The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario |
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Newsletter | September 2022 |
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In this issue…
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Information on Bill 7 (More Beds, Better Care Act)
- COVID-19 Updates
- September 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation & Orange Shirt Day
- November 1: New Competencies for Occupational Therapists in Effect
- Reminders: Due dates for PREP, Professional Liability Insurance
- Q&As: Demystifying the Complaints Process
- Facts about Competency Assessment at the College
- September Poll and August Results
- Note: Office open to in-person appointments
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Important News
Updates and Opportunities
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More Beds, Better Care Act
Information on Bill 7 and its impact on occupational therapists
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The Government of Ontario recently passed Bill 7, the More Beds, Better Care Act, to make it easier to move patients (alternative level care) who do not require hospital care into long-term care homes.
Bill 7 outlines the actions a placement coordinator may take, and permits these actions to be performed without consent if reasonable efforts have been made to obtain permission from the patient or the substitute decision maker.
As this legislation is specific to certain activities, occupational therapists working for hospitals and community care service providers are encouraged to speak with their employers about this new legislation and how it impacts them and their role.
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COVID-19 Updates
Information on pandemic stockpile use and bivalent boosters
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The guidelines incorporate both COVID-19-specific and general information on:
- how to access the Ministry's stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE) and critical supplies,
- eligibility and product availability, and
- the Ethical Allocation Framework.
Occupational therapists working in independent or private practice may be eligible to access the stockpile depending on the sector in which they work.
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Eligible individuals can book an appointment through the COVID-19 vaccination portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre: 1-833-943-3900.
You can also book an appointment directly through public health units that use their own booking systems, through Indigenous-led vaccination clinics, and participating pharmacies.
Individuals can receive the bivalent booster at a recommended interval of six months, or at a minimum interval of three months (84 days) since their last dose.
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Mark Your Calendar
Upcoming Events and Dates to Remember
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September 30th
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation & Orange Shirt Day
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September 30th is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities. Commemoration of this tragic and painful history and the ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
September 30th is also Orange Shirt Day: an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day that honours the children who survived Indian Residential Schools and remembers those who did not.
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New Competencies for OTs
In effect November 1, 2022
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These competencies reflect the broad range of skills, abilities and accepted expectations of practice required of all occupational therapists in Canada.
Occupational therapists are required to review and understand how to apply these competencies in their practice.
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Reminder: PREP Deadline
Complete your 2022 PREP by October 31, 2022
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Halloween is just around the corner—and so is the due date for the 2022 PREP on the Competencies for Occupational Therapists in Canada! 🎃
The deadline to complete the PREP is October 31, 2022.
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Professional Liability Insurance
Reminder: Update your information with the College
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OTs, your professional liability insurance may be expiring soon!
Carrying professional liability insurance is a requirement of registration.
If you do not update your insurance policy information online within 30 days of its expiry date you may be subject to an administration fee.
To update your insurance, follow these steps:
- Renew your insurance with your provider prior to the policy expiration date.
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Log in to the College website.
- Select ‘Update Profile’
- Select the ‘Insurance’ tab and follow the instructions
You are not required to send us a copy of your insurance certificate unless the College contacts you directly to request documentation.
If you have questions or you are having difficulty updating your information, please contact registration@coto.org. |
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You and Your Practice
Cases & Resources
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New Complaints Q&As
Demystifying the Complaints Process
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As a regulated professional, it may be daunting to think about becoming the subject of a complaint.
However, it is important to understand that outcomes are often remedial and offer occupational therapists the opportunity to learn and improve your practice.
Read our new Q&As about the complaints process and occupational therapists can know what to expect and be better prepared— just in case!
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Competency Assessment
Facts about the Competency Assessment at the College
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Throughout the year groups of registrants are selected by the College to participate in a competency assessment.
Selection is done randomly based on a set of registrant factors ( see the list of factors). Here's some facts that you may or may not know about this process:
Did you know?
- assessments are done using a peer reviewer – these are OTs working throughout the province.
- assessments are virtual.
- the purpose is to provide an objective evaluation of an OTs competence.
- the process is designed to be educational and not disciplinary in nature.
- most recently, 80% of registrants had very few, or no gaps in competence, and 20% of registrants had areas for growth identified and took part in an educational/reflective activity to complete the process.
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Have a question about competency assessment?
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Have Your Say
Share Your Feedback and Get Involved
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September Poll & August Results |
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Have you read and reviewed the new national Competencies for Occupational Therapists in Canada?
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Yes, I know they will be in effect soon!
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No, thanks for the reminder!
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Not yet, I will review before they come into effect November 1st!
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Occupational therapists are required to review and understand how to apply these new competencies in their practice.
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In August we asked you: OTs, did you know you are not required to maintain paper copies of old College documents?
We received 177 responses! Here are your responses:
46% said "Yes, I knew that." (82 votes)
32% said "No, thanks for letting me know." (56 votes)
and 22% said "I thought I needed to keep my binder of Standards. Thanks for the update." (39 votes)
Thank you for participating in our poll!
Reminder: There is no requirement to file or retain paper copies of old materials. You can access the latest version of standards and resources on our website.
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Do you know someone who would like to be added to our mailing list?
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College office now open to in-person appointments |
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Note: The College's office is open to accept visitors, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, by appointment only.
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Any changes to your profile information in the last 30 days? Make sure you update your profile. |
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DO NOT UNSUBSCRIBE IF YOU ARE A REGISTRANT OF THE COLLEGE.
If registrants unsubscribe, they will be contacted to re-subscribe. The College communicates to occupational therapists by email regarding changes to standards, mandatory registration requirements, public consultations and more. We strive to keep communication relevant and to a minimum.
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