OTBNZ Newsletter - September 2010 Created by OTBNZ News on 17/09/2010
OTBNZ Newsletter – September 2010
CEO visits
I have received a warm welcome from all the groups I have spoken to as I visit practitioners around the country. To date I have visited 15 centres. I have taken note of the issues being raised, and intend to provide feedback to the Board following the conclusion of visits at the end of the year. If I have not yet visited your area I am still happy to receive invitations.
The next visits are:
|
Place
|
Date/time
|
Venue
|
Contact
|
|
Auckland
|
20 September
1pm – 3pm
|
Auckland City Hospital, Board Room, Administration Suite Level 5
|
Carolyn Simmons Carlsson
Carolynsc@adhb.govt.nz
|
|
Whangarei
|
21 September
10am – 11:30am
|
Whangarei Hospital Learning Centre
|
Irene Cate
Irene.Cate@northlanddhb.org.nz
09 4304101 ex 7426
|
|
Bay of Islands
|
21 September
1pm – 2:30pm
|
Bay of Islands Hospital Community Conference Room
|
As above
|
|
Waitemata
|
22 September
11am - 12.30
|
AMI Netball Centre, Players’ Lounge
44 Northcote Rd, Takapuna (Northcote Rd 419 off ramp)
FREE parking
|
Wendy Hindmarsh-Hook
Wendy.Hook@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Cell 027 306 2115
|
|
Waitemata
|
22 September
1:30 – 3pm
|
Waitakere Hospital
Korari Room (next to Community Services)
Limited parking & seating
|
As above
|
|
Counties-Manukau
|
23 September
9am - 11am
|
Middlemore Hospital
Academic Lecture Theatre
( Building 24 on map )
|
Marie Chester
marie.chester@middlemore.co.nz
09 276 0044 ext 8285
|
New Board members
I have previously advised practitioners of changes to the Board’s membership. The table below shows the current, outgoing and incoming Board members.
|
Name
|
|
City Town
|
Date of original appointment
|
Term ends
|
|
Ms Sue Kennedy
|
OT
|
Gisborne
|
19 April 2007
|
19 April 2013
|
|
Mr Dean Kerr
|
OT
|
Hamilton
|
17 Nov 2007
|
17 Nov 2013
|
|
Miss Colleen Naughton
|
OT
|
Hawkes Bay
|
17 Nov 2010
|
17 Nov 2013
|
|
Ms Kim Henneker
|
OT
|
Hastings
|
26 May 2004
|
17 Nov 2010
|
|
Mrs Rangimahora Reddy
|
Lay
|
Hamilton
|
17 Sep 2010
|
17 Sep 2013
|
|
Ms Candis Craven
|
Lay
|
Auckland
|
5 sep 2007
|
17 Sep 2010
|
|
Miss Philippa Catchpole
|
OT (Chair)
|
Whangaparaoa
|
17 Nov 2005
|
26 Aug 2012
|
|
Ms Jane Hopkirk
|
OT (Dep Chair)
|
Lower Hutt
|
26 Aug 2009
|
26 Aug 2012
|
|
Ms Pefi Kingi
|
Lay
|
Manukau
|
26 Aug 2009
|
26 Aug 2012
|
|
Ms Fiona Mains
|
OT
|
Dunedin
|
26 Aug 2009
|
26 Aug 2012
|
CCFR handbook review and update
Over the last few months we have been reviewing and updating the CCFR handbook. The new edition will provide information about the new look CCFR, and include screen shots and help sections. The handbook will only be available online, so please visit the OTBNZ website in the coming weeks to update your understanding.
Strategic Plan 2010-2015
A copy of the OTBNZ Strategic Plan to 2015 can be downloaded by clicking here (pdf, 5mb).
Rebranding
The existing branding has been in place for over 7 years. In the next few months the OTBNZ will be launching its new branding in order to maintain a contemporary image.
Preparedness to practise
The OTBNZ has commissioned a study to examine and report on the preparedness to practise of new graduates. The research is being undertaken by AUT University, and it is hoped that the research findings will be available early next year. I encourage practitioners to watch out for and respond to any communications connected with the research.
Registration statistics as at 31 March 2010
|
Current APC holders
|
2095
|
|
Registered as non-practising
|
515
|
|
Male OT's with APC
|
164 or 7.8%
|
|
Female OT's with APC
|
1931 or 92.1%
|
|
Average age of OT with APC
|
38yrs
|
|
Average years registered
|
12.3yrs
|
|
Primary focus of work
|
|
|
Physical health
|
49%
|
|
Mental health
|
19%
|
|
Educational/vocational
|
12%
|
|
Developmental
|
7%
|
|
Other (education/health recreational)
|
13%
|
Returning to practice after a break of three years or more
Practitioners who are currently on the Register and who have held a practising certificate within the last three years should apply for a new practising certificate in the usual way.
Where a practitioner is returning to practice after not having held a New Zealand practising certificate within the last three years, the OTBNZ has two different processes depending on whether the practitioner has been practising overseas or has been taking a break from practice.
Practitioners returning after practising overseas-
Practitioners who have practiced overseas for at least two of the last three years do not have a condition placed on their scope of practice but are required to provide an attestation from an occupational therapist they have worked with overseas. They are also required to provide a supervisor’s report to the OTBNZ three months after returning to practice in New Zealand. Further information can be found on this website.
Practitioners who are returning after a break in practice-
Practitioners returning to practice after a break, and who have not held a practising certificate in New Zealand in the last three years, are required to submit a competence assessment application. Once this application is evaluated, the OTBNZ will determine what condition will be applied to that practitioner’s scope of practice. The standard condition is ‘Return to Practice in New Zealand’. This means that the practitioner is required to undertake fortnightly supervision for their first six months of practice, and a supervisor’s report must then be provided to the OTBNZ. Where deemed appropriate, the OTBNZ may personalise the condition for that practitioner. Further information can be found on the OTBNZ’s website.
Because of the relatively low numbers of practitioners returning to practice each year, it is not possible to have a formal accredited return-to–practice programme. Currently the OTBNZ uses a range of measures such as:
- varying the duration and frequency of supervision and/or
- requiring a specific focus to supervision and/or
- requiring the practitioner to undergo a return to practice programme and/or
- requiring the practitioner to complete specific occupational therapy papers and/or
- requiring the practitioner to have practical experience as an assistant or volunteer.
Practitioners may also be recommended to develop links with the profession to become familiar with the current issues and practice models.
We would like to improve the present arrangement by developing a range of options for practitioners returning to practice after a break of three years or more. If you would like to provide your comments and feedback on any aspect of returning to practice, please email Cynthia Growden, the OTBNZ’s Professional Advisor, at Cynthia@otboard.org.nz by 1 November 2010.
Guidelines for competence referrals
District Health Boards NZ (DHBNZ) and Health Regulatory Authorities NZ (HRANZ) have developed a guide to be used when considering making a referral to the regulatory authority about the competence of a practitioner. The guide can be found here.
Summary of decision of the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
OT09/132P – MS O
At a hearing of the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal on 16 December 2009, Ms O, an occupational therapist of Auckland, pleaded guilty to a charge that as a registered occupational therapist, she practised the profession of occupational therapy between 1 April 2005 and 11 February 2009, while not holding a current annual practising certificate.
The Tribunal held that Ms O’s conduct, reflected in the charge, was inappropriate and that the charge was established and warranted disciplinary sanction.
The Tribunal ordered a censure, that Ms O pay a fine of $1,400 excluding gst, together with a payment of $2,000 excluding gst, towards the costs of and incidental to the inquiry and prosecution by the PCC and the Tribunal’s hearing costs. The Tribunal also imposed a condition that Ms O practise under supervision for two years from the date of the decision, in order to maintain public standards and safety.
Ms O sought and was granted permanent name suppression on medical grounds.
The links to the full decision of the Tribunal 274/OT09/132P and the name suppression decision 286/OT09/132P can be found at www.hpdt.org.nz/Default.aspx.
Practice boundaries for occupational therapists
The OTBNZ is receiving an increasing number of questions from practitioners about the interpretation of the General Scope of Practice: Occupational Therapist. We will shortly be consulting on two documents concerning boundaries to the scope of practice. The main document entitled ‘Practice Boundaries for Occupational Therapists: a guide for practitioners’, addresses some commonly occurring issues raised by practitioners. It includes a decision stair which guides the practitioner through a number of steps when considering new or different ways of practising. The second document is a précis of the main document, and presents the OTBNZ’s proposed position statement. I encourage practitioners to consider these documents and provide feedback during the formal consultation process.
Regards
Andrew Charnock
Chief Executive
Occupational Therapy Board of NZ
Level 8
Berl House
108 The Terrace
WELLINGTON
DDI +64 4 918 4745
Fax +64 4 918 4746
