OTA's statement to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee Inquiry

Published: Monday 7 October

Michelle Oliver our General Manager of Occupational Therapy gave evidence on 24 September at the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Universities Accord Bill 2024.

The Government recently announced an initiative in providing targeted financial relief to students undertaking mandatory clinical placements however this was only extended to students in social work, nursing and teaching, and allied health professionals have been largely excluded. OTA has called for the Government to use the new grants under the Bill to expand placement support to OTs and other allied health professions - to reduce supply barriers - and to ensure we meet future demand. The opening statement delivered by Michelle Oliver was also tabled. Read Michelle’s statement to the Committee below.

Today the report from the Committee was tabled in Parliament and while the Committee has recommended that the Bill pass, OTA is pleased that they recognised that the Bill does not address every concern, or each recommendation of the Universities Accord.

Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA) strongly supports the inclusion of occupational therapy students in the commonwealth’s paid placement scheme design to take an equitable policy approach across the allied health care sector and reduce a significant financial barrier to entry to the occupational therapy workforce and increase supply of clinicians available to work in this critical allied heath profession.

Michelle Oliver's Statement:

We welcome the government's initiative in providing targeted financial relief to students undertaking mandatory placements, but we are absolutely deeply concerned that government at this stage only seeks to extend that financial support to students in social work, nursing and teaching and hasn't extended it to allied health, such as OTs. OTs hold one of the highest number of mandatory clinical placement hours for allied health, and never before have we seen such a demand for our profession as well. OTs are a critical allied health profession. We are key in the delivery of disability services, aged care, mental health, primary health care and rehabilitation as well as our tertiary healthcare services. We know from the National Skills Commission data that there is a national shortage of occupational therapists. That's why it's so important that we address the barriers that might discourage students from pursuing a pathway into allied health, specifically into OT.

OTs are required to complete clinical placements as an essential part of our OT program. Students are required to complete over 1,000 hours of unpaid clinical placement time, which is actually set by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. We know that clinical placements are so important for the hands-on practical experience for students, but it's also to ensure that they're work ready so when they do transition into practice they are confident, they're capable and they want to stay and they feel safe and supported to stay in the workforce.

The unpaid nature of these placements puts significant pressure and financial strain. It also really creates inequity, particularly for students who are already disadvantaged due to socioeconomic factors. It puts additional barriers on students being able to go into regional and remote areas to complete placements. So unpaid clinical placements do not just disadvantage the students; they also impact Australia being able to meet the growing demand of OT. As I mentioned, we are critical in health, disability, mental health and the aged-care sectors, so OT Australia absolutely strongly urges the inclusion of OT student placements in the Commonwealth practical placement program, not just to reduce supply barriers but to also ensure that we meet the demand or the future demand.

OTA are here to support its members and will continue to keep you updated via our channels.