COTBC News Archive January to December 2010 - College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia

COTBC Board Election Results

We are pleased to announce that the following registrants were elected to the COTBC Board. Their term begins February 1, 2011.

Angenita Gerbracht from Prince Rupert

Darlene Russell from Penticton

Andrea Bowden from Victoria

Many thanks to all the candidates for putting their names forward. The College is grateful for the strong leadership and support provided by the volunteers who serve on the Board, committees and other projects.

ACOTRO Receives Funding to Develop Common Assessment Approach

The Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO) has secured over $2 M from the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition program. The generous funding will allow ACOTRO to continue its collaborative efforts and complete the final Phase of a Pan-Canadian initiative aimed at implementing a common assessment approach for the qualification recognition and competence based assessment of IEOTs. Download news release

ACOTRO is seeking a Project Manager. Click here for more information.

Help GPs refer to OT — Participate in CHARD

CHARD stands for Community Healthcare and Resource Directory and it’s a new way for GPs to refer to occupational therapy services. Launched in April 2010, this secure, web-based tool will help GPs find resources for their patients.

In December 2010, registrants will receive a mailing from the College which will include further information and a registration form to be sent back to CHARD in the envelope provided. The information on this form will help GPs to find occupational therapists in their area.

New Advisory Statement Released November 17, 2010

Remedying a Breach of Security: COTBC Reporting Requirements

Download Statement

This advisory statement focuses on what information a registrant must provide COTBC when there has been a breach of security.

Advisory Statements are published by the College to increase registrants’ awareness of important issues relevant to the practice of occupational therapy and/or critical issues that have the potential to affect, or have a direct impact on, occupational therapy practice.

Inform the College’s Next Strategic Plan

CEO and Registrar Jan Robinson, College of Physiotherapists of Ontario was the guest speaker at this year’s pre-AGM session. The session was taped and is now available. Please take time to listen to it and the audience’s participation and complete a form to help inform future directions for the College. (Click here for lecture and feedback form.)

Latest issue of the College’s newsletter

Read about concerns re: self-assessments, how to protect privacy when using email, and much more. Download the complete issue.

Public Notice of Inquiry and Discipline Decisions

At their June, 2010 meeting, the COTBC Board approved a policy on public notification effective this Fall. The College’s website will include a page that is easily located by the public for accessing the public notifications, and organized by type of action and date of resolution. Public notifications will be accessible in an archive pending removal (or preservation) by a motion of the Board. Discipline decisions will remain in an accessible archive for ten years. These decisions were made by learning from the practices of other colleges such as nursing, physicians and surgeons, psychology and pharmacy that are already publishing decisions.

What will the notice look like? The College public notification will include the registrant’s name and registration number (or case file number if directed by the relevant committee to withhold the name) and a summary that provides a description of and reasons for the actions taken. Information about the section of the Health Professions Act that guided publication will also be referenced.

The College will be monitoring and refining its policy in the context of how other Colleges are implementing the public notification requirements, particularly with respect to inquiry committee decisions. Public notification is a demonstration of the occupational therapy profession’s commitment to responsible profession-based regulation.

For further information, read the full story on page 14 in the Summer 2010 newsletter.

Annual General Meeting Notice

COTBC is pleased to provide notice to both registrants and the general public of the College’s 10th Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Plaza 500 Hotel, 500 West 12th Avenue

Vancouver, BC

Registration @ 8:00 a.m.

Download the AGM Package including registration form.

Download the 2009-2010 Annual Report.

Pre-AGM Session 8:30 a.m.

Regulatory Organizations:

A Strategic Instrument or an Archaic Leviathan

Speaker:

Jan Robinson, CEO and Registrar College of Physical Therapists of Ontario

While occupational therapy in British Columbia celebrates its 10th Anniversary of regulation, the institution of profession-based regulation is hundreds of years old. This social contract of a profession to public well-being has had many roads of development over the years. Within the legislative structure that currently exists in B.C., how does this profession know its on the right road? What kind of regulatory journey does it want to set for the future? Let’s explore together strategic choices which can leverage the profession’s regulatory mandate and make a difference to the health system.

Annual General Meeting 11:00 a.m.

The agenda includes a report from the chair, statutory committee reports and the auditor’s report. Event details, AGM agenda and registration forms will be provided to all registrants in mid-September. There is no charge to attend the day’s activities. However, to assist us with organizing the meeting space requirements and coordinating the events, please complete the registration form and return it by October 20.

The AGM day will be shared with the British Columbia Society of Occupational Therapists again this year.

Summer issue of the College’s newsletter

Read about concerns re: self-assessments, how to protect privacy when using email, and much more. Download the complete issue.

Public Notice of Inquiry and Discipline Decisions

What will the notice look like? The College public notification will include the registrant’s name and registration number (or case file number if directed by the relevant committee to withhold the name) and a summary that provides a description of and reasons for the actions taken. Information about the section of the Health Professions Act that guided publication will also be referenced.

For further information, read the full story on page 14 in theSummer 2010 newsletter.

Help GPs refer to OT — Participate in CHARD

Registered occupational therapists can participate in this program, provided they give COTBC permission to release their date of birth. While COTBC may legally share the registrant data considered public information (i.e. registrant name, business contact information, registration status), your date of birth (DOB) is considered personal information. Consent to release this information is required to provide your registrant data for the registry. This consent is part of the 2010 registration renewal form. Please note, your DOB is not released to the GPs but used as a unique identifier. If you do not wish to receive referrals you may indicate this.

For more information read the CHARD Fact Sheet

Education Sessions on the Continuing Competence Assessment Tool

The College is holding sessions throughout BC on Continuing Competence Assessment: Part Two of Your Continuing Competence Program.

For information regarding future sessions, contact us at: 1 (866) 386-6822 or email info@cotbc.org.

OTepp Program Registration Now Open

If you are an occupational therapist (OT) educated outside of Canada, the OTepp Program can help you to get ready to practice in Canada. OTepp is a shorter name for the Occupational Therapy Examination and Practice Preparation (OTepp) Program.

To sign-up for the next set of classes, visit www.otepp.ca. You must sign up no later than June 21, 2010.

This program is led by the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University in partnership with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT). It is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program and by the Government of Ontario. The program will also be available in English and French.

Help GPs refer to OT — Participate in CHARD

For more information read the CHARD Fact Sheet

Membership Renewal Begins June 1

Registrants will receive renewal information through the mail by mid-May. Renewals can be completed online beginning June 1 and must be completed by July 31 to avoid a late penalty fee.

A reminder that next year’s annual renewal fee will increase from $350 to $425. The initial application fees will also increase from $225 to $300. These are the first fee increases since the college was established in 2000. The fee increase becomes effective next year in the 2010-2011 year (annual fees are due July 1, 2010) which provides time for registrants to plan for the additional expense.

Although the COTBC Board had originally approved an increase for the 2009 renewal, they delayed it to July 2010. Instead, the board approved a deficit budget (using funds from our reserves for operating expenses) for the current 2009-2010 to maintain critical services. A further delay is not possible nor deemed responsible by the board. Download complete Information Update.

Celebrating 10 Years of Self-Regulation in B.C.

This year, 2010 marks the 10th Anniversary of the college. Occupational therapists and the recipients of their services have benefitted from responsible and responsive governance from the college. It ensures that the public receives safe, ethical and effective care by competent occupational therapists.

Throughout the year, the college will recognize important milestones in its development and the role it has played in the development of occupational therapy in B.C. Special attention will be directed to employer stakeholders to reinforce the advantage of hiring registered health professionals in providing safe and competent care.

Most of the 10th anniversary plans will be incorporated into existing activities. The college will launch an email news service, a new website and participate actively in the OT West Conference. The many volunteers who are responsible for building the college will be recognized for their dedication, their wisdom and their ability to balance the responsibility of protecting the public with the responsibility of supporting occupational therapists to be the best they can be.

Education Sessions on the Continuing Competence Assessment Tool

The college is holding sessions throughout BC on Continuing Competence Assessment: Part Two of Your Continuing Competence Program.

We are presently organizing sessions in the following locations:

Nanaimo
Victoria
Castlegar

If you are interested in attending a session or would like to arrange one in your area, please contact us at: 1 (866) 386-6822 or email info@cotbc.org

More on the Continuing Competence Assessment Tool

Occupational therapists are encouraged to listen to the AGM session and review the materials presented which are now available on the website.

This is similar to the sessions being held throughout B.C. in early 2010 and provides you with an opportunity to listen to our Consultant Susan Glover Takahashi review the new findings in competence assessment. The recording also includes members of the Continuing Competence Committee sharing their thoughts about the decision to use a key features, case-based assessment tool.

BCSOT Brings B.C. Occupational Therapy Organizations Together

In late October, 2009 the British Columbia Society of Occupational Therapists invited the college, the UBC Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy (OS&OT) and the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists to discuss a vision for occupational therapy in B.C. Another meeting was held in early February with the Ministry of Health to discuss the occupational therapy workforce trends in B.C. and to push for additional seats in the OS&OT program at UBC. Download the full BCSOT report.

Instep – Latest Issue

Registrants received the college newsletter at the beginning of January. It is also available as a PDF in our Resources area.

Latest Workforce Trend Document Released December 16, 2009

Making the Connections for Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists (IEOTs)

IEOTS can now access information about working in Canada from one central source — the IEOT Portal. This website, launched on October 29, 2009, is full of up-to-date information about the practice of occupational therapy in Canada, what it’s like to work in the Canadian health sector, and the steps IEOTs must take to work in one of Canada’s provinces or territories.

“Having to navigate several web sites was difficult and confusing. This one-stop information gateway provides people with the contacts and resources to complete some steps before they even come to Canada,” explained Barb Worth, Chair of the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO).

IEOTs were part of the steering committee and helped to identify the information that was needed. There are videos of IEOTs currently working in different regions of Canada who describe where they work and tips on how to navigate the process. The links to each provincial regulatory organization connect them with information regarding the registration process and requirements of each province. The portal may also serve as an entry point for employers, domestically educated occupational therapists, settlement agencies, and other organizations working with IEOTS.

This project was funded by the Government of Canada Foreign Credential Recognition Program, and was a joint partnership with the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO), the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy University Programs (ACOTUP) and the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT).

To access the IEOT Portal visit www.gocanadaot.com

Important Information on H1N1 (Swine) Influenza

Occupational therapists are concerned regarding the news of the H1N1 Influenza, also referred to as the Swine Flu, and have important questions regarding ways in which to prepare and manage their practice.

HealthLink BC has updates on H1N1 which are available in many languages. This site also provides easy access to non-emergency health information and services on their website or people may call 8-1-1. As it becomes available, COTBC will continue to post or link to information from the BC Ministry of Health Services.

COTBC also encourages occupational therapists to consult their employer for their agency’s current policies and guidelines on responding to pandemic influenza.

10th Anniversary Plans and OT West Conference

A working group including board members Heather Gillespie, Caroline Ehmann and Carol Williams met in mid-December to discuss plans for recognizing the college’s 10th anniversary. Watch for further information in the new year.

In the meantime, consider submitting a paper to Building our OT Community – OT West 2010. Modelled on the OT Atlantic, an annual conference held in the Atlantic provinces, BC Society of Occupational Therapists (BCSOT) is planning a similar conference in the western provinces. The first conference will be held on October 22, 2010 in Vancouver. As COTBC will be celebrating its 10th anniversary, the proposal is to include the one-day conference as part of that special celebration. Call for Papers Deadline is February 28, 2010. Further information is available on the BSCOT website.

Education Session on the Continuing Competence Assessment Tool

The college is holding sessions throughout BC on Continuing Competence Assessment: Part Two of Your Continuing Competence Program. The next scheduled event is on January 21 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm in Vancouver. Other sessions are being planned for Victoria, Nanaimo, Fraser Valley, Kamloops, Penticton, Castlegar, and Prince George.
If you are interested in attending any of these sessions or would like to arrange one in your area, please contact us at: 1 (866) 386-6822 or email the registrar at kcorbett@cotbc.org

AGM Session Recording and Other Information on the Continuing Competence Assessment Tool

Occupational therapists are encouraged to listen to the AGM session and review the materials presented which are now available on the website.

These are similar to the sessions being held through BC in the New Year and provide you with an opportunity to listen to our Consultant Susan Glover Takahashi review the new findings in competence assessment and answer questions from the audience. The recording also includes members of the Continuing Competence Committee sharing their thoughts about the decision to use a key features, case-based assessment tool.

Election Results for the 2010 COTBC Board

While there was a slate of four nominees and an election was underway, one of the nominees withdrew from the election on November 27, 2009 which resulted in three nominees for three positions. Darlene Russell regretfully withdrew from the election as she may be moving from BC and would not be able to fulfill the obligations required for the college. The following three occupational therapists will begin their terms on the COTBC board as of February 1, 2010:

Nazneen (Naz) Chow, Richmond
Diane Graham, Kelowna
Helen Turner, North Vancouver

New Workforce Trend Document Released December 16, 2009

The Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) released the third annual report of its kind, examining the supply, demographics, geographic distribution, education and employment of occupational therapists in Canada. Occupational Therapists in Canada, 2008 can be found downloaded from the CIHI website.
Making the Connections for Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists (IEOTs)
IEOTS can now access information about working in Canada from one central source — the IEOT Portal. This website, launched on October 29, 2009, is full of up-to-date information about the practice of occupational therapy in Canada, what it’s like to work in the Canadian health sector, and the steps IEOTs must take to work in one of Canada’s provinces or territories.

To access the IEOT Portal visit www.gocanadaot.com

Fee Increase Effective 2010

Next year’s annual renewal fee will increase from $350 to $425. The initial application fees will also increase from $225 to $300. These are the first fee increases since the college was established in 2000. The fee increase becomes effective next year in the 2010-2011 year (annual fees are due July 1, 2010) which provides time for registrants to plan for the additional expense.

Important Information on H1N1 (Swine) Influenza

COTBC also encourages occupational therapists to consult their employer for their agency’s current policies and guidelines on responding to pandemic influenza.

OEQ Position Statement on the Use of Weighted Covers

The Ordre des ergothérapeutes du Québec (OEQ) published a position statement to assist occupational therapists with:

Guidelines to follow for the safe use of weighted covers as part of an occupational therapy plan; and
Instructions linked to the participation of an occupational therapist in training intended to result in the independent us of the weighted cover by other caregivers and professionals.

These guidelines were published in response to the recommendations made by Quebec Coroner Catherine Rudel-Tessier after she completed her investigation into the tragic death of a nine-year-old child who died of suffocation under a weighted cover in which he had been rolled by his teacher, at the special school he attended. This position statement was translated from French.

New Deputy Registrar Appointed

The College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC) is delighted to announce the appointment of Susan Mulholland to the new position of Deputy Registrar.

Susan has a long history of service to the profession, most recently as Associate Professor and Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education for the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta, a position she has held since 1999. In addition to her research in fieldwork education she also explores concepts related to the interaction between individuals and their physical environment, and those settings that facilitate or impede performance of healthy occupations. Some may recall Susan’s earlier work in the design and development of appropriate wheeled mobility devices for women with disabilities in India.

Susan’s research and other accomplishments reveal a constant theme of communication and collaboration that will be invaluable as she assumes responsibilities in the areas of registration, client relations and standards.

Registrar Kathy Corbett is delighted to have Susan join the team at the college. “She brings exceptional qualifications including experience at an OT regulatory board, program evaluation and policy development. Her previous role in developing clinical education and supported fieldwork also demonstrates her strong connection with issues registrant experience in everyday practice.”

Susan studied at the University of Victoria until moving on to complete her undergraduate degree in occupational therapy at the University of Toronto in 1988 and her Master of Science – Rehabilitation in 1996 at Queen’s University. She will assume her responsibilities January 5, 2010 and report directly to the registrar.