PRESIDENT’S PIECE
Happy New Year. It is hard to believe a month has already gone and we are moving into February. In December members voted for a change in the different membership levels and this had about 90% of members in agreeance with the changes and therefore, the proposed changes will be coming into effect from January 2021 for new members and after membership renewal in June for current members. There is more information about the outcome of the survey and the comments members made, with some clarification and answers that I hope you find useful.
Change by definition is about making something different. For some people change has a negative connotation associated to it, because it is not the same as what we are used to. I urge you to reconsider change as possibility and opportunity. With the membership levels changing, there will be adjustments in policies and procedures in the coming months and other changes as a consequence in the membership changing. Other changes moving forward after membership renewal will include the change of professional development points to hours. The board will endeavour to have these changes ready to publish both in the May newsletter and on the website. We hope, moving forward this will make the process of continuous professional development easier to negotiate, with the requirement being a minimum of 20 hours per year, and if you want to be credentialed this will be 40 hours per year. If there are any members that would like to assist the board with this process, please let the office know.
Our Communities of practice will be kicked off in March and we will be in contact with you in the next couple of weeks. We have also set up a 1-minute Google Form to complete if you would like to express you interest in being in one of the Communities of Practice please visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1D41Y0LjIZ460uDmKEkQOgOca5a-v2Tbdg8sz8FxhePg/edit?usp=sharing and complete the form and we will be in contact with you in the next couple of weeks to work out a time together.
In February, we also have an online educational workshop coming up, and with the changes coming in aged care, I would encourage everyone to attend. We will also be meeting with our international counterparts with the goal of having an international conference, which is really exciting and will report back on the outcome next month.
Just on another note our submission to the Aged Care Royal Commission was published on their website and available from 29/1/21. Visit the Royal Commission website to view the submissions. It is on page 2 under Bennett and Bromley for the DRTA.
Until March,
Charlise Bennett
DRTA President