CEO ’ s Report
Charles Wurf | ATMS CEO
Amplify Your Practice Seminar & AGM 2021 I would like to acknowledge the overwhelming response of members to a first for ATMS : the transition of our Annual Seminar and AGM to a fully online event in 2021 .
The Amplify Your Practice Seminar & AGM 2021 was held on Sunday 14 November 2021 , with some 350 members registered . Given ongoing border , travel and venue restrictions , ATMS made the difficult decision to move our AGM online for 2021 . Without the physical limitations of travel and venue space , this proved to be the biggest event that I have been involved with at ATMS .
The whole event was conducted from a professional studio in Sydney , with our seminar presenters on site supported by a small group . Most directors , ATMS staff and some 350 members were all then connected for the day in an engaged online community .
Without doubt , a fully online event lacked some of the energy and networking opportunities that is usual with this day , yet in other ways proved its value with greater access for more members .
On behalf of ATMS , I extend our thanks to our wonderful presenters on the day : Heather Porter , Linsey Fraser and Rebecca Flint . All members who registered received a followup recording of all sessions , and the seminar recordings will be available for purchase .
The ongoing support of our sponsors assists in keeping our events costeffective for members , and we value the support for Amplify Your Practice Seminar & AGM 2021 from :
• vital . ly , our platinum sponsor
• Eagle
• Nature Care College
• Switch On Health
• The Herbal Extract Company of Australia
• The Water Shop
The last 18 months or so has seen a profound change in the way both education and events are conducted . The impact of the COVID pandemic has seen large amounts of content transition into online learning .
ATMS will continue to work through some of these profound changes . We continue to do so with education providers , who have also had to fashion emergency responses to lockdowns , premises restrictions , stay-at-home orders and vaccine mandates . In the coming years more thoughtful and considered discussion will continue about the blend of online and in-person learning strategies . This discussion will be vital to the continuing education of students and future practitioners .
ATMS will also take these understandings into our own CPE program , as we continue to fashion a mix of in-person events and our ongoing webinar series . This mix has proven popular and resilient over recent years , albeit with a greater bias to webinars in recent times due to the uncertainty of lockdowns and venue restrictions . We look forward to a more stable resumption of in-person events in 2022 , and we are pleased to have again launched our forward CPE calendar for the first six months of 2022 .
One of the key lessons from the last two AGM ’ s is that a blend of in-person and online streaming can present great opportunities for member participation . For the right event , this mix can deliver high quality content at a more economic member price , particularly in circumstances where significant additional cost for transport and / or accommodation might be involved . We look forward to exploring these options in the future and will be guided by feedback from members .
Contact us for support ATMS has issued final reminders for membership fees for the year 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022 . We offer our sincere thanks to those members who have renewed membership in overwhelming numbers . We also understand the great difficulty many members have experienced in recent months , and the range and variety of decisions that have been made about continuing to practise . For some the ability to practise has been severely curtailed for extended periods .
For any aspect of ATMS membership and health fund administration , the ATMS team is available to contact on 1800 456 855 or info @ atms . com . au . Documents supporting membership and CPE may also be submitted online through the membership portal on www . atms . com . au . We look forward to working with and supporting members through 2022 .
Warmest wishes for the holiday season and the New Year ,
Charles Wurf CEO
186 | vol27 | no4 | JATMS