OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AUSTRALIA NSW DIVISION
ANNUAL REPORT
JANUARY 2011 – MARCH 2012
DIVISIONAL COUNCIL CHAIR REPORT
In November 2010 our association in NSW celebrated the end of an era at the Annual General Meeting held in Bi-Centennial Park. On January 1, 2011 a NSW division of Occupational Therapy Australia was established. Along with the divisions in the other states and territories we now are part of a single national professional association for occupational therapists in Australia. This organisation has the combined knowledge and resources of the members throughout Australia. This has to be a good thing for our profession.
For the first few months of the new division, the members of the former board remained to manage local matters until the first Annual Divisional Meeting in April 2011. At that meeting the new councillors were appointed and as there were vacancies created by retiring councillors five new members have filled casual vacancies during this term.
The new council started with a clean slate, with a new organisation, and ready to create a division in NSW to address the needs of members as well as those of new or returning members. It was necessary to establish a framework for the new divisional council. Our first task was to establish what we thought were the responsibilities of the national board, office and staff and then what were those at our local level. Tasks were identified and the priorities became specific portfolios for councillors. With councillors leading the strategic direction strong, clear links between council and OTA NSW operations were established.
With technology advancing at a rapid pace we are exploring new ways of keeping in touch with members. Communication tools are being trialled to ensure that we are delivering opportunities for all our members to receive and respond to issues and events as they develop.
To streamline the number of communications members receive from the division, NSW e-news is incorporated in the national e-news. Members were alerted to the change and slowly the number of hits on the site is increasing. We are also endeavouring to consistently place NSW articles in the national hard copy newsletter Connections.
In our publications there has been a request for members to nominate themselves or others to be part of NSW panel of expert occupational therapists. The group is still quite small so in the next year we hope to see this group grow so that if the NSW division is asked by a state or national body to comment on a paper or send a representative we can readily have willing experts on hand.
From July 2012 for the first time in history occupational therapists will be able to practice under one legislation and requirements across Australia without the need to register in multiple jurisdictions. It will be the first time in NSW that occupational therapists have been registered even though there have been numerous attempts in the past to achieve that goal.
I would like to thank the fourteen occupational therapists who have served on the NSW Divisional Council over the past 15 months and wish the new councillors a successful year ahead.
Lee Zakrzewski
Chair, NSW Divisional Council
Divisional Council 2011-2012
From January 2011 to March 2012 there were 10 Divisional Council meetings: nine face to face held on Saturdays, and one teleconference.
Divisional Council Member / Position / Term / Number of meetings attendedJan Erven / Chair to April 2011 / Resigned April 2011 / 3/3
Imelda Todd / NSW representative to National Advisory Council / Resigned April 2011 / 3/3
Lisa Staples / Resigned May 2011 / 2/3
Kate Hickey / Resigned February 2011 / 2/2
Lee Zakrzewski / Chair from April 2011 / 10/10
Jinny Le Page / Deputy Chair from April 2011 / Resigned December 2011 / 7/8
Nadine Milgate / NSW representative to National Advisory Council / Resigned February 2012 / 8/8
Kahren White / Resigned December 2011 / 7/8
Beth Gwalter / 8/10
Michelle Bissett / Casual Vacancy / 5/7
Linda Elliott / Casual Vacancy / 2/2
Jessica Francis / Casual Vacancy / 2/2
Lyn McDonell / Casual Vacancy / 2/2
Cally Smith / Casual Vacancy / 2/2
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT
2011 proved to be a momentous and very busy year - a year of consolidation and change.
The merger of all states and territories to the one national entity, Occupational Therapy Australia was a defining moment in the history of the occupational therapy profession in Australia in 2011, as the introduction of a national registration scheme will be in 2012.
Operationally the year was busy implementing the changes required by the merger, while providing all of the regular member support services that members have come to expect from us as their association staff.
The new national membership data base with the ability of members to renew on-line was a learning curve for all concerned.
Engaging with members in 2011 through professional development activities, invited talks and a general survey revealed that the association is both relevant and important to members. Our ability to respond to members’ needs and exceed their expectations is our continuing focus for the future.
The executive director visited eight sites by invitation to update and inform occupational therapists on OTA activities and other matters of interest to them; this was generally about the professional development requirements under the national registration scheme. Sites visited; The Hills Private Hospital OT department, Autism Spectrum Australia OTs, Newcastle area OTs, Hornsby Kuringai hospital OTs, Westmead Children’s Hospital, Wagga Wagga regional OTs, ADHC OTs, and Blacktown Mental Health OTs.
Meetings were also attended with the NSW Health senior OT group, Cerebral Palsy Alliance, and an information stand at the Fieldwork Educators Interest Group at Sutherland Hospital.
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Continuing professional development was addressed by OT Australia NSW delivering sixteen professional development activities from January 2011 to February 2012 these included:
· 2 Forums; Driving (28 attendees) and Mental Health (112 attendees)
· 13 Professional Development courses (273 attendees)
· 2 professional development courses were cancelled
OTA NSW has sourced an e -learning platform and will be trialling the delivery of a course online mid-2012. This endeavour is to provide more diverse options regarding the delivery of professional development to our members.
Our agenda is driven by the vision of expanding the professional development events to 100% of the members.
Building on the expertise and quality of professional development delivered in recent years we hope that every NSW member will have the opportunity to benefit from at least one significant learning experience and one general interest learning opportunity in 2012-13.
OT Australia NSW website contains the core professional development courses for 2012. Refinement and further development of the professional development calendar is ongoing.
Input from members is needed in the development of an integrated framework of professional development activities over a continuous 24 month period.
Membership has grown by more than 11% compared to 2009-2010 totals. Membership as of February 2012 was 1629: full time 830; part-time 493; new graduates 162; not working 62; affiliates 34; student 41; and honorary life 7.
OTA NSW continued to engage OT students by providing membership benefit presentations and funding awards to all the state universities. Presentations were made to final year students at; University of Sydney fourth year student and Masters of Occupational Therapy; University of Western Sydney and Charles Sturt University.
The Divisional Council also decided that there would be an award offered to each of the universities for final year students the Occupational Therapy Australia NSW Division Prize for Excellence in Professional Practice. The award is one year free membership to the association. At the time of this report Charles Sturt University has notified us that Ms Stephanie Carman was awarded the prize at that university.
OTA NSW continued to engage in broad health areas and to raise stakeholder awareness of occupational therapy practice. This would not have been possible without the direct input from members.
· Enable NSW – Guidelines for the prescription of a (seated) wheelchair or (mobility) scooter for people with a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury - reviewed by Karen Arblaster.
· HACC – NSW Review of HACC Funded Home Modification Services: Issues Paper.
A member meeting with Elton consultants was held at the office 5 May 2011.
Kate Hickey represented OTA NSW on this review.
· RANZCP – Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD): NSW Health Guidelines Project – reviewed by Jackie Wesson
· Correspondence with WorkCover – a series of correspondence and telephone discussions requesting a meeting to develop a framework for occupational therapy services to be included as a WorkCover approved health care provider.
· NSW Parliament – Standing Committee on Social Issues: Inquiry into transition support for students with additional or complex needs – a submission was developed with input from Kate Avoledo, Lisa Chapman, Erin Cleary, Heidi Craig, Salli Craik and Renee Pont.
Other activity in promoting the profession included:
· Attendance by the executive director at a community briefing by Minister Primrose on
Stronger Together: A new direction for Disability Services in NSW: The Second Phase
· International Breast Cancer Conference 2012 – Kahren White for input to organisation of allied health stream of conference
· The launch of Don’t Dis My Ability campaign – attended by Divisional Council member Beth Gwalter
· The University of Newcastle Foundation Donor 'Thank You' Morning Tea– attended by Divisional Council member Beth Gwalter
· Charles Sturt University graduation – attended by Divisional Council chair Lee Zakrzewski
· Association staff were present for two days at the IRSA now ATSA Expo, and the two day Carex – Aged Care Expo
Isabel Millner Sponsorships for Rural occupational therapists
During 2011 sponsorship was awarded to Lucy Clarke for attendance at OTA National Conference
Thank you
It has been an exciting time to be back in the profession,working as one of your staff during 2010 -2012.
I would like to thank the previous board, the current divisional council and all the other member volunteers for the wonderful support you have given me during my two years of tenure.
It has been a pleasure and privilege knowing and working with such extremely talented, dedicated professional occupational therapists. I sincerely believe that the occupational therapy profession is a cornerstone health profession if we want optimal health and well-being for all Australians.
I would also like to thank the staff of OTA at both state and national levels for their support and willingness to share their knowledge and experience. It has been a pleasure working with you all.
Zorica Rapaich
Executive Director
OTA NSW
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