Let's go through brief History of Occupational Therapy in India and all the way it has come so far. In this Presentation I have tried to concisely include about aspects of Occupational Therapy. Occupational Does not only remain as a overshadowed professions by other alike professions, but indeed in India it has few lacunae to overcome and outreach the public domain. A brief comparison of the professional process to help understand scenarios in 5 countries other than India. ----------------- for more Occupational Therapy - India, and General health Stuff please visit: www.otindia.wordpress.com/blogs Authors & comments Welcomed

1. Scope of Occupational
Therapy – India & Abroad
Dr. Saurabh Bhalla

2. Definition
Occupational therapy is a client-centred health profession concerned
with promoting health and well being through occupations. The
primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate
in the activities of everyday life. Occupational therapists achieve this
outcome by working with people and communities to enhance their
ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are
expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to
better support their occupational engagement.
Source: World Federation of Occupational Therapists 2012

3. Areas of Practice
Children
Adolescent
Work
Ergonomics
RehabilitationDisability
Aging
Healthy Living
Mental Health
Forensic / Prisons

4. ChildrenAdolescent
Work
Ergonomics
Rehabilitation
Disability Aging
Healthy Living
Mental Health
Forensic / Prisons
Adolescent & Children

6. Children
Adolescent
WorkErgonomics
Rehabilitation
Disability
Aging
Healthy Living Mental Health
Forensic / Prisons
Work & Ergonomics

8. Children
Adolescent
Work
Ergonomics
RehabilitationDisability
Aging
Healthy Living
Mental Health
Forensic / Prisons
Disability & Rehabilitation

10. Children
Adolescent Work
Ergonomics
Rehabilitation
Disability
AgingHealthy Living
Mental Health
Forensic / Prisons
Healthy Living & Aging

12. Children
Adolescent
Work
Ergonomics Rehabilitation
Disability
Aging
Healthy Living
Mental HealthForensic / Prisons
Mental Health and Forensic

14. Settings
Clinical
Hospitals
• Govt
• Private
Schools
Industries
NGO
Clinics
De-addiction centres
Palliative Care
Home Care
Academic
Universities and colleges
Research organizations
Policy makers
pHd’s

15. India Presence
Present across
29 states & 7 UT’s

16. OT in India
Mrs. Kamla V Nimbkar
1. Maharashtra ➔ The first department of occupational therapy (OT & first school
of OT in India/Asia was established at the King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital
in Mumbai, India in 1950.
2. Maharashtra ➔ second OT school at Nagpur in 1958
3. DELHI ➔PDU Institute for the Physically Handicapped – 1960
4. BIHAR ➔ College of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy – 1966
5. TAMIL NADU ➔ Occupational Therapy School at Christian Medical College –
1969
6. U.P ➔Occupational Therapy School at King George's Medical School – 1970
7. DELHI ➔ College of Occupational Therapy, AIIMS – 1971
8. U.P ➔ Occupational Therapy School at Institute of Engineering and Technology
– 1981
Certificate Diploma
Undergraduat
e Degree
Postgraduate
Degree
Phd’s
1950’s 1960’s 1970’s 1980’s 2010’s
Mother of Occupational
Therapy – India

17. Omnipresent profession, with over 101 Countries
Globally registered with
World Federation of Occupational
Therapy
Global Presence

18. Global Prospects

19. Canada |
• Governed By: Canadian Association
of Occupational Therapist (CAOT)
• Credential Evaluation: The Association of Canadian Occupational
Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO)
• Licence Examination: National Occupational Therapy Certification
Exam (NOTCE)
Federal Skilled Worker Program (Express Entry)
SOURCE: https://www.caot.ca/site/ieot/intleducatedot

20. Australia |
• Governed By: Occupational Therapy Board
of Australia
• Credential Evaluation: Occupational Therapy Council of
Australia(OTC)
• Licence Examination: N/A – 15 stage Registration process
SOURCE: https://www.occupationaltherapyboard.gov.au

21. New Zealand |
• Governed By: Occupational Therapy Board
of New Zealand (OTBNZ)
• Credential Evaluation: Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand
(OTBNZ)
• Licence Examination: N/A – Document Verification process
SOURCE: https://www.otboard.org.nz/

22. United Kingdom|
• Governed By: Royal College of Occupational
Therapists (RCOT)
• Credential Evaluation: Health and Care Professions Council
• Licence Examination: N/A – Document Processing
SOURCE: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/

23. United States of America|
• Governed By: American Occupational Therapy
Association (AOTA)
• Credential Evaluation: The National Board for Certification in
Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT)
• Licence Examination: Occupational Therapists Registered (OTR)
SOURCE: https://www.nbcot.org/Students/get-certified

24. THE BIG FIGHT

25. OT v PT
• Overlapping Domains
Functional
Independence
RANGE of
Motion
STRENGTH &
ENDURANCE

26. OT v PT
• INDIAN MINDSET
Least Importance to INDEPENDENCE and more to movements

27. OT v PT
• Global Norms not followed in India
GLOBAL HEALTHCARE
NORMS
PRIORITY – LIFE
SAVING
GOAL – LEADING A
MEANINGFUL,
FUNCTIONAL LIFE
INDIAN
HEALTHCARE
NORMS
PRIORITY – LIFE
SAVING.
GOAL – LIFE
SAVING.

28. OT v PT
• Creating a Niche Vs Working in PRESENTLY ESTABLISHED Niche
(awareness among masses)

29. OT v PT
• Making FUTURE SAFE with Artificial intelligence (OT= CREATIVITY ;
PT= procedural)
• Application of KNOWLEDGE makes the difference

31. Lifespan of an OT in India
Study → Look out for Openings / self-employ → Negotiate the offer(s)
Make people understand what is Occupational Therapy →
 Differentiate between OT role and PT role →

33. Lacunae in OT practice India
• Awareness of the roles of OT in varied settings among Healthcare
professionals.

34. Lacunae in OT practice India
• OT’s are focused on Paediatrics because of easy money. And are
reluctant to broaden the scope of practice.

35. Lacunae in OT practice India
• Limited desire to maximize independent living.

36. Lacunae in OT practice India
• Limited Paying capacity.

37. Lacunae in OT practice India
• Insurance cos. have a very limited liability.

38. Lacunae in OT practice India
• Least efforts from the governments to streamline and improvise
health care in India.

39. THANK YOU
Dr. Saurabh Bhalla
Saurabh.Bhalla@esic.nic.in
+91-981-022-9815