical membership.

Following discussions with EAPAA, the association will now allow appropriately experienced mental health occupational therapists to apply for full membership. Those wishing to apply will need to be Better Access to Mental Health-endorsed through OTA and have an individual statement of ongoing supervision in relation to mental health work and counselling.

EAPAA has also invited our General Manager of Occupational Therapy, Erin Garner, to present at the EAPAA conference in November to raise awareness of mental health occupational therapists.

We hope this will lead to further opportunities to give EAPAA and the wider mental health community new insights, broader experiences and deeper collegiality.

greater workforce support and career pathways, increased awareness of occupational therapy mental health capability, and improved stakeholder and consumer relationships and advocacy.

We will provide further information about the mental health strategy (including expanded learning and development opportunities for mental health occupational therapists) at the OTA Mental Health Forum on 25 November 2022.

Aged care

OTA continues to represent members by participating in reform engagement opportunities with the Federal Government and Department of Health and Aged Care and attending various webinars and workshops to stay updated on changes.

Following a recent roundtable meeting (ahead of the recent national Jobs and Skills Summit) with the federal Minister for Aged Care, the Hon. Anika Wells, OTA, as a member of AHPA, assisted in identifying actions for Ms Wells to consider during the summit.

OTA strongly emphasised the need for dedicated funding and mandated care minutes for allied health professionals to address the lack of job security, particularly in residential aged care. OTA also emphasised that without a strong allied health workforce in aged care, it was unable to support the training of the future aged care workforce through student placements. AHPA has released a statement outlining its key recommendations and a media release, both of which can be found at the AHPA website at ahpa.com.au/advocacy.

This quarter, OTA has also prepared joint submissions with AHPA on the pricing framework for aged care and inputting into an aged care data strategy. It has independently submitted to the Department of Health and Aged Care in response to a consultation paper about the new approach to regulation across aged care.

The past few months have been exciting at federal and state levels, and the next six months promise to follow suit.

Disability

OTA is looking forward to working with the new leadership team at the NDIA following the appointment of Chair Kurt Fearnley AO and CEO Rebecca Falkingham PSM in late September.

Mr Fearnley was a serving member of the NDIS Independent Advisory Council during the trial phase of NDIS from 2013 to 2015. Ms Falkingham joins the NDIS after spending several years as the Secretary of the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety.

OTA has prepared submissions to the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS and the Australian National Audit Office on aspects of the NDIA’s operation, particularly highlighting the lack of consistency and transparency in a number of NDIA operational and decision-making processes. OTA members provided valuable input into these submissions, which highlight challenges for occupational therapists working with NDIA, and drive change in the agency and improved outcomes for participants. They are available on the OTA website.

Workforce

OTA has been in communications with the Department of Home Affairs and the National Skills Commission (NSC) to highlight the shortage of occupational therapists nationally. The NSC has updated the recent 2022 Skills Priority List to reflect this shortage, including a change to the Queensland status where no shortage was previously listed. OTA will continue to engage with NSC to ensure the future demand of occupational therapists is reflected as “strong” rather than “moderate”.

Veterans

OTA has recently engaged with the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) in its review of the occupational therapy fee schedule. OTA has lodged a submission outlining current issues and potential solutions. Additionally, OTA representatives attended a virtual and in-person workshop in Canberra to further discuss and fine-tune these ideas. The review has stated that it aims to be budget neutral; however, OTA is hopeful that current administrative burdens may be eased by improving internal DVA processes.

OTA also attended a deep-dive workshop in September to contribute to the DVA Mental Health and Wellbeing Service Review and Transformation Program.

OTA has lodged a submission to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. The submission focused on the role of mental health occupational therapy in addressing veteran suicide and poor mental health outcomes and hopes to raise awareness of the valuable work of mental health occupational therapists in this space. The submission also addressed

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Quarterly update – Member news

administrative issues similar to those discussed in the fee schedule review, as well as how more traditional occupational therapy services can directly link to mental health outcomes. This submission will be available on the OTA website.

OTA has also been busy at a state level

In the ACT and NSW … OTA met with the ACT Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Ed Cocks, in August. OTA also lodged a submission as part of the ACT Disability Strategy Consultation and provided feedback to the ACT Government on the proposed legislative change to mandatory reporting of drivers of heavy vehicles in certain circumstances.

In South Australia ... OTA had ongoing correspondence with the office of the SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Chris Picton, about the implementation of mental health specialists and supports in schools. The SA Divisional Manager continues to liaise with the office regarding OTA’s involvement in the planning and implementation of the new initiative, advocating for occupational therapists as the primary mental health professionals working within state primary and secondary schools.

OTA met with ReturnToWorkSA again regarding the introduction of specific mental health occupational therapy services with the RTWSA fee schedule.

OTA lodged a submission in August to the Social Development Committee inquiry into, and report on, the impact of the NDIS on South Australians living with disability who have complex needs and are, or are at risk of, residing for long periods in inappropriate accommodation (such as hospitals or residential aged care). Additionally, OTA provided feedback through the recent consultation process for the review of the SA Mental Health Act 2009.

In September, the SA Divisional Manager attended and represented OTA at the Caring Futures National Forum to co-produce a road map to deliver better care for Australia’s future.

In the Northern Territory … The NT Divisional Manager met with the NT Chief Allied Health Officer in August to

Over the next four months, OTA will be developing a stakeholder engagement strategy.

The development of the strategy will consider how OTA engages with stakeholders, its established relationships with groups and individuals, and opportunities to grow connections to build OTA’s reach and influence to result in better outcomes for members, the occupational therapy profession and occupational therapy clients.

The strategy will build OTA’s capacity to engage effectively with stakeholders and enable it to meet its strategic goal to enhance awareness of, access to, and the impact of the occupational therapy profession.

OTA will keep you updated with the development of the strategy. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Government and Stakeholder Relations team via policy@otaus.com.au advocate for greater opportunities and support for local occupational therapists to engage in and drive occupational therapy-specific research in the territory.

In Queensland ... OTA met with Workcover Queensland (WCQ) to further specify mental health occupational therapists in WCQ, their role and recognition. Additionally, OTA achieved a 4.4 per cent increase in occupational therapy services fees under WCQ, and the inclusion of mental health occupational therapy through BAHMs in their table of costs.

In Victoria ... OTA made submissions on the Victorian Suicide Prevention and Response Strategy and engaged in consultation workshops and made a submission to inform the Victorian Health Workforce Strategy.

In Tasmania ... OTA made a supplementary submission to WorkCover Tasmania advocating for the role of occupational therapy in the assessment and treatment of psychological injuries.

Recent Hot Topic events

Over the past few months, OTA ran several successful Hot Topic events, including the following:

• Managing risk: Confidentiality, privacy and record storage – a national event presented by representatives from Maurice

Blackburn Lawyers and attended by more than 165 occupational therapists • Long COVID: What every occupational therapist needs to know – a national event attended by more than 150 occupational therapists

A summary of these events and copies of presentations and resources can be accessed in the Hot Topic event section of the OTA website.