Quarterly update – Member news

It’s been a busy three months, with ongoing engagement around the NDIS Review, the launch of OTA’s Mental Health Endorsement Program pilot, and a renewed focus on compensable schemes.

As flagged in the last edition of Connections, due to concerning data gathered through the Allied Health Professionals Australia (AHPA) survey of residential aged care allied health workers, OTA, AHPA and other allied health representatives met with representatives from the Department of Health and Aged Care. We raised concerns about the impacts of low levels of allied health service provision in residential aged care on older people and allied health professionals. We also discussed how data collected by the Department is not an accurate measure of levels of allied health service provision due to the quality of provider reporting. We will watch for the next iteration of data and will continue to engage with our members to understand the impacts and convey them to the Department and the Minister.

OTA has been engaging with NACA members on the development of several papers for discussion at the next meeting (18 & 19 May in Melbourne) on topics including impacts of the introduction of AN-ACC, the impact of workforce pressures on the aged care sector, and funding mechanisms and solutions to support sustainability in the aged care sector.

OTA and other AHPA members attended a meeting with members of the Support at Home Reform Branch of the Department of Health and Aged Care to discuss the use of the IAT assessment tool in identifying allied health referrals and plans for short-term restorative therapeutic input. Testing of the proposed IAT tool will commence shortly and OTA will continue to liaise with the Department to inform the development of allied health pathways.

OTA has been promoting the compelling findings in a recent Cochrane Review led by a prominent OT in falls prevention research, Emeritus Professor Lindy Clemson. The paper, titled Environmental interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community, provides high-certainty evidence that interventions aimed at reducing fall hazards around the home can reduce the risk of falls for those at high risk by almost 40%. Findings also demonstrated that falls can be significantly reduced when interventions around home hazard reduction were delivered by an occupational therapist. Findings like these help underpin our messaging to key decision makers highlighting the value of occupational therapy intervention on the healthy ageing experience of older Australians.

Following a meeting with the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority

(IHACPA), along with AHPA representatives, OTA endorsed AHPA’s submission to IHACPA. The submission commented on the draft IHACPA Work Program and Corporate Plan 2023–24 and highlighted concerns about the approach to costing allied health aged care being taken by the current Residential Aged Care Costing Study, and the need for better alignment between allied health pricing and funding and the care that is required.

In late February, OTA presented a submission in response to a paper released by the Department of Health and Aged Care on the proposed assistive technology and home modifications scheme for the future Support at Home program. As members, OTA also contributed to the responses submitted by the National Assistive Technology Alliance (NATA) and the Assistive Technology for All campaign.

OTA provided commentary to the Australian Standards on the adoption of two published international standards related to ageing with a particular focus on the proposed Framework for dementiainclusive communities (AS ISO 25552).

Deakin University has been busy developing the first modules in our comprehensive suite of training developed by expert OTs specifically for OTs. The Mental Health Capability Framework has been used to drive the development of the eLearning modules. Through the development, OTA and Deakin University will be consulting with consumers on the content. Keep an eye out for the first modules, available later this year.

OTA launched its Mental Health Endorsement Program pilot on 1 March 2023. The pilot is intended to test and support implementation of the OTA Better Access to Mental Health (BAMH) endorsement review. The program is expected to continue for around three months; however, duration will be based on the volume of applications and successful completion of pilot review activities.

The Mental Health Endorsement Program is built on the foundations of the OTA Mental Health Capability Framework, first drafted through the Thinking Ahead: Mental Health project, and further refined through the internal review of the BAMH endorsement. The MH Capability Framework proposes a series of capabilities that occupational therapists practising in mental health settings should seek to achieve at different career stages. The intention of the framework is not to create additional hurdles for practitioners—OTA recognises that mental health practice is within the scope of all registered occupational therapists. Instead, the framework is intended as an enabler for individual occupational therapists making decisions about where to focus their development activities, and managers and employers making decisions about the areas of capability development they should be providing for their staff.

In line with our Mental Health Strategy, OTA has been working closely with schemes across the country to support more timely access to mental health services by injured workers. This has involved working collaboratively with the schemes to develop or review fee schedules to ensure OTs are appropriately accredited, recognised and remunerated for mental health services.

OTA was invited to attend two consultation workshops with Mental Health Australia (MHA) regarding the NDIS Review. The NDIS Review Panel Co-Chair, Professor Bruce Bonyhady AM, posed five questions to MHA, who reached out to its membership to gather an informed response. The questions focused on scheme eligibility, early intervention, Tier 2 supports, appropriate psychiatric and allied health support and shaping the NDIS to better meet the needs of people with psychosocial disability. OTA provided feedback on behalf of members, which will inform MHA’s submission to the review.

In April, OTA made a submission to the NDIS Annual Pricing Review 2022-23. OTA’s submission called for an immediate increase to the maximum fee payable for

We eagerly anticipate the announcement of two new mental health fee schedules for occupational therapists this year in South Australia and Queensland.

OTA has been continuing to work with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) on the Occupational Therapy Fee Schedule Redesign Project. We are waiting for the final outcome.

OTA wrote to The Hon Matt Keogh MP, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs in April expressing our concerns about the ongoing low fees offered to OTs through the ‘therapy supports’ item code, due to the complexity that OTs experience in servicing NDIS clients (including self-managed clients and clients seeking service in the home), increased indexation and increased business costs. An outcome is expected in June, with any changes commencing on 1 July 2023.

OTA was delighted to host the CEO of the NDIA, Rebecca Falkingham PSM, at a free OTA member forum on 28 March. Rebecca outlined her vision for NDIA and provided responses to several questions from members on topics including the hospital discharge processes, home modification approvals, and improvements for participants with psychosocial disability. OTA looks forward to updating you on our ongoing engagement with NDIA. Rebecca signalled her willingness to work more closely with stakeholders including OTA, and we look forward to a collaborative approach.

the DVA scheme and warned him of the impending shortfall of therapists willing to engage in the scheme.

OTA also made a submission to the Review of Veterans’ Compensation legislation, which was announced following the release of the interim report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. The aim of the legislation review is to simplify the various pieces of legislation covering current and former defence personnel. OTA’s submission has been drafted following input from our DVA National Reference Group and requests that the review ensures the current arrangements that enable veterans to access allied health services are not impacted.

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