Stop F*cking Settling!

Keeping up with NDIS reforms is becoming increasingly challenging for OTs, particularly when changes to funding, planning and evidence requirements have significant implications for clinical practice. But who is responsible for ensuring clinicians understand these changes and can apply them appropriately? From maintaining professional knowledge and strengthening clinical evidence to navigating the...

OT Week is an opportunity to celebrate the profession, but it can also be a time to reflect on how much has changed since we first became Occupational Therapists. The expectations we had, the challenges we faced and the lessons we learnt along the way have all shaped the OTs we are today. Looking back on our early careers can offer a different perspective on professional confidence, the importance...

A billable target only tells part of the story. The time needed to complete a report, the travel involved in a caseload and the support available to an early career OT all affect whether expectations are realistic. Fair billing and practical time management sit alongside broader questions about growing a practice beyond its owner. Examples from Freedom Solutions and Freedom Wheels also explore how...

Requests for essential equipment are becoming more complicated when a plan variation is redirected towards a full NDIS reassessment. For some participants, accessing the support they need now may also expose their existing funding to further changes. Understanding these pathways affects how OTs plan assessments, identify future support needs and prepare evidence. Questions around high-intensity su...

The NDIS funding reset is here, and for OTs the implications go well beyond understanding the percentage reductions. There are questions about who will be affected, what happens when funding is reduced and what evidence may now need to be captured. The new Support Determination, High Support Needs safeguard and exclusions for certain supports have practical implications for OT assessment, reportin...

From 1 October, new NDIS funding changes will affect how some participants can access funding for social, community and civic participation. The detail OTs have been waiting for around the safeguard for participants with high support needs has now been released. The guidance provides a pathway for some participants whose funding reset leaves them without enough funding to maintain their 24-hour di...

Some moments in your OT career stay with you. A decision, a client or even a comment from someone else can change the direction of your career or the way you think about your role. This week, Sarah, Alyce and Nikki share some of their own ‘sliding doors’ moments, from career decisions that changed their direction to clinical experiences that reshaped how they understood their role as OTs. They als...

The NDIS support lists have only been in place since October 2024, but another significant change may already be on the horizon. A new consultation is considering how NDIS supports should be defined, including proposals to reduce the number of support categories, simplify their descriptions and remove the replacement supports process. For OTs, some changes could make the rules easier to interpret....

NDIS reporting is changing, but one question remains fundamental for Occupational Therapists: why are we including this information? Longer reports and more assessments do not automatically create stronger evidence. A useful NDIS OT report needs to demonstrate a participant’s functional needs, connect those needs to their goals and clearly explain why recommended supports are required. This means...

Recent NDIS legislative changes are creating new considerations for OTs, particularly around plan reassessments and how participants may be able to use their funding. While some implementation details are still emerging, the potential impact on participants could be significant. For OTs, the priority is understanding what these changes mean in practice. That includes knowing when a reassessment ma...

  The latest NDIS reforms bring another significant period of change for participants, families, OTs and providers. While legislation has progressed, many of the practical details still depend on rules, guidance and implementation processes that are yet to be developed. For OTs, the priority is understanding what has changed, what is coming and what remains uncertain – without trying to predi...

Running an Occupational Therapy business has always involved more than delivering great clinical care. There are people to employ, systems to manage, invoices to collect and countless decisions about where limited time and money should be spent. For OTs working within the NDIS, those decisions are becoming increasingly important. Changes to pricing and travel, alongside uncertainty about the futur...

Why great supervision starts with understanding what new OTs don't know Supporting another Occupational Therapist to develop their clinical skills is rewarding, but it isn't always straightforward. Many experienced clinicians have spent years refining their practice, making countless clinical decisions so often that the reasoning behind them has become automatic. This creates a challenge during su...

Paid placements for Occupational Therapy students are finally here. But they're only part of the solution For generations of Occupational Therapists, unpaid placements have simply been accepted as part of the journey into practice. Long days, lost income and months spent balancing study with everyday life were often seen as a rite of passage rather than a problem. The Australian Government's annou...

Taking a proper break without your business falling apart For many Occupational Therapists, taking time off is easier said than done. Whether you run a private practice or work as a sole trader, holidays often come with the feeling that work is waiting for you when you return. Without systems or support, time away can simply shift the workload rather than reduce it. Scheduling a buffer before and...

A profession in transition The OT profession is in a period of significant change. On one hand, events like OTX 2026 are showcasing innovation, collaboration and exciting solutions to longstanding challenges. On the other, many clinicians and business owners are navigating major operational changes, particularly around NDIS pricing and service sustainability. Together, these shifts reflect a profe...

What Occupational Therapists Need to Know About the 2026–27 NDIS Pricing Update The 2026–27 NDIS Pricing Schedule and Annual Pricing Review have now been released. For Occupational Therapists, the immediate headline is relatively positive. OT rates remain unchanged, avoiding the cuts seen across several other allied health professions. However, while pricing may appear stable on the surface, the u...

Occupational Therapists are frequently asked to provide ‘robust evidence’ for NDIS funding decisions, but what does that really mean? Explore why observation, clinical reasoning and context matter when assessing functional capacity. When Occupational Therapists write reports for the NDIS, one phrase appears repeatedly: robust evidence. Whether it’s a funding review, access request, assistive techn...

Pricing uncertainty continues to affect providers For many providers, annual pricing updates remain a significant source of uncertainty. Business owners are often required to make decisions about staffing and service delivery without knowing exactly what future funding arrangements will look like. Combined with rising employment costs and workforce reforms, these changes are placing increasing pre...

Award changes are reshaping workforce planning One of the most significant developments for allied health businesses is the recent review of the Health Professionals and Support Services (HPSS) Award. Although much of the attention has focused on wage increases, the bigger story may be the changes to classification levels and how occupational therapists are positioned within the award structure. T...

Occupational Therapy careers rarely follow a straight line. Many OTs begin with a clear idea of where they’re heading, only to find themselves moving into completely different spaces years later. Clinical work evolves, industries shift and new opportunities emerge. Alongside this, many therapists are recognising the growing importance of connection, mentorship and sustainable ways of working. The...

A significant period of change The disability sector is facing another major round of NDIS reform. The proposed legislation has sparked widespread discussion among Occupational Therapists, participants and advocacy groups, with many working to understand what the changes could mean in practice. Importantly, the reforms are not yet law. The legislation must still progress through consultation and p...

A major shift in early childhood supports The long-anticipated Thriving Kids rollout is beginning to take shape in New South Wales, offering the clearest indication yet of how early childhood supports may operate from October 2026. Children already on the NDIS are not expected to be removed immediately. However, children aged eight and under who may previously have entered the NDIS under mild to m...

The Occupational Therapy sector is moving through another period of uncertainty, with ongoing discussions around NDIS pricing, registration and funding changes continuing to dominate conversations across the profession. At the same time, conference and expo season is underway, giving OTs a valuable opportunity to reconnect, learn from one another and strengthen professional networks. In recent con...

The current NDIS landscape is shifting quickly, and many Occupational Therapists are being asked to make decisions without having all the information. Between proposed funding changes, evolving reporting expectations and ongoing uncertainty around registration, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Rather than trying to predict every outcome, the focus right now is on understanding what’s changing, what...