Accreditation Guidelines - Occupational Therapy Australia

Occupational Therapy Australia. (2013, January). Guidelines for Accreditation of Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Programs. Fitzroy: Author.

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Guidelines for Accreditation of Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Education Programs

January, 2013 Occupational Therapy Australia 6/340 Gore Street, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065 Ph: 03 9415 2900 Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


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Contents

Glossary of key terms ..................................................................................................... 3

Introduction to the Occupational Therapy Program Accreditation Guidelines ............ 7

The Standards used for Accreditation ........................................................................... 8

Accreditation Fee ........................................................................................................... 9

Outcomes of an accreditation review ............................................................................ 9

Accreditation of new programs of study ..................................................................... 10

Accreditation of continuing programs of study ........................................................... 10

The stages of the accreditation decision making process ........................................... 11

Preparing the Self Study .............................................................................................. 13

The Onsite Visit ............................................................................................................ 14

Program monitoring ..................................................................................................... 15

Quality Action Plan (QAP) ........................................................................................ 15

Midway Quality Improvement report and reports of major change ...................... 16

The Assessor Team ....................................................................................................... 17

Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest........................................................................ 18

Evaluation of the Course Accreditation Program ........................................................ 18

Management of Concerns & Complaints ..................................................................... 19

Key resources to guide the content of occupational therapy programs. .................... 20

Appendix 1: Example of Site Visit Timetable for Single Program Accreditation ..... 21

Appendix 2: Entry level competency standards grid template ............................... 22

Appendix 3: Entry level competency mapping/description template ..................... 24


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Glossary of key terms

Accreditation The external approval of entry-level occupational therapy education programs in Australia. There are two forms of accreditation required from occupational therapy education programs in Australia: - the Occupational Therapy Council (OTC) accredits programs for the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (OTBA) - Occupational Therapy Australia accredits programs for the purpose of recognition of the program by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Accredited Program

A program of study that has been assessed as meeting the Occupational Therapy Accreditation Standards. Accredited programs include those which meet all Standards, and those which have conditions in place to meet the Standards.

Accreditation Standards

The document outlining the Standards required of occupational therapy education programs in Australia.

ANZCOTE Australian & New Zealand Council of Occupational Therapy Education

Approved program Term used within the National Law. Denotes programs that are recognised by the National Board as meeting the Accreditation Standards either with or without conditions. The Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (OTBA) approves programs on the recommendation of the Occupational Therapy Council (OTC) for the purpose of their recognition under National Law.

Assessment The process whereby a School/program undergoes an accreditation review. The School/program undertakes a period of self review followed by formal review and verification by a team of external assessors who evaluate the achievement or otherwise of the Standards.

Assessors The people who undertake the process of external verification/ assessment of a Program or Programs. Assessors are occupational therapy professionals who have experience and knowledge of the profession and its standards, educational matters and accreditation processes and who undertake Assessment of Programs for accreditation. Assessors have completed training specific to their role in the accreditation process.

Assessor Team An Assessor Team is formed to undertake the Assessment of an individual program.The Assessor Team is made up of two or three members, one of whom is Team Leader. The Team is appointed by the Program Accreditation Committee.

Competencies Expected knowledge, skills and attitudes outlined in the Competency Standards.

Competency Standards

The Australian Minimum Competency Standards for New Graduate Occupational Therapists (Occupational Therapy Australia, 2010).

Course A term used differently in Universities, it sometimes refers to an individual subject and sometimes to a curriculum of study approved by a university that leads to the conferring of an approved award, for example a Bachelor degree.

Deed of Agreement The formal agreement between Occupational Therapy Australia and the Occupational Therapy Council for Occupational Therapy Australia to undertake the accreditation function for the Council.

Entry-level program An undergraduate or postgraduate level program that prepares graduates to


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enter the workforce as beginning practioners. A specific sequence of study/curriculum that leads to an entry level qualification/award/degree in occupational therapy (programs are referred to as courses in some Universities).

Head of School The person responsible for the development, leadership, management and evaluation of the school of occupational therapy and the entry-level occupational therapy program. Sometimes called Head of Department, Discipline Head, Program Coordinator, Convenor or Course Coordinator.

Local Advisor A Local Adviser may be appointed to undertake a site visit with the Assessors. Their role is to bring local knowledge and an understanding of the local needs of the community to the accreditation of a program. The Local Advisor is drawn from the occupational therapy community within which an Occupational Therapy entry-level program operates.

Masters entry level program

A program of study at Masters-level, that builds on a prior bachelor level qualification, and leads to an initial qualification in occupational therapy.

Midway Quality Improvement Report

The progress report on the actions taken to address the recommendations made to the University by the Assessors in the accreditation report. Received from the program approximately 2.5 years after the completion of an accreditation as part of the monitoring process.

National Law The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act as in force in each state and territory of Australia. The National Law provides for the establishment of national registration (of individual practitioners) and accreditation (of programs of study).

Occupational Therapy Council of Australia and New Zealand

Occupational Therapy Council of Australia and New Zealand. The Body appointed to provide the Accreditation function for the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (OTBA). Previously known as the Council of the Occupational Therapists Registration Boards (Australia and New Zealand) (COTRB). The Accreditation function under National Law includes assessment of overeas qualified occupational therapists seeking registration in Australia, and accreditaiton of programs leading to a quaification in occupational therapy.

OTC Occupational Therapy Council of Australia and New Zealand

Occupational Therapy Board of Australia

The registration authority for Occupational Therapists.

OTBA Occupational Therapy Board of Australia

Occupational Therapy Australia

The Australian Association of Occupational Therapists. The professional body representing occupational therapy in Australia and responsible for accrediting programs for recognition by the WFOT. Formerly known as OT AUSTRALIA. Includes state and territory based bodies, usually referred to as Divisions. Sometimes referred to as OTA or OTAL.

Postgraduate Course/Program

A course or program of study, that follows a first degree, leading to a formal qualification.

Program A specific sequence of study/curriculum that leads to an entry-level qualification/award/degree in occupational therapy (programs may be referred to as courses in some Universities).


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Program Accreditation Committee (PAC)

The Occupational Therapy Australia Committee responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Association’s entry-level education program accreditation process. This Committee ensures a consistent approach to Program Accreditation by co-ordinating the overall process, reviewing accreditation reports and approving the accreditation status to be awarded to an individual program by Occupational Therapy Australia, conduct training for Assessors. The Occupational Therapy Council has a Program Accreditation Committee responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Council’s entry-level education program accreditation process.

Quality Action Plan A plan developed and documented by the School which outlines how it plans to address the recommendations made by the Assessor Team in the Accreditation report. Provided by the School approximately 3 months following completion of an Accreditation as part of the monitoring process.

School The academic unit or entity responsible for the actual administration and delivery of occupational therapy education and research. The unit may also be called department or discipline. The School includes all components that comprise the full range of activities conducted within the ambit of occupational therapy, including entry level programs, post graduate education, research, continuing education and community service.

Self – evaluation

An element of the Program Accreditation process in which the School formally assess its entry-level programs and its achievements of the Standards, using the Self Study document.

Self study The document produced by the School as an outcome of its self evaluation, outlining its achievements of the Standards. The self study document is reviewed in detail by the Assessor Team prior to the site visit.

Site visit

An element of the Program Accreditation process by which the Assessor Team verifies the information in the Self Study through visiting the School and undertaking a range of consultations and interviews. It also enables the Assessor Team to review additional information and to gain additional first hand information from key stakeholders to determine the accreditation recommendation. The site visit is usually conducted over 2.5-4 days, depending on the number of programs being accredited.

Stakeholders Key groups with an interest or concern in the process of accreditation. During an accreditation assessment, the Assessor team will gather feedback from each of the following: 1. Advisory/consultative committees (e.g. Program advisory, fieldwork advisory committees) 2. Senior academics (e.g. Dean, Head of School) 3. Employers, funders representing a range of government, private, and non-government organisations servicing a range of human service activities across the lifespan 4. Clinicians/practitioners/student fieldwork supervisors 5. Students 6. Recent graduates 7. Representatives such as allied health advisors from government departments (health, education, disability, allied health advisors) 8. Consumers/recipients of occupational therapy services (i.e. must assess how universities engage consumers) 9. University staff: including casual and sessional academics, senior occupational therapy academics, staff providing service teaching.


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Subject A definable component of a university approved program that has a syllabus,

objectives, assessment, references and resources. Also referred to in some Universities as unit, course, paper. Each program includes a range of subjects that comprise the curriculum.

Summation Discussion

The final component of the Site Visit. It is a time for the Assessor Team to provide brief feedback to the program’s leadership team on their findings and for the Assessor Team and the program leadership team to clarify any issues about which there is confusion or uncertainty and to outline the final stage of the accreditation process.

Undergraduate program

A sequence of study leading to a first degree at tertiary level. It is usually a Bachelors degree.

WFOT World Federation of Occupational Therapists. The professional body representing occupational therapy internationally.

WFOT Competency Standards

The WFOT (2008) Entry-level Competencies for Occupational Therapists. The 5 key areas of competence expected of graduates is outlined in the WFOT Education Standards.

WFOT Education Standards

World Federation of Occupational Therapists Minimum Standards for the Education of Occupational Therapists (2002).


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Introduction to the Occupational Therapy Program Accreditation Guidelines The Accreditation Guidelines outlines the purpose and process of entry level program accreditation in Australia. It is a companion document for the Occupational Therapy Accreditation Standards.

The purpose of accreditation The program accreditation process seeks to achieve the following for all entry-level occupational therapy education programs:

Graduates are eligible to be registered to practise in Australia.

Graduates meet the Australian Minimum Competency Standards for New Graduate Occupational Therapists (Occupational Therapy Australia, 2010).

The program content meets the World Federation of Occupational Therapist (2002) Minimum Standards for the Education of Occupational Therapists.

There is evidence of continuous improvement within programs.

Program content is in line with contemporary occupational therapy practice.

Methods of education and assessment are in line with contemporary educational practice.

Education providers engage in benchmarking and external review to ensure standards and ongoing improvement of occupational therapy training.

There is whole-of-staff reflection about the structure and content of the entire program. About Occupational Therapy Australia Occupational Therapy Australia is the professional association representing occupational therapists in Australia. Occupational Therapy Australia, as a member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), has an ongoing responsibility to assess entry-level programs offered in Australia to ensure programs meet the WFOT (2002) Minimum Standards of Education, and to report this to the WFOT. Occupational Therapy Australia has undertaken a process of program review since the establishment of occupational therapy education in Australia in the 1940’s. The Accreditation of entry-level Occupational Therapy programs in Australia is mandatory and Occupational Therapists must graduate from an accredited program in order to be eligible for membership of the professional association. The Association’s accreditation process also informs the accreditation decisions of the Occupational Therapy Council (OTC). Occupational Therapy Australia provides the accreditation service for the OTC, to enable the OTC to provide the program accreditation function for the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia under the National Law. A Deed of Agreement between the Occupational Therapy Council and Occupational Therapy Australia has been created to support this arrangement. The Occupational Therapy Council makes an accreditation recommendation to the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia. The Occupational Therapy Board of Australia approves programs for the purpose of National Registration. Occupational therapists who graduate from a program approved by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia are eligible to be registered to practice as occupational therapists in Australia. About the Occupational Therapy Council The Occupational Therapy Council (OTC) is the body appointed by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (OTBA) as the Accrediting Body under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009. The OTC is an independent organisation established to assess and accredit occupational therapy education programs leading to eligibility for registration as an occupational therapist in Australia and New Zealand, and to assess the suitability of overseas trained occupational therapists to practice in Australia and New Zealand.


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In line with the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009, accreditation may be granted by the Occupational Therapy Council if it is reasonably satisfied that a program of study in occupational therapy, and the education provider that provides this program, meets the approved Accreditation Standard. The Occupational Therapy Council may also grant accreditation if it is reasonably satisfied the program of study and the education provider substantially meet an approved Accreditation Standard, and the imposition of conditions on the approval will ensure the program meets the Standard within a reasonable time.

The Occupational Therapy Council reports its accreditation decision to the OTBA. The OTBA makes the decision on the approval of the program of study for registration purposes. Students enrolled in an entry-level program of study are required to be to be registered with OTBA and therefore enrolled in an accredited program approved by the OTBA.

The Standards used for Accreditation Australian entry-level occupational therapy programs and the education providers delivering these programs are assessed against the standards outlined in the Occupational Therapy Accreditation Standards (Occupational Therapy Australia, June 2012 & Occupational Therapy Council, November, 2012). The Accreditation Standards outline the requirements of occupational therapy entry-level education programs to ensure safe and competent graduates. They outline expectations for programs in the following areas:

Philosophy and purpose

Curriculum content and sequence

Educational methods

Practice education/Fieldwork

Local context of professional practice

Educators

Resources

Quality improvement The Australian Minimum Competency Standards for New Graduate Occupational Therapists (2010) and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Minimum Standards for the Education of Occupational Therapists (2002) provide the basis of the Accreditation Standards used for occupational therapy accreditation in Australia. The Association’s Accreditation Standards can be found at otaus.com.au/about/entry-level-program-accreditation. The Occupational Therapy Council uses similar standards for its accreditation function. The Accreditation Standards used by the OTC and approved by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (OTBA) are available at www.otcouncil.com.au. The Australian Minimum Competency Standards for New Graduate Occupational Therapists (2010) represents the minimum knowledge, skills and attitudes required for safe and competent practice in new graduate occupational therapists in Australia. Education programs must ensure that the graduates of their programs will be able to practice in accordance with the Competency Standards. The Minimum Standards for the Education of Occupational Therapists were first developed by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists in 1952 with the most recent revision in 2002. They provide a basis for international consistency and cohesiveness of occupational therapy practice and recognition of occupational therapy qualifications internationally. They describe the essential things that occupational therapy educational programs must include in order to be recognized by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.


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The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (2002) indicates that there are 5 areas of essential knowledge for graduates of all WFOT approved programs:

- the person-occupation-environment relationship and its relationship to health, - therapeutic and professional relationships, - an occupational therapy process, - professional reasoning and behavior, - the context of professional practice.

Accreditation Fee Universities are charged a fee for the cost of the accreditation process. Fees are reviewed annually and are based on cost recovery. Costs include the review and evaluation of university submissions at each stage of accreditation, site visits, reports, meetings of the accreditation team and administration of the accreditation program. A table of fees is available from www.otaus.com.au/about/entry-level-program-accreditation

Outcomes of an accreditation review The Occupational Therapy Association aligns the terms it uses to describe the Accreditation outcome and status it awards a program with the terms used under the National Law. New programs:

Outcome Description

Accreditation with Conditions

Accreditation as a new program (or program undergoing major change) is granted with conditions for a period after the full program has been implemented, subject to the conditions being addressed within the period specified in the conditions and depending on satisfactory progress reports. Conditions are likely to relate to the progressive implementation of the new program (or major change) and the provision of adequate staffing and facilities to support the developing program.

Refusal of Accreditation

This result is awarded to a program that has major deficiencies such that there are significant concerns about the capacity to provide a program that will produce graduates who are safe and competent to practice. The program has been unable to address and sustain conditions imposed to ensure that it meets the Standards.

Continuing programs:

Outcome Description

Accreditation This result is awarded to a program when it is able to provide sufficient evidence that it has implemented an entry-level program which meets the required criteria. Accreditation is usually granted for 5 years. Accreditation is required prior to the first cohort of graduates completing the program. A verification process including a site visit normally takes place in the first semester in fourth year of a 4 year program and in the first semester in second year of a 2 year program. This accreditation status indicates that the program achieves or exceeds the minimum Standards for accreditation, and has no serious deficiencies or weaknesses. Recommendations or suggestions relating to quality improvement of the program are generally included in the Accreditation Report.

Accreditation with conditions

This result is awarded to a program of study that substantially meets the Accreditation Standard. The imposition of conditions aims to ensure the program meets the Standard within a reasonable time. The School will provide reports on its progress in meeting the conditions, and the evidence that the conditions have

http://www.otaus.com.au/about/entry-level-program-accreditation

http://www.otaus.com.au/about/entry-level-program-accreditation


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been met will be verified by the Assessors. In some instances an additional Site Visit will be undertaken as part of this verification.

Refusal of Accreditation

This result is awarded to a program that has major deficiencies such that there are significant concerns about the quality of its graduates as a result accreditation is denied. The program has been unable to address and sustain conditions imposed to ensure that it meets the Standards.

Accreditation of new programs of study In seeking accreditation status, Schools providing entry-level education programs in occupational therapy apply for an accreditation assessment, undertake a self-evaluation and submit a Self Study document demonstrating the extent to which their program meets the expected standards. New occupational therapy programs in Australia must apply for an initial assessment (Stage 1 review) of the program and should gain a successful accreditation outcome (Accreditation with Conditions) prior to the first student intake, and then undergo further assessment for Accreditation prior to the graduation of the first cohort to ensure these new programs meet the Accreditation Standards. Programs are subsequently monitored and fully reviewed every 5 years to retain ongoing accreditation status. The purpose of Accreditation application early in program planning is to ensure that an institution planning to establish a new occupational therapy program is on track to achieve all Accreditation Standards and especially has:

(i) adequate physical and human (staff) resources, and (ii) a curriculum structure in place, and (iii) consulted with the occupational therapy profession and service providers to ensure the

practice education/fieldwork requirements of the new program can be met Stages of accreditation for new programs

Accreditation of continuing programs of study Continuing programs of study will be scheduled into the timetable of Accreditation. Schools providing entry-level education programs in occupational therapy undertake a self-evaluation and submit a Self Study document demonstrating the extent to which their program meets the expected standards. Verification of the Schools claims in the Self Study is comprised of two key components: the Assessor Team’s detailed review of the program’s Self Study documents and a site visit. The site visit enables the Assessor Team to assess how the School functions and to validate or refute the information presented in the Self Study documentation.

Stage 2 Initial

Assessment completed

prior to intake

Stage 1 Intention to

seek accreditation

12-18 months prior

Students commence

Stage 3 Full

assessment Semester 1 of

final year

Students graduate

Program monitored

ss


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Based on information from these two key components of the accreditation process, the Assessor Team determines whether or not the program meets the Accreditation Standards and documents their recommendations in a report to the Program Accreditation Committee. The Assessors report includes information on the extent to which the program meets the required Standards, commendations and recommendations for improvement.

The table below shows the cyclical nature of Program Accreditation and describes the essential

steps that are a part of any cycle.

The stages of the accreditation decision making process

Occupational Therapy Australia Occupational Therapy Council

Stage 1 Intention to seek accreditation 12-18 months prior to the planned intake of the first cohort of students

1. University notifies Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA) of intent to commence a new program at least 12-18 months prior to planned commencement.

2 Association notifies OTC OTC receives notification

3. OTA PAC secretariat provides detail of accreditation requirements to University

4. OTA Program Accreditation Committee commences tracking of program

OTC PAC commences tracking of program

Stage 2: Initial assessment prior to intake (for Accreditation with Conditions) 9-12 months prior to planned commencement of a new program

5. University prepares Self Study and submits Self Study to OTA 9-12 months prior to planned commencement

Tracking continues

6. Desktop review of Self Study by Assessor team to determine

The School notified that program is to be assessed

for Accreditation The School

completes the Self study

Verification by external panel through reviewing

the Self study and the Onsite Visit

Assessor report provides

Commendations and Recommendations for future improvement

School develops a Quality Action Plan

to guide future development

Notification of Accreditation Result

& reporting

5 year cycle continues

School reports on progress and changes

Accreditation decision made


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if the program is on track to meet all Accreditation Standards

7. Assessor report reviewed by the Program Accreditation Committee of OTA

Assessor report reviewed by the OTC PAC Chairperson

8. The Association provides the Assessors accreditation report and OTA recommendation to the Occupational Therapy Council

OTC PAC receives & reviews report The OTC determines if the program if the program has met the Accreditation Standards approved under the National Law, and hence can be Accredited under the National Law

9. The Association informs the School and provides assessors report to School

OTC reports its accreditation decision to the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.

Stage 3 Full assessment in final year of new program prior to graduation of the first cohort of students and/or 5 yearly review

10. PAC Secretariat of OTA notifies University of accreditation review at least 9 months prior to Site Visit and liaises with Head of School about site visit dates.

Tracking continues

11. University prepares and submits Self Study no later than 6 weeks prior to the site visit

12. Assessors review Self Study and refine site visit in consultation with Head of School

13. Assessor team undertake site visit and prepare a draft report for review by the OTA Program Accreditation Committee.

Draft Assessor report reviewed by the OTC PAC Chairperson

14. The Draft Report is sent to the Head of School for correction of factual error.

15. The OTA Executive receives the Accreditation report and notifies the WFOT of the accreditation decision.

16. The OTA provides the Assessors accreditation report to the Occupational Therapy Council

OTC PAC receives & reviews report and recommendations and determines if the program has met the Accreditation Standards approved under the National Law, and hence can be Accredited under the National Law

17.

School/program informed of the OTA accreditation decision and provided with Assessor report

OTC reports its accreditation decision to the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia. The OTBA reviews the recommendations and approves (or not) on the accreditation status

18. School/program informed of the OTC and the OTBA accreditation decision

Stage 4 Program monitoring

19. The School provides a Quality Improvement Plan to the OTA PAC 3 months after receiving the decision and final report.

Tracking continues

20. Assessors review report and response provided to School via PAC Chair

21. School provides midway report 2.5 years into the 5 year accreditation cycle, AND/OR reports on conditions as required in Assessor report, AND reports major change to the OTA PAC throughout the 5 yearly accreditation cycle.

OTC PAC Chair reviews reports.

22. OTA takes relevant action in relation to above and advises the OTC

OTC review and reports to the OTBA as part of the scheduled reporting process.


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Preparing the Self Study The School is required to undertake a self-evaluation as the first part of its preparation for accreditation. The academic staff responsible for developing and delivering the entry-level program should undertake a detailed review of their program and present evidence of their achievement of the Accreditation Standards in a Self Study document. The Self Study document should provide evidence of the manner in which the program meets the requirements for each of the Accreditation Standards. Example of the evidence required is outlined in the Occupational Therapy Accreditation Standards (2012). When more than one program is being accredited at any one time, Schools must complete one Self Study document for each program, except for honours programs. In the latter case, information should be provided, indicating where there is overlap/integration of the programs (e.g. use a table format to illustrate where pass and honours programs share subjects). Where documents or appendices are the same for each program, cross reference can be made to the one set of documents. Material provided in the Self Study should be provided in hard copy and electronically. Hard copy should consist of a maximum of 2 A4 lever arch folders or equivalent (3 copies should be provided). It is recommended that Appendices are provided on a CD or memory stick. The Assessors review the Self Study documents in detail and seek additional information if required from the Head of Program. The Self Study prepared for each program is required to include the following sections: PART 1: Program overview 1.1 Contact details & introductory information (Present this information as a cover page at the front of the Self Study)

- Name of institution & street address of the program

- Title of program(s) being accredited abbreviation of intended program

- Name and contact details of the head of the occupational therapy school

- Name and contact details of coordinators of program(s) being accredited

- Name of program accreditation coordinator (if different to above)

- Site location & address/contact details of school and program being accredited(Ensure this indicates the location for the site visit)

- Phone, fax & email contact details

- Web address of program being accredited

- Level of award e.g. Bachelor, Masters, Doctorate

- For new programs: Name of any other existing occupational therapy entry-level programs within the Institution. If the proposed program will replace any existing programs, indicate which. If so, briefly outline the process and proposed date for phase out of the existing award

- For new programs: Intended date for first intake of students

1.2 Index to Self Study (List the documents included in the Self Study to ensure ease of access for the Assessors).

1.3 Snapshot (usually 1-2 pages) The purpose of this section is to provide Assessors with an understanding of the University environment in which the program being assessed is located, including where the program being accredited fit into the organizational structure, the defining features of the School and program; and the particular strengths/features/focus for which the occupational therapy program is known.


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Include:

A broad overview of the organization including the administrative and academic structures and the placement of organizational units from which the occupational therapy program is offered, serviced or supported)

A broad overview of the occupational therapy School (e.g. the range of entry-level and postgraduate programs/activities being provided by the School)

The size of the current or planned student intake to the program being accredited and the number of students in each year of the program.

Comment on any particular defining features or achievements of the occupational therapy School and program.

Particular local circumstances that provide context for and shape the program. PART 2: Evaluation against the Standards The Self Study must provide evidence that the program meets each standard. Refer to the Accreditation Standards document for information about the evidence required for each of the following areas of the program: SECTION 1: Philosophy and purpose SECTION 2: Curriculum content and sequence (Map of the program against the Occupational Therapy Australia Competency

Standards) SECTION 3: Educational methods SECTION 4: Practice education/Fieldwork SECTION 5: Local context of professional practice SECTION 6: Educators SECTION 7: Resources SECTION 8: Quality improvement Appendices/Attachments

The Onsite Visit An onsite visit is undertaken for Stage 3 reviews. The purpose of the onsite visit is to enable the Assessors to verify information provided in the Self Study and gather first hand feedback from observation of everyday activities of the School, hrough interview with key stakeholders, and reviewing a range of documents. The Assessor Team Leader will liaise with the Head of School to determine the sceduling of meetings during the onsite visit and will provide guidance on what additional evidence will need to be available for the Assessors to review. Usually examples of student work, detailed subject outlines and other teaching and learning materials are required. Refer to Appendix 1 for an example of a site visit timetable.


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Program monitoring In addition to the regular 5 yearly accreditation review, programs are monitored to ensure they continue to meet the Accreditation Standards and are taking action on recommendations made in the previous accreditation review. The reports required for monitoring include:

- a three month action plan following the Stage 3 accreditation review

- a mid way report on progress on the action taken to meet recommendations made in the last Accreditation report

- reports of major changes The reporting process above aims to ensure there is some tracking of the program’s response to recommendations made as part of an accreditation review, and provide a way that Universities can highlight pending changes. Additional reports are likely to be required for programs that are Accredited with Conditions, and this will be outlined in the accreditation report. It is intended that the monitoring process is undertaken in the spirit of quality improvement intended in the accreditation program. Reports are received and reviewed by the Occupational Therapy Australia and the Occupational therapy Council Entry Level Program Accreditation Committee, which determine if action is required. Reports of major change could potentially trigger an additional review process, which may be managed through a ‘desk-top’ review. The reports allow the Program Accreditation Committee to:

monitor progress on recommendations made in the previous accreditation review,

extend or bring forward an accreditation when major changes are anticipated, and

be assured the program continues to meet the Occupational Therapy Accreditation Standards.

Quality Action Plan (QAP)

The School develops and implements an action plan that responds to the findings documented in the

accreditation report. This plan is the basis and impetus for ongoing quality improvement and is

reviewed at the subsequent program accreditation assessment.

The Quality Action Plan (QAP) is prepared three months after the University has been issued its accreditation status and final report. The purpose of the QAP is to explicitly respond to the Assessors recommendations presented in the accreditation report by indicating how the program will meet these recommendations in the immediate future. Universities are expected to provide some comment on how these recommendations would be addressed in the short term (i.e. next 12 months) as well as in the medium term (12-24 months). As an example:

Recommendation Staff reflection/comments

Short term actions Medium term actions

Steps in managing the Quality Action Plan

Report requested by Occupational Therapy Australia when the accreditation outcome and accreditation report are sent to the School following confirmation of the accreditation decision

Report received by Occupational Therapy Australia, forwarded to Occupational Therapy Australia PAC Chair & reviewed by Chair

Forwarded to Accreditation Assessors for review and comment


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If significant outstanding issues identified by above, then Chair communicates this to the School and the Program Accreditation Committee

Response to School provided by Chair of Occupational Therapy Australia PAC, acknowledging report or if significant, noting outstanding issues.

Plan and Assessor comments filed to be referred to at midway and at next Accreditation.

Outcome reported to the OTC.

Midway Quality Improvement report and reports of major change Midway reporting occurs 2.5/3 years into the accreditation cycle, at which point, Universities are requested to comment on the progress made on the recommendations and the plans they outlined in their QAP. Occupational Therapy Australia will inform programs when a mid-way report is due. Heads of Programs should initiate reports of major change if these changes are not indicated in the mid-way report. The guidelines below outline midway and major change reporting requirements. Report format and content Program report for (title of program/s): Name of institution: Name of program head: Name and contact details for person completing this report: Type of report: (Midway Quality Improvement report; report of major change, both) PART A: Report on the progress made on the Assessor recommendations contained in the most recent Accreditation report

Insert each recommendation made in the Accreditation report

Comment on progress on each recommendation

R1:

R2:

Any additional comments (e.g. Additional improvements made since previous accreditation; factors influencing the activity of the program such as the development of new programs elsewhere that impact on fieldwork, new academic excellence processes within the University):

PART B: Report on major changes It is expected that all programs will undergo ongoing change and development. However major change in a program must be reported, preferably well in advance of the change, to enable timely review of the change for accreditation purposes.

Major changes may include those made or planned to the items listed below:

Suspension or discontinuation of a program

Significant change to program objectives and philosophy

Major curriculum structure

significant change to teaching & learning approaches

change to the name of the program nomenclature

introduction of a new stream, e.g. honours

change or addition of campus


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adopting a new model for all degrees e.g. shifting from bachelor to masters entry level

plans to phase out a program

major increase or decrease in student intake relative to resources

major change in resources that impact on the capacity of the program to meet its objectives

Description of each change Rationale, timeframe and likely impact

Follow up action requested (e.g. Notification to WFOT; change to planned accreditation date)

The process of review of a major change involves the following steps: Review by the Occupational Therapy Australia and the Occupational Therapy Council Program Accreditation Committees, to determine:

(i) If the change is major but does not require a full accreditation review. In this case the School will be required to submit a broad outline of the program changes, transitional arrangements for existing students if required, the resources available to manage the change, including fieldwork resources, and evidence that stakeholders have been consulted and included in the change process.

(ii) If the change will have wide-ranging impact and therefore requires an accreditation review of the whole program

(iii) If the change is not major, has no impact on the current Accreditation status and can be

considered within the current period of accreditation.

The Assessor Team An Assessor Team is appointed for the accreditation of a program. The Assessor Team usually includes two or three Assessors drawn from a National Assessor Panel. The Assessor Team is responsible for assessing a School’s achievement of the Standards by reviewing the Self study, conducting interviews and the onsite visit to the institution where relevant. One Assessor is appointed Team Leader and is responsible for coordinating the overall assessment process, liaising with the School concerned, facilitating the Onsite visit and reporting the results to the Program Accreditation Committee. Members of the Assessor Team are responsible for working cooperatively with the Team Leader in reviewing, assessing and reporting within prescribed timeframes. The Assessor Team

- Includes occupational therapists who are experienced academics and senior practitioners or profession leaders.

- members are not permitted to hold an academic appointment in the School or have any strong ownership of the program being reviewed and must declare any potential conflict of interest.

- Members are drawn from States/Territories outside the State where the program is offerred

- May include a local advisor who provides advice to the Assessors about the local issues relevant to the program.

The Head of the School is provided the names of proposed Assessors prior to their appointment to determine if the School perceives conflict of interest. Individual members of the National Assessor Panel participate in continuing professional development activities pertinent to their role. Members are bound by a confidentiality agreement


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that covers all aspects related to Course Accreditation. A profile of members of the Assessor Panel can be accessed at www.otaus.com.au/about/entry-level-program-accreditation.

Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest The Association requires a substantial amount of information to be provided by Schools, both in accreditation applications as well as during site visits. This may include information that is considered sensitive or commercial-in-confidence. Strict confidentiality will be observed at all times by Assessors, Program Accreditation Committee members, Board members of the Associationand Council and staff. Material provided by Schools for the accreditation of their programs will be used only for the purpose for which it was obtained. No material gained from an Accreditation review will be provided to any other party without the written consent of the University. All Assessors sign a confidentiality agreement with Occupational Therapy Australia prior to commencement in their role, which includes not discussing any aspect of a program’s accreditation outside of the Program Accreditation Committee and Assessor Panel, and not copying or keeping any materials obtained or provided as part of an accreditation process including the Site Visit. On completion of the accreditation process, one copy of the Self Study document will be confidentially stored at the office of Occupational Therapy Australia for 6 years or until the next accreditation is completed to ensure its availability as a comparison reference for Assessors. Additional copies will be disposed of as confidential waste.

All members of the Assessor Panel and the Program Accreditation Committee must formally declare any issues that might influence or be perceived to influence their ability to serve effectively on an Assessor team for a specific Accreditation.

Evaluation of the Course Accreditation Program Occupational Therapy Australia continuously monitors the Accreditation Program to ensure it meets its objectives. Where opportunities for improvement are found, incremental improvements will be made with a view to achieving a program of Accreditation which:

achieves desired outcomes for program accreditation,

is in line with best practice, and

meets the needs and expectations of the stakeholders. Following receipt of the Quality Action Plan, the Program Accreditation Committee seeks feedback from the University about the performance of the Assessors and the process of accreditation to identify opportunities for improvement.


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Management of Concerns & Complaints Concerns or issues in relation to the program accreditation process including the conduct of the Assessor Team or the Accreditation decision, can be directed to:

Occupational Therapy Australia Occupational Therapy Council

Program Accreditation Secretariat Occupational Therapy Australia 6/340 Gore Street Fitzroy, VIC [email protected] Ph: +61-3-9415 2900

Occupational Therapy Council (Australia & New Zealand) Ltd PO Box 959 South Perth WA 6951 [email protected] Phone: +61-8-9368 2655



tel:%2B61-8-9368%202655


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Key resources to guide the content of occupational therapy programs. Occupational Therapy Australia. (2010). Australian Minimum Competency Standards for New

Graduate Occupational Therapists (ACSOT) 2010. Brisbane: Occupational Therapy Australia Limited. (Access at www.otaus.com.au/about/entry-level-program-accreditation)

Rodger, S., Farnworth, L., Innes, E. & Kennedy Jones, M. (2012). ANZCOTE Position paper on staff-student ratios in occupational therapy. Australian & New Zealand Council of Occupational Therapy Education. (Access at www.otaus.com.au/about/entry-level-program-accreditation)

World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2002). Revised minimum standards for the education of occupational therapists. Forrestfield, WA: WFOT.

World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2004). Advice for the establishment of a new programme for the education of occupational therapists. Forrestfield, WA: WFOT.

World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2008a). Entry level competencies for occupational therapists. Forrestfield, WA: WFOT. (Access at www.wfot.org.au)

World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2008b). Position statement on academic credentials for occupational therapy educators for University based education in occupational therapy. (Access at www.wfot.org.au)

World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2010a). Position paper. Client centeredness in occupational therapy. (Access at www.wfot.org/ResourceCentre.aspx)

World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2010b). Position Statement Consumer interface with occupational therapy. (Access at www.wfot.org/ResourceCentre.aspx)

Resource. Professions Australia (2008). Standards for professional accreditation processes. Access at

www.professions.com.au/Files/Standards_for_Professional_Accreditation_Processes.pdf

List of Appendices. Appendix 1: Example of site visit timetable for single program accreditation Appendix 2: Entry level competency standards grid template Appendix 3: Entry level competency mapping/description template

http://www.wfot.org/ResourceCentre.aspx


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Appendix 1: Example of Site Visit Timetable for Single Program Accreditation PROGRAM ACCREDITATION SITE VISIT

Day 1 Venue Activity

8.30-9.00 Panel arrives and set up

9.00 – 10.15 Panel welcomed by Head of OT program & Program Coordinators: Overview of programs

10.15 -10.45

Morning tea with Occupational Therapy and Health Science staff

10.45 -11.45 Meeting with occupational therapy academic staff

11.45-1 Meeting with Faculty Head, Dean, and Campus Manager

1-2 Lunch and Panel discretionary time

2.00-2.30 Meeting with biomedical science staff

2.30-3.15 Meeting with behavioral health science and inter-professional education staff

3.15-3.45 Afternoon tea and panel discretionary time

3.45-4.45 Meet with students – Years 1 & 2

4.45-5.15 Meet with honours students

5.15-6.00 Panel review of examples of written work

Day 2

9.00 – 10.00 Meeting with External Advisory Committee members

10.00 -11.00 Meeting with fieldwork supervisors

11.00 – 11.45 Morning tea meeting with administrative team members

11.45 -12.45 Tour of facilities and meeting with Librarian

12.45-1.30 Lunch and Panel discretionary time

1.30-2.15 Meeting with recent graduates

2.15– 3.15 Meeting with managers/employers

3.15 – 4.00 Panel discretionary time

4.00 – 5.00 Meet with students – Year 3 & 4

Day 3

9.00 -9.30 Meeting with Faculty Learning Advisor

9.30 – 10.30 Meeting with Postgraduate Coordinators

10.45-12.30 Panel discretionary time

12.30-1.30 Feedback meeting with Head of Program and Program Coordinators

NB: Meetings with key external stakeholders can be conducted face to face or via teleconference. The Assessor Team may also organize meetings with key stakeholders outside the times scheduled by the School.


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Appendix 2: Entry level competency standards grid template

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UNIT OF COMPETENCY

Unit 1 Occupational therapy professional attitudes and behaviour

1.1 Adopts a client centred approach to practice 1.2 Practices in a culturally safe professional manner 1.3 Practices in a professional manner that meets ethical and legal responsibilities 1.4 Promotes and facilitates occupation through the application of professional

knowledge, skills, attitudes and evidence appropriate to the practice context 1.5 Incorporates best available research evidence and professional reasoning into

occupational therapy practice 1.6 Maintains and enhances competence through lifelong learning and continuing

professional development activities 1.7

Demonstrates professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes appropriate for the working environment

1.8 Contributes to the promotion and advancement of occupational therapy

Unit 2 Occupational therapy information gathering and collaborative goal setting

2.1

Performs a relevant, comprehensive assessment of occupational performance

2.2 Engages in critical, collaborative professional reasoning processes to determine

priorities for intervention 2.3

Develops, communicates and implements an effective, efficient plan for occupational therapy intervention

Unit 3 Occupational therapy intervention and service implementation

3.1 Demonstrates client centredness during intervention 3.2 Promotes client occupational performance and participation 3.3 Selects and implements intervention strategies and methods appropriate to the

client


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3.4 Selects and implements intervention strategies and methods appropriate to the working environment

3.5 Utilises available community resources, facilities and services 3.6 Respects and supports the role(s) of significant others 3.7 Plans cessation/completion of services/effective handover

Unit 4 Occupational therapy service evaluation

4.1 Incorporates perspectives of multiple stakeholders in evaluation of occupational therapy service provision

4.2 Demonstrates ability to understand and conduct multiple evaluation methods and techniques

4.3 Demonstrates an understanding of and commitment to principles and methods of quality improvement

4.4 Utilises evaluation outcomes to make recommendations for future practice

Unit 5 Occupational therapy professional communication

5.1 Facilitates active participation of the client in service provision 5.2 Adopts a communication approach appropriate to the working environment 5.3 5.4

Documents and reports relevant aspects of service provision Shares professional information responsibly

Unit 6 Occupational therapy professional education and development

6.1 Engages in lifelong learning processes and activities to maintain professional competence

6.2 Contributes to education and professional practices of students

Unit 7 Occupational therapy professional practice responsibilities

7.1 Adopts an efficient, effective and systematic approach to daily workload management

7.2 Works effectively within the structure of the workplace environment 7.3 Contributes to quality assurance and service development


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Appendix 3: Entry level competency mapping/description template

Unit Addressed primarily in these subjects

Example/Comment

1 Occupational therapy professional attitudes and behavior

2 Occupational therapy information gathering and collaborative goal setting

3 Occupational therapy intervention and service implementation

4 Occupational therapy service evaluation

5 Occupational therapy professional communication

6 Occupational therapy professional education and development

7 Occupational therapy professional practice responsibilities


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