Malta National OT News Archive

News from Malta, 2018

The MAOT President Mr. Demis Cachia attended the COTEC General Assembly held in October in Portugal.

This year, a number of initiatives were set up in order to celebrate the OT Day. The MAOT organised a national conference entitled Traumatic Injuries – The Road to Recovery. This conference provided an overview of the journey of a patient from the site of an accident, to hospital, both within the acute and rehabilitation phases to ensure that the person attains the maximum level of function and is re-integrated into the community. The conference was officially opened by H.E. President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca who highly valued the contribution of occupational therapists in Malta and Gozo. Her speech can be viewed on the MAOT Facebook page.

Additionally, MAOT also featured on the People of Malta Facebook page and Instagram, with the aim of making the OT profession in Malta more visible, through social media. Besides, the PR committee and various OT departments organised several activities to promote OT day including stands in main hospital receptions, team building exercise, beauty day and photo competition.

Recently, the MAOT organised a course on Neuromuscular Taping which was facilitated by Mr David Blow. This is a new technique in Malta and around 20 Occupational Therapists attended this course. The second part of this course will be held early next year.

Locally, we are actively involved in various activities and projects with the Malta Health Network and Federation of Professional Associations. Our WFOT Delegate, Ms Henriette Sciberras is co-ordinating the reviewing of OT Education as requested by WFOT. This process is now in its final stages and will ensure that the education programme is recognised worldwide. We are also in the process of updating our website page with our web designer (www.maot.mt).


News from Malta, October 2014

– New MAOT committee was elected in 2013 to serve until July 2015. Mr Demis Cachia is the new MAOT President. Mr. Cachia will be MAOT’s representative during COTEC General Assemblies.

– MAOT hosted COTEC’s first General Assembly in Malta in October 2013. A meeting with HE Dr George Abela, President of Malta together with a number of meetings with Maltese politicians were held.

– Mr Demis Cachia represented the Malta Health Network the annual general meeting of the European Patient’s Forum held in Brussels last April. MAOT is a member of the Malta Health Network.

– Several CPD and social events were organised during the past months.

– MAOT provided its reactions about a number of local issues including homes for persons with disability, dementia, and scholarship funding. It plans to make Occupational Therapy visible also on other local issues.

– Ms Henriette Baldacchino is representing MAOT on the Malta Association of Supported Employment.

– We have been accepted to join The Malta Federation of Professional Association as observers as from October 2014. Mr. Cachia is representing the association during monthly meetings.

– Issue 17 of the Maltese Journal of Occupational Therapists was recently published.


News from Malta, April 2012

– The National OT in Malta is celebrated on the 29th October, in 2011 the association was invited on the media to promote and increase awareness about Occupational Therapy to the general public. A social event was organised by the association for its members whilst other events where held in the various OT departments.

– Throughout the past months the MAOT was involved in the promotion of local and foreign courses for OTs through the National Commission for Persons with Disability with the aim of commencing services at the Independent Living Centre. This project was possible through the support of EU funding. Occupational Therapists are now delivering services in the areas of Assistive Technology, Driving and Wheelchairs and Seating.

– The MAOT was invited to participate in a Youth Career Fair which was organised in October to celebrate the World Youth Day. This event was possible with the support of EU funding for the Youth Employment Programme in conjunction with the Employment and Training Corporation.


News from Malta, September 2011

– The Malta Association of Occupational Therapists (MAOT) held its general meeting last July and a new committee was elected, as follows for the two year term, 2011-2013:

President: Stephanie Hercegovac

Vice-President: Demis Cachia

Secretary: Charmaine Mifsud

Assistant Secretary: Cynthia Buttigieg

Treasurer: Josephine Vella

Members: Maria Daniela Farrugia, Marisa Camilleri, Rachel Mifsud

– A Continuing Professional Development policy document has been compiled and was presented during the last annual general meeting.

– The MAOT publishes a journal. Anyone who wishes to submit an article, a personal experience, a book review, or a position paper, should submit to this address: stephanie.b.vella@gov.mt Submission guidelines can be found on the MAOT website www.maotwebsite.org

– Five students have passed their occupational therapy exams and will be graduating at the University of Malta next November. These have been employed by the public health sector.

– The Malta Association of Occupational Therapists continued to organise various training about topics such as lectures about the latest developments about tendon injury protocols, as well as about constraint movement therapy. The MAOT also collaborated with Occupational Therapy Departments in various hospitals settings around the island and organised a series of training about vocational rehabilitation in mental health, as well as a seminar about acute amputee care.

– The local occupational therapy profession is currently holding various roll-out exercise sessions with all the staff of the various occupational therapy departments within the public sector in Malta and Gozo. These will be followed by meetings with all the occupational therapy departments staff members about the vision of the local occupational therapy profession.


News from Malta, February 2010

1. The Malta Association of Occupational Therapists (MAOT) is currently working on a Continuous Professional Development Policy Document that will aim at creating ways whereby the MAOT and its CPD sub-committee will provide opportunites for the local OT population to attend CPD events.

The MAOT is also collating  documents which shall conatin the history of OT in Malta; the MAOT milestones, the satute; mission and vision statement of MAOT and the codes of ethics and codes of preacice in one document for its members.

2. The 51st COTEC meeting was held in Malta between the 23rd and 24th October 2009. Following the evening event that was held on the 23rd, and the acquantce made between Ms.Maira Skoulorados , COTEC Presdient and Dr. Kenneth Grech , Permenant Secretary for the Ministry of Social Policy. The MAOT has received a date for the meeting with Dr. Keneth Grech and other director generals. This shall be held on the 8th of March, 2010.

3. The Occupational Therapy Course from the OT division in the Insititute of Health Care within the Unversty of Malta have been approved that from October 2010, the OT course shall open yearly because of the increased number of OTs needed in the work force. Since 1991, the OT course has been offered at a degree level and accepted new students every other year. Currently there are 131 registered OTs but 90 work in the public sector, approximately 20 work in the private sector.

4. Occupational Therapy Services have not been extended with 2 OTs working full time in the community in the physical field. This has stated in January this year, it aims at training carers / aids to continue the recommnded training and the OT acts as consultant and monitors the progress.

5. 2 OTs have currently commenced their PHD’s.

6. In November 2009, 15 newly graduates completed their studies for a Bachelors degree. 13 of which were employed within the public sector.

7. The MAOT publishes a journal those who wish to submit an article, personal experience, a book review , a positon paper send your submissions to the this address: demis.cachia@gov.mt

8. This year the MAOT will celebrate its 25th anniversary. The first meeting of the association was held on the 20th February 1985. In order to celebrate this day the MAOT will be organising a social dinner on the 24th of February.