Cairns Occupational Therapy

05/08/2025

We are excited to introduce our new OT, Amanda Withers, who will be immersed in our hand therapy caseload with Kerry.

Amanda graduated from Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand, with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy in 2017, with further Post Graduate certifications in Vocational Rehabilitation and Mental Health and Addictions in the following years.

Amanda has experienced a broad range of practice settings in New Zealand and Australia including vocational rehabilitation, complex mental health, concussion management, physical rehabilitation, NDIS and remote community work.

Amanda comes to the team with a keen interest in functional recovery and hand therapy. She looks forward to broadening her experience in this area and assisting to achieve meaningful outcomes.

Amanda has recently moved to Cairns and is enjoying seeing all the beautiful places the city has to offer. She enjoys spending time with friends and family as well as keeping active and most recently attempting to develop some sailing skills on the weekends!

04/08/2025

31/07/2025

There are widespread NBN issues that are affecting our phones and internet. Please be patient with us.

15/07/2025

We will be closed on Friday 18 July for the Cairns Show public holiday.

25/06/2025

Our team is a little smaller at the moment but we are working hard to meet the needs of our clients and referrers.
OTs- check out our website if you would be interested in joining us.
www.cairnsot.com

21/06/2025

Please support our associations efforts to educate NDIA about the best ways to provide services to people who need our help.

The movement is growing, and the pressure is on.

OTA has joined forces with other Allied Health Peaks to advocate against the NDIA pricing decision.

We are jointly calling on the Federal Government and National Disability Insurance Agency to immediately halt and review the NDIS pricing decision, which threatens essential supports and the choice of people with disability.

In just over a week, over 50,000 Australians have backed calls for these changes to be stopped online, concerned about the devastating impacts and risk they pose to the safety and dignity of people with disability.
Let’s keep the momentum going.

Check out our joint statement: https://www.otaus.com.au/news/allied-health-ndis-price-cuts-joint-public-statement-2025

Sign petitions

Write to your local representatives and seek meetings

Raise awareness with your families, friends, colleagues and communities

Check out our website for more information on how you can be involved:

No OTs, No NDIS: Call for Fair Pricing & Access Reform | Occupational Therapy Australia

14/06/2025

The NDIS might be proving costly, but it is not the committed therapists who are the problem or the solution. Please read, sign, and share to support the operational component of the system that works diligently for recipients.

Stand Up for Disability Support: Stop the NDIS Cuts

13/06/2025

Stand up for disability care! SARRAH urges the Australian Government to reject harmful proposed pricing changes. Read more at the link below

https://sarrah.au/NDIS

13/06/2025

Please help us with this.
Act today if possible.

OTs are at breaking point.

The NDIA has made a devastating pricing decision—one that freezes therapy support rates for the seventh year in a row and slashes travel funding for occupational therapists by 50%. These changes are already driving providers out of the system and leaving participants without essential care.

Occupational therapists deserve fair pay.

NDIS participants deserve consistent care.

OTA is campaigning for an immediate price uplift, a fit-for-purpose allied health costing model, and a reversal of the 50% travel rate cut – and we need your voice!

Here’s what you can do:
1.Sign our petition to the Australian Government and NDIA
2. Email your MP using our prepared template - it goes straight to your MP + NDIS decision-makers

We also call on our OTA members to share this with your networks. The more Australians who speak out - participants, families, therapists, and allies - the harder it will be for decision makers to ignore the devastating consequences of this pricing decision.

Take action now: https://otaus.com.au/ndis-pricing-campaign

12/06/2025

This week we farewell Hycie McCarthy, our ACU 4th year OT Student who has been with us for the past 9 weeks on placement. We wish her well for the future and hope she might consider venturing back up our way in the future.

06/06/2025

Great advice

Wound washing saves lives!

If bitten by a dog 🐶, always seek immediate medical advice.

The wound must be immediately and thoroughly washed for at least 15 minutes with soap and water. Then visit a clinic, as you may need post-exposure vaccination!