Chronic shortage: Perfect storm leads to occupational therapist shortage

La Trobe Rural Health School Professor of Occupational Therapy Carol McKinstry said she had never seen such workforce shortages across the different areas of health and disability.

Professor McKinstry spoke to The Standard about the shortages being experienced across the region.

Last week The Standard revealed a Warrnambool boy was waiting to see an occupational therapist. Tayla Mackay's son Vincent Hough, 8, has level two autism and ADHD and has been on a waiting list for two years.

"Health services that have never had problems recruiting staff are now developing workforce plans relating to recruitment and retention of occupational therapists," Professor McKinstry said.

"Demand for occupational therapists has never been higher."

Factors including the introduction of the NDIS, which had resulted in a huge demand for occupational therapists working with people with disability, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, development delays, learning disabilities and an ageing population were contributing to the shortage, Professor McKinstry said.

She said there had been a huge increase in the number of occupational therapist courses offered in regional Victoria.

Professor McKinstry said there would be a course at Deakin University's Warrnambool campus in 2024.

She said she was aware of the high demand for occupational therapists in the south-west.

"Being a regional area there is a shortage of occupational therapists to provide services to children, services to older adults and in specialised areas such as driving assessment and rehabilitation, people with spinal cord injuries and who require complex modifications to their homes and workplaces," Professor McKinstry said.

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