Competence programme
The Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand (OTBNZ) may set or order competence programmes for the purpose of examining, maintaining or improving occupational therapy practitioners’ competence if they hold or apply for a practising certificate. Any competence programme may be made to apply generally in respect of all occupational therapy practitioners, an individual practitioner, or a specified class of practitioners.
The competence programme may require a practitioner to do any one or more of the following, within a period of time, or at intervals, prescribed in the programme:
- pass any examination or assessment, or both
- complete a period of practical training
- complete a period of practical experience
- undertake a course of instruction
- permit another therapist, nominated by the OTBNZ, to examine the clinical records
- undertake a period of supervised practice.
In addition to identified competence concerns, competence programmes may be required in various circumstances including returning to the workforce after a long break from practice, or overseas qualified practitioners upskilling for registration purposes.