Occupational therapy

  • ​Occupational therapists are qualified health professionals registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Occupational therapy is a client-centred health profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation.

    The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. Occupational therapists enhance peoples or communities' ability to engage in the occupations by modifying the task, occupation, or the environment to better support occupational engagement.

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    Workforce characteristics for NSW Health occupational therapy workforce in 2040

    2272
    Headcount

    93.3%
    Female

    28.7
    Work hours per week

    38.7
    Years average age

    7%
    Future 60+

    3.4%
    Aboriginal workforce target

    ​​Demand is expected to grow 1.5% (low demand scenario) to 1.7% (high demand scenario).


    *Significant career opportunities

    ​​Workforce modelling indicates the need to grow the NSW occupational therapy workforce by around 12 to 20 new professionals per annum to meet community need in 2040 across both demand scenarios.


    Projected FTE growth for NSW Health occupational therapy workforce to 2040

    20212022202320242025202620272028202920302031203220332034203520362037203820392040
    High Demand13891417144414721500152815551583161116391667169417221750177818051833186118891917
    Status Quo13891410143814711506154115661588160716231637165316671679168816961702170817131718
    Low Demand13891412143614601483150715301554157816011625164916721696171917431767179018141837

    Workforce characteristics for NSW Health occupational therapy workforce in 2021

    1833
    Headcount

    30.1
    Work hours per week

    39.4
    Years average age

    92.5%
    Female

    4.3%
    Aged 60+

    0.6%
    Aboriginal

    Metropolitan Sydney

    1005
    Headcount

    30.8
    Work hours per week

    40.5
    Years average age

    5.3%
    Aged 60+

    Non-Metropolitan Sydney

    836
    Headcount

    28.4
    Work hours per week

    38.4
    Years average age

    3.7%
    Aged 60+

    Occupational therapy junior entrant positions into NSW Health

    Year20172018
    		201920202021
    Graduates13799897576

    Workforce distribution for NSW Health occupational therapy workforce in 2021

    The geographic distribution of the public workforce by local health district/network, by facility and per 100,000 population.

Legends

Per local health district

0 1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 100+

Per 100,000 population

0 1-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 20+

Per facility

0 1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 100+

Other networks

  • Sydney Children's Hospitals: 1 to 50 | 1 per 100,000
  • Enable NSW: 0 to 10 | 0 per 100,000
  • Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health: 1 to 50 | 50 per 100,000

  • Workforce considerations

    • Population demographics and increasing incidence of complex and chronic disease may increase demand for occupational therapy services.
    • New government funding initiatives and policy will influence occupational therapy workforce movement (gains / attrition) in NSW Health (i.e. Medicare Benefits Scheme, National Disability Insurance Scheme).
    • COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to a redistribution of the occupational therapy workforce based on prioritised areas of need.
    • Changes in integrated models of care for occupational therapy influences workforce demand (i.e. scope of practice, service coverage, accessibility) (e.g. virtual care, advances in technology etc).
    • Ensuring the training pipelines, graduates, and workforce reflect the future workforce requirements of the community, by both location, speciality, and skills.
    • Improvements in data capture and demand (met and unmet) is a prioritised need for the workforce.
    • Developing flexible work practices has been suggested by the workforce as an important factor to support retention.
    • Expansion of allied health educator roles would help support an increase in new graduate occupational therapy roles.

    Notes

    • Data source: NSW Health. Vacancy data is excluded from the workforce model. Excludes affiliated health organisations.
    • Note: 2040 workforce characteristics reflect the high demand scenario.
    • Data included is limited to the workforce employed under the relevant health professional award.
    • Specialty health networks are not displayed geographically in the workforce distribution maps.
    • LHD/SHN may engage in sessional arrangements in selected circumstances.
    • Workforce that cannot be aligned to a physical location have been attributed to a pre-determined facility within each LHD/N. This may impact on Headcount shown at these facilities within the distribution map.
    • NSW Health does not make any representations or warranties whether expressed or implied with respect to the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in the fact sheet.

    * Note: The inclusion of added qualitative inputs within career opportunities varies from standard modelling methodology calculations and hence differs to standard modelling outcomes.


Current as at: Monday 29 May 2023
Contact page owner: Workforce Planning and Talent Development