News from Ergotherapie Austria (Austria)

New Economic Classification Challenges the Visibility of Occupational Therapy 
With the entry into force of the new ÖNACE classification of economic activities in 2025, Occupational Therapy in Austria is no longer listed as part of the category “Other human health activities”. Instead, it is grouped under class 86.95 “Physiotherapy activities.” While this classification follows the European NACE Rev.2.1 framework and is therefore legally compliant, it raises serious professional concerns. Occupational Therapy becomes statistically invisible, potentially affecting research, funding allocations, and policy decisions. 

To actively address this issue Ergotherapie Austria is in close dialogue with Physio Austria, who supports the position of Occupational Therapists and will issue a statement on this matter. Further cooperation with EuropeRegion of World Physiotherapy (ER-WCPT) has also been initiated.  

On request from Ergotherapie Austria, Statistics Austria removed outdated terms for Occupational Therapy, which were still present in the Alphabetikum of Statistics Austria. At the European level, collaboration through COTEC includes partners in Germany and Switzerland, who are facing similar challenges. On behalf of Ergotherapie Austria, feedback on NACE Rev.2.1 was sent to Eurostat at the end of 2025. Eurostat will check all the feedback it receives and publish a new version of the explanations, which might be ready by summer 2026.  

The clear objective of Ergotherapie Austria’s endeavors remains the independent statistical recognition of Occupational Therapy on a national and European level. 

Advancing Interoperability: SNOMED CT Preparations  
Ergotherapie Austria continues to strengthen health data interoperability through preparations towards SNOMED CT, the world’s most comprehensive multilingual clinical terminology. SNOMED CT enables standardised documentation of diagnoses, interventions, and clinical findings within electronic health records and will become even more relevant with the introduction of the European Health Data Space (EHDS). 

A national project to facilitate the structured documentation through SNOMED CT will be initiated shortly.  

Ergotherapie Austria Conference 2026 – Focus on Equity 
Ergotherapie Austria warmly invites colleagues across Europe to its national conference in Vienna on March 20–21, 2026. The conference will focus on Equity and Equal Opportunities, featuring keynote contributions from Martin Schenk and Frank Kronenberg. The event aims to foster professional exchange and highlight the role of occupational therapy in promoting participation and social justice. 

News from Česká Asociace Ergoterapeutů (Czech Republic)

The Czech Association is proudly sharing a member profile for Tereza Kopecká

Mgr. Bc. Tereza Kopecká, Ph.D., is an occupational therapist from the Czech Republic with over ten years of clinical experience in both inpatient and outpatient care, working with adult and paediatric patients. Throughout her career, she has beencommitted to advancing the role and visibility of occupational therapy within multidisciplinary healthcare. 

Her main professional and research focus lies in the role of occupational therapy in the management of respiratory diseases. She completed her Ph.D. in kinanthropology with a dissertation examining the contribution of occupational therapy to the care ofadults with respiratory conditions. As part of this work, she developed a practical educational brochure designed to support patients in safely performing activities of daily living while managing respiratory limitations. She is currently the onlyoccupational therapist in the Czech Republic specialising in this field and the only occupational therapist in Moravia holding a Ph.D. in kinanthropology. In addition to her clinical and research work,  

Tereza has been actively involved in the development of the occupational therapy profession in the Czech Republic since her student years. She served one term as Vice-President of the Czech Association of Occupational Therapists (ČAE) and continuesto contribute to the association through working groups focused on legislation and the professional journal, supporting professional dialogue and advocacy for the profession. 

Tereza is also engaged in academic and publication activities. In 2024, her article published in Studia pneumologica et pthiseologica received the 3rd place award for “Article of the Year” from the Czech Pneumological and Phthiseological Society in thecategory “Other.” The award was granted in strong competition among physicians, and Tereza became the first occupational therapist to receive this recognition. Through her work, she aims to strengthen the role of occupational therapy in multidisciplinary healthcare teams and to increase awareness of how occupational therapy can support people with chronic and respiratory conditions in maintaining independence and participation in everyday life. 

Alongside her professional activities, Tereza remains an active occupational therapist while also being the mother of three daughters – a five-year-old and two-year-old twins 

The coming year brings yet again many inspiring developments and legislative reforms important for the advocacy of the occupational therapists’ profession.  In November 2025, Kirsi Wikman was elected as the Association’s President for another four-year-term, and Tiina Auramo will continue as the Vice President for the next two years. Our focus this year is particularly on developing our member services. In connection with this, we have hired a new expert to work on member understanding and growth during the current year. 

In spring 2025, collective bargaining negotiations were held in the public sector. Occupational therapists were represented in the negotiations by Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals (JUKO). A key objective of the negotiations was obtaining wage increases that would secure purchasing power. The negotiation round resulted in a three-year agreement, during which wage increases will follow the general trend. The development of the remuneration system continued during autumn 2025 and the related level pay system was completed in December 2025.  The level pay system enables, among other things, better salary and career development for occupational therapists. This spring, negotiations will be held on a collective agreement for the private sector.  

Changes brought about by the wellbeing service counties are still ongoing, and the effects on the work of occupational therapists vary between regions. Co-operation and change negotiations are still unfortunately common in wellbeing service counties due to their difficult economic situation.  

Legislative changes are still ongoing. A major change affecting occupational therapists is the comprehensive reform of the Act on Social and Health Care Professionals, regarding which there is supposed to be a government proposal this year. From the point of view of occupational therapists, it is essential that the profession is regulated by law. The association does advocacy work to ensure that this will be the case in the future as well. Another major legislative project concerns the range of social welfare and health care services, with a government proposal expected this year. What is central to this project is that legislation should take into account the concept of functional capacity in records referring to service effectiveness, alongside health and well-being. In addition to the above-mentioned reforms, in our advocacy work we are looking ahead to 2027, when parliamentary elections will be held in Finland. Regarding this, we will publish the parliamentary election objectives during the spring of 2027. 

News from the Georgian Occupational Therapy Association (Georgia)

Association’s Efforts Toward Continuing Education and Professional Dialogue 

GEOTA conducted an online survey with occupational therapy practitioners to learn about their priorities, strengths, and the direction in which members would like the association to focus its resources. The leading topic identified was the need for continuing education. 

In response, GEOTA’s newly established Education Department, led by Nino Maghradze and Tamta Tchagalidze, launched monthly professional webinars. These sessions invite experts, both Georgian and international occupational therapists to present on specific topics. The organisers work closely with presenters and local OT experts to select subjects that are timely and relevant to current practice needs. 

So far, three webinars have been held, covering Occupational challenges of elderly in Georgia and the role of Occupational therapy in Dementia rehabilitation; Determining disability status by biopsychosocial model in Georgia and Functional Cognition. The facilitators aim to continue expanding the range of topics to better address the learning needs of Georgian OTs. 

Alongside the webinar initiative, the Education Department is also continuing with the third season of the GeotEdu Podcast, this time focusing on adult rehabilitation in Georgia. Educators and practitioners are invited to discuss field expectations, workforce issues, professional programs, existing links, gaps, and more. Podcast authors Tamta Tchagalidze and Ana Revazishvili hope to spark essential conversations that strengthen the connection between education and practice, while also raising broader awareness about occupational therapy by sharing insights into everyday OT work in this field. 

Transforming Dementia Care in Georgia through Community Action 

A team of occupational therapy graduates Barbare Gakharia, Tamuna Tsulukidze and Nino Maghradze together with caregivers of persons with dementia, using OBCD approach, initiated creating a network of community members by establishing the first dementia-inclusive initiative – Memory Café. 

The project idea was developed during students’ thesis work in response to the range of profound challenges the dementia community faces in Georgia.  

Stakeholders are hoping that the future expansion of these initiatives will encourage systemic changes in dementia care, driven by the community members themselves in collaboration with policy makers. 

News from the Deutscher Verband Ergotherapie (Germany)

Last year in autumn, we had the pleasure of welcoming the COTEC delegates to Berlin. We remain deeply grateful for their visit, which provided valuable exchange, inspiration, and shared perspectives. The dialogue continues to strengthen our professional cooperation within Europe. 

A major milestone for the German Association of Occupational Therapy (DVE) has been the development of a new definition of Occupational Therapy in Germany. This definition was created by occupational therapists for occupational therapists, through a multiyear process steered by a project group and with broad participation across the profession. We are happy to receive your comments and thoughts on the definition. The English version is available here.

This definition reflects the evolving scope and strengths of our profession in Germany. At the moment, we are working on two additional versions: one tailored for the general public and one designed to support communication with policymakers and other stakeholders in the wider health and social care landscape. 

Another key field of our current work is planetary health. We are increasingly focusing on the connections between human health, environmental change, and sustainable occupational therapy practice. Over the past years, we have established a productive and enriching collaboration with other Germanspeaking OT associations in Europe. This partnership allows us to be well connected both nationally and internationally, enabling coordinated activities, shared learning, and a stronger professional voice in this important area. 

Looking ahead, we will once again participate in the national Heat Action Day on 11 July. For this occasion, we are preparing targeted resources specifically designed for occupational therapists. These materials aim to support professionals in addressing heatrelated health risks in practice and in raising awareness among clients, communities, and institutions. 

We look forward to continuing this work together and to strengthening our shared commitment to a healthier and more sustainable future. 

News from the Association Luxembourgeoise des Ergothérapeutes diplômés (Luxembourg)

The ALED (Association Luxembourgeoise des Ergothérapeutes) proudly celebrated its 40th anniversary on 24 October 2025, combined with an early observance of World Occupational Therapy Day. The overarching theme of the celebration was “The Well-Being of Us Occupational Therapists.”

In the 40 days leading up to the anniversary, members received a daily exercise, reflection, or practical tip focused on personal well-being and stress management. This initiative aimed not only to encourage individual self-care but also to strengthen community spirit and collective awareness within the profession. At the same time, we expanded our social-media presence to enhance the visibility of occupational therapy in Luxembourg. By becoming active on both Facebook and Instagram, ALE can now reach a broader audience and reinforce its advocacy for the profession.

The anniversary evening featured two key presentations. The first offered insights from the 2025 COTEC Webinar, highlighting two significant studies: “Exploring Professional Resilience Strategies” by Dr. Samantha Ashby (University of Newcastle, Australia) and “Neuro-affirming Workspaces in Healthcare” by Dr. Aine O’Dea (Radiance Consulting, Ireland). The second presentation focused on the concept of resilience—deliberately approached from the perspective of occupational therapists in their personal lives rather than in their professional roles. Our goal was to emphasize the importance of maintaining our own physical and emotional health, an aspect often overlooked while caring for others. We aimed to remind members that prioritizing oneself, recognising personal needs, and practicing self-compassion are essential foundations for long-term professional sustainability.

The event concluded with a warm and convivial gathering, complete with excellent food and engaging conversations. The evening not only celebrated four decades of professional dedication but also highlighted the enduring importance of community, reflection, and well-being within our field.

News from the Associação Portuguesa de Terapeutas Ocupacionais (Portugal)

The Portuguese Association of Occupational Therapists in collaboration with the Spanish Council of Colleges of Occupational Therapists are organizing the III Iberian Congress of Occupational Therapy on April 23^rd of 2026. On April 24^thand 25^th there will be the National Congress of Occupational Therapy. Both events will be in Oporto city, in Portugal. The official languages are Portuguese and Spanish.  

With the theme “ Occupational therapy in the future: Challenges, Innovations and Transformations”, it will have international and national speakers to share the most recent knowledges in our area. Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist, and founder of TimberNook is the Keynote speaker, already confirm, for the Portuguese congress. 

The abstract submission for posters and communications is open. You can see more information at the congress’s website at https://aptoportugal.wixsite.com/cnto-cito . 

We will be delighted to receive you in Portugal! 

News from the Ergotherapie-Verband Schweiz (Switzerland)

The Swiss Association (Ergotherapie-Verband Schweiz (EVS)) will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2026! Following the delegates’ meeting, we invite committed members and honorary members to an anniversary dinner. On Saturday 9th May, the big anniversary event for all EVS members will take place under the motto “Occupational therapy yesterday, today and tomorrow”. We are already looking forward to these events in May. 

In addition, the book “Alles, was recht ist” (Everything that is right) will be presented for the first time. Our former president and managing director Erica Kuster has made it her mission to record the history of the EVS and occupational therapy in Switzerland. This significant project has been supported by many companions and makes an important contribution to preserving the knowledge of our history. The EVS has collaborated on various chapters, and we can’t wait to share the finished work. 

In the field of outpatient occupational therapy, the current tariff for services covered by health insurance companies dates back to 2004. In order to discuss adjustments with health insurance companies, we need to collect comprehensive data on occupational therapy, including structural, cost and operational data, as well as information on the activities of occupational therapists. We have a major data collection project ahead of us. In December 2025 and January 2026, we carried out a pilot project with a number of practices to evaluate the quality of the cost and operational data provided. We expect the results by mid-March. They will form the basis for deciding whether we can start a comprehensive survey as early as 2026. Around 1,600 practices have currently been invited to take part in a structural survey. We hope for a high level of participation, as the results are crucial for the representativeness of future samples. The aim is to record the distribution of practices by region, language, specialisation and size. We are very excited to see the results of the data analysis. 

In light of the fire disaster in Crans-Montana on 1 January 2026, we at EVS would like to express our gratitude for the solidarity we have received from COTEC delegates from various countries. We were deeply touched by this sympathy.