The end of 2021 was no different to the start, with OTA busy providing representation for the profession. Over the last quarter of 2021 our policy and advocacy team lodged Eight submissions to governments across areas impacting occupational therapy practice. The submissions focussed on:
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Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS – Inquiry into general issues around the implementation and performance of the NDIS
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Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS - Inquiry into NDIS Workforce
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Joint Standing Committee on Road Safety – Inquiry into Road Safety
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National Disability Insurance Agency – Request for information on designing an Early Childhood Assistive Technology Approach (OTA was also a signatory to a joint submission from the National Assistive Technology Alliance);
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National Disability Insurance Agency - Home and Living Consultation;
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Department of Health – Primary Health Reform Steering Group Draft Recommendations Discussion Paper;
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Department of Health - Draft National Mental Health Workforce Strategy;
• Therapeutic Goods Association – Consultation on proposed refinements to the regulation of personalised medical devices
The upcoming Federal Election means that several Western Australian seats are in play. The electorates of Swan, Hasluck and Stirling are all considered marginal, while the seat of Pearce – being vacated by former Attorney-General Christian Porter – is considered to be in play, despite being held by a margin of more than 7 per cent. Labor is confident of picking up at least two of these seats.
What does this mean for occupational therapists? Well, governments and oppositions are never more responsive to the ideas and arguments of associations like OTA than in the lead-up to elections – when their very existence is on the line, and they need the support of our members.
So, between now and May we will be lobbying Ministers, Shadow Ministers and political parties, pointing out ways in which the health, aged care, disability, veterans’ and primary health services can be improved. We will be suggesting solutions to problems and identifying opportunities to be seized.
Other areas where OTA will have to be particularly active this year are aged care and mental health. While we welcomed the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, several of which addressed the need for greater access to meaningful allied health care – for those in aged care facilities and those ageing in place – we are yet to be assured that this will actually happen. Again, we will be lobbying hard to ensure it does.
And later this year, OTA will be launching a comprehensive piece of work around the demonstrably important role occupational therapists play in the delivery of supports for those experiencing mental illness. This will inform and underpin our lobbying in a space that all agree is of immense significance at this time.
The uncertainty for West Australians because of the Omicron variant spreading through the state has resulted in an increase of queries from WA Therapists to the OTA practice team seeking guidance on practical implications of government policies, mandates and directives. OTA Members can access guidance and resources such as videos and checklists to support clinical reasoning during times of uncertainty. Don’t forget to log into your member profile to view these.
It's pleasing to see some larger scale face to face events slowly returning. Make sure you mark these dates in your diary.
• 9-10 June – OT Exchange. Held in Melbourne. Practice domains will focus on the five streams of Aged Care, Disability, Occupational Rehabilitation, Paediatrics and Knowledge Translation. Registrations open soon. • 25 August 2022 – OTA Student Careers Forum. Held virtually. The forum will provide 4th year undergraduate students and final year Masters students with valuable information and resources to help them transition into practice. Register your interest in attending now. • 25 November 2022 – OT Mental Health Forum, Vision for the Future. Held in Sydney. The forum provides the opportunity for occupational therapists working across every area of mental health practice in Australia to come together and exchange ideas, to share practices and challenges, to network and meet new colleagues and to learn from an exciting array of current OT mental health practice and research activity. Call for Abstracts Now Open. Take care and stay safe
