Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association (AOPA)

Thank you to all our members, Corporate Partners and volunteers for your ongoing commitment to #OandP and your Association throughout 2024. We wish everyone a safe and merry holiday season and look forward to reconnecting in 2025 for another big year of O&P.

Members check your inbox: The December Review is here! Settle in and catch up on updates from around Australia including the AOPA office, clinical reflections, and case studies. Members and education subscribers can find the December 2024 Review in their inbox now! #OandP

AOPA Members: Check out your inbox for all your Education updates! With new webinars and over 50 educational events listed on the AOPA website, click the link below to check them out! https://bit.ly/3VNqDeO #OandP

January Webinar: Privacy & Privacy Reform Tuesday 14th January 1pm AEDT. Use the link below to REGISTER and read more about the webinar: https://bit.ly/4g3BMj9 #OandP

Welcoming our 2025 AOPA Board; Sam, Diana, Nigel, Rebecca, Joshua, Jess, Andrew, Tim and Andrew! We invite the profession to work alongside our 2025 Directors to facilitate the growth and recognition of the profession – we can’t wait to see what you bring! #OandP

Calling orthotist/prosthetists who wish to contribute to NDIS evidence advice and policy. The DSS are currently recruiting for people to join the Evidence Advisory Committee (EAC) and AOPA are encouraging applications from certified orthotist/prosthetists. The National Disability Insurance Scheme Evidence Advisory Committee is a non-statutory committee to be established by the Australian Government in 2025. The role of the NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee (EAC) is to provide expert, independent advice to government on the suitability of a broad range of supports for funding under the NDIS and what works for participants. The EAC will also provide advice on the evidence base for therapies, interventions and other services that assert therapeutic or capacity building benefits for people with a disability, as well as assistive technology and capital supports. Technical subcommittees will make recommendations to and support the EAC. Members of the technical subcommittees will bring extensive subject matter expertise in a range of areas identified in the EAC workplan together with strong data analysis, research and evidence-based decision making across capacity building and therapies, assistive technology and economics. The Government is seeking applications for members of the Evidence Advisory Committee and for three technical sub-committees. Applications from people with lived experience of disability are strongly encouraged. Further details and application link are here: https://lnkd.in/g5BYXRzC Applications close 17th of December. Before applying, please obtain selection documentation by emailing EAC@amandaorourke.com.au quoting Ref No 1153. This is also the place to direct any questions about the roles.

AOPA Members: your December employment news has arrived in your inbox! This edition brings you opportunities in clinical and volunteer positions around Australia and internationally! Head over to the AOPA website for more details using the link https://bit.ly/3wuUs5D #OandP

Have you registered for tomorrows webinar? Join us to hear from Donald McGovern as he presents AFO Considerations in Paediatric Populations. Use the link below to REGISTER and read more about the webinar: https://bit.ly/41p1ryz #OandP

AOPA is getting a NEW WEBSITE and we want to hear from YOU. What features do you want to see on the website? What features and documents should be accessible only to members? What should be most accessible i.e. just one click-away from the main page? What would you like to see improved and how? Tell us the answer to these questions and more by completing this short survey https://bit.ly/4et9Q6P

AOPA are pleased to share a summary of advocacy activities we delivered in November. AOPA met with Minister Shorten to discuss the AT request delays faced by participants under the NDIS, we attended over 11 stakeholder meetings which included a DVA forum and forum between allied health professions and key leaders of Health, Aged Care and Primary Health portfolios. We also completed a submission for the TGA on the Essential Principles, a submission on the Digital Health Uplift Plan, and assisted 9 members with their policy queries. Our advocacy work is made possible through the support of our members, reference groups and Corporate Partner Program. #OandP