Apricus Health struggles to recruit occupational therapy roles after 12 months advertising

After spending 12 months trying to recruit staff, a local healthcare provider has called on NQ’s students to consider a career in Allied Health. Read what’s driving demand.

More students are needed to join James Cook University's occupational therapy course. Picture: Supplied.

A severe shortage of occupational therapists in North Queensland, causing burnout and stress, has prompted a call for more students to pursue careers in Allied Health.

Occupational therapy (OT) is a branch of health care that helps people of all ages who have physical, sensory, or cognitive problems, to overcome barriers and help them regain independence in their lives.

The director on the Board of Occupational Therapy Australia, and co-founder of Townsville-based Apricus Health, Joanna Murray said a “perfect storm” of factors had combined, making it extremely difficult to recruit staff.

They include the pandemic-impeded flow of transient workers into Townsville (both domestically and internationally), a lack of students studying the profession, and surging demand for OT’s through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Over the past year, Ms Murray’s business has unsuccessfully attempted to fill five positions, and of their recently advertised six graduate positions, only one has been filled.

Apricus Health co-founder Joanna Murray is struggling to recruit occupational therapists in Townsville. Picture: Supplied.

Workforce growth in allied health professions. Picture: Dept of Health.

“The lack of supply is causing tremendous stress right across the board,” Ms Murray said.

“It’s a really complex issue – the number of students enrolling in OT has reduced significantly, you have people leaving the profession as a result of burnout, and then if people do relocate here to take up a new position they often cannot find housing.”

Another obstacle was a lack of university lecturers teaching OT.

“Demand for occupational therapists has increased because the demand for NDIS service seats has increased,” she said.

The 2022 cohort of James Cook University Occupational Therapy students. Picture: Supplied.

“OT’s are the ones that are delivering most of the Allied Health Services within the NDIS.”

As Australia’s population ages, she said demand for people working in Allied Health Services was “only going to get bigger”.

“I think we need to be going into high schools and encouraging more young people to consider Allied Health as a profession.”

James Cook University acting-head of OT Daniel Lowrie said there had been a downward trend in the number of students studying OT, where 65 students graduated last year and 50 this year.

James Cook University acting-head of OT Daniel Lowrie addresses a class of graduating occupational therapists. Picture: Supplied.

Geographic distribution of allied health professions across Australia in 2021. Picture: Dept of Health.

“There is a need for OTs here in the North. We would love to have more OT’s coming through because it’s such a fabulous profession,” Dr Lowrie said.

“(Having) a career in OT, you get to work with people to try and help them make the most of their lives and the opportunities in front of them.

“There’s job opportunities aplenty … and you can work across a range of different sectors, so no two days need to be the same,” he said.

For more information on becoming an OT, visit: www.jcu.edu.au/courses/study/occupational-therapy

Originally published as Apricus Health struggles to recruit occupational therapy roles after 12 months advertising