National Scope of Practice Review update

OTA has made a submission to the National Scope of Practice Review. The Review was announced in the 2023 Federal Budget to examine the barriers that health practitioners face working to their full scope of practice in primary care, and incentives to unleash their potential.  

OTA’s submission called for greater recognition and utilisation of OTs in a variety of health care settings, and highlighted the role that OTs with mental health skillsets can play in the Australian mental health system. 

OTA also argued for greater utilisation of OTs and better arrangements for OTs delivering services under the Medicare Chronic Disease Management program, and Better Access program, and argued for a bigger role for OTs to make referrals to other practitioners, and be supported to undertake social prescribing under Medicare. 

OTA’s submission also demonstrated the impact that not working to full scope has on clinicians. OTA recently undertook a workforce survey of OTs practising in Australia and received over 2,200 responses. The survey found that scope of practice is a key factor that influences an OTs sense of professional satisfaction and can impact their decision about remaining as a service provider. Only 68% of respondents agreed that they were able to work to their full scope of practice.  

Thanks to those members of our National Reference Groups, other OTA committees and members who provided us with their valuable feedback and insights, which assisted us to develop our submission. Read OTA’s submission here. 

OTA will continue to engage with the review as it progresses, to ensure OTs views are represented. The Review is expected to report to Government in 2024. Read more about the review here.