OT receives national award
for life-long commitment
By Judi Riddell, Occupational Therapy Professional
Lead, Tauranga Hospital.
Tauranga Community Allied Health Team
Leader Jane Wilson’s life long commitment to
Occupational Therapy has been recognised.
Last month she received the Occupational Therapy New
Zealand Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa (OTNZ-WNA) Hazel
Skilton Founder’s award. Hazel was the founding member of the
Occupational Therapy Association New Zealand established in
1949. And the annual award is for practitioners who demonstrate
the values shown by Hazel Skilton: commitment to occupational
therapy, service to others, mentoring, and inspirational leadership.
restructure of our association governance model to the model
that it is today. This model reflects the treaty of Waitangi with two
houses of Tangata whenua and Tangata Tiriti and consequently
led to the renamed Occupational Therapy New Zealand Whakaora
Ngangahau Aotearoa. Jane was also the chief organiser of the
very successful clinical workshops held in Tauranga over three
days in 2009.
Over the years Jane has been very committed to mentoring
students and a number of OTs currently working at our DHB are
former students of Jane’s and the Community Allied Health Team.
It is a great honour to receive this award and I personally would
like to congratulate Jane for her achievement and contributions to
Occupational Therapy both national and here in the Bay of Plenty.
Jane has been an Occupational Therapist for more than 30 years,
working at the BOPDHB for the majority of that time. What people
probably are not aware of is that during this period she has also
held many roles within OTNZ-WNA at national level. She has
been a former president, treasurer, and played a vital role in the
Tauranga Community Allied Health Team Leader Jane Wilson receiving the
Hazel Skilton Founder’s award in recognition of her commitment and service
to Occupational Therapy.
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