Vision & Mission

Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association (HKOTA) is a professional association for all occupational therapists and the public in Hong Kong. It was registered with the Hong Kong Registrar of Societies in 1978, and being accepted as a full member by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) in 1984. There are over 3200 registered Occupational Therapists in Hong Kong working in both public and private sectors and in various specialty areas.

Occupational Therapists are involved in the rehabilitation for people with temporary, permanent or developmental disabilities. Through carefully designed activities, therapeutic processes and adaptation of the environment, Occupational Therapy helps in:

  • Enhancement of both physical and psychological functions
  • Prevention of illnesses
  • Facilitation of independent living to improve quality of life of people with disabilities or special needs
  • Promotion of reintegration into home, work or school and the community

Chairman's Message

Stella W.C. CHENG
Chairperson
Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association

On behalf of the Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association, I welcome you to visit us at our website. We have revamped this website in 2017 and we shall attempt to keep all the information you received from us updated timely. With the advent of this new website, the Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association hopes to attain following goals:

  • conveyance of information pertinent to Occupational Therapy profession to general public in order to let people understand more the philosophy and appreciate the virtues of this profession.
  • provision of sources of assistance in the arena of Occupational Therapy for which a third party is seeking.
  • publicity of this Association; also serving as its window to encounter our counterparts worldwide.
  • announcement of new services in our sector, advertisement of recruitments of Occupational Therapists, educational programs, forthcoming activities or campaigns, so on and so forth.
  • in the long run, provision of a common venue in which Occupational Therapists can mutually exchange information, experience and expertise.


Your frequent visits and feedback to this website will definitely give us encouragement and empowerment which will in turn help us to continuously improve the quality of its design, functional versatility, presentation as well as scope of contents.

No matter we like it or not, the whole world has already stepped into an era of internet communication, high speed of information transmission and explosion of knowledge. A professional body like us can never evade moving towards utilization of electronic mode of communication to face the whole world. Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association will continuously strive for excellence in construction, maintenance and improvement of this web-site. We also welcome comments and suggestions from all of our readers to help us attain this goal. Our current web-page management team will be delighted to continuously receive your feedback and advice by all means.

Once again, thank you for taking your invaluable time to visit us!

Stella W.C. CHENG
Chairperson, Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association

The History and Development of OT in Hong Kong

Abstract

In this article, the author traces the history of occupational therapy in Hong Kong, from the late 1940’s up to the present time.

The Early Years: 1949 – 1954

Occupational Therapy in Hong Kong goes back only 39 years. It was in 1949 that the first handicraft instructor (rattan worker) was employed to work in the Mental Hospital at High Street on Hong Kong Island. This marked the beginning of occupational therapy in Hong Kong. It is interesting to note that well before this period (between 1941 and 1946), it is recorded that in the United States the number of registered occupational therapists almost doubled, going from 1,144 to 2,265.

Through the enthusiasm of a physiotherapist called Miss Wallace Turner, a committee was formed in 1950 comprising herself, the Acting Director of Medical and Health Services, Dr. Uttley, and the Medical Secretary, Mr. Brickford to discuss the issue of occupational therapy. This committee controlled a sum of HK$900.00, donated largely from the Jockey Club for setting up occupational therapy in Hong Kong, and to supervise a group of voluntary helpers and the paid rattan worker.

A corner of the old physiotherapy department on the ground floor of Queen Mary Hospital (a general hospital) was set aside for the use of the voluntary helpers. Under the guidance of Miss Turner, they provided diversional therapy for tuberculosis and orthopaedic patients in Queen Mary Hospital and Lai Chi Kok Hospital (a psycho-geriatric hospital in Kowloon), and also for the mental patients at the Mental Hospital in High Street.

In January of 1953, the committee employed an occupational therapist, Miss J. Hopkins on a part-time basis with an honorarium of HK500.00 a month. This arrangement was to stand until the Hong Kong Government made up its mind whether to create a permanent post or not.

In February, Miss Hopkins submitted a lengthy report on why occupational therapy was needed in Hong Kong. It may be the results of this report that a full-time post was created, although only tentatively for a year to prove its worth.

Obviously it was proven worthwhile, as in March 1954, two permanent posts were created.

It is interesting to note that, initially, patients were hesitated about doing occupational therapy but, as they came to understand that the crafts were given only if of therapeutic value to orthopaedic patients, they became increasingly responsive and their numbers increased as the year progressed. Soon the staff were unable to cope with the number of patients. At this time, there was still no department except the corner of the Physiotherapy Department in Queen Mary Hospital. At Lai Chi Kok Hospital, two small rooms were made available and a small sheltered workshop was set up for patients who could not return to open employment because of their disabilities. These patients made waste paper baskets and mended dustbins and were apparently paid for their work.

In 1955, Wanchai Polyclinic was opened providing occupational therapy for hemiplegic patients. However, this unit closed down after only a short time owing to a lack of staff.

At this time, there was only one Occupational Therapist and three Occupational Therapy Assistant.

In 1956, Queen Mary Hospital at last acquired an Occupational Therapy Department which was 9.3 metres x 4.7 metres. Evidently it was an uncomfortable department with a huge hot chimney running up through the middle of it. No air conditioning of course – none of the departments had air conditioning in those days. Outside the unit, only 2 metres away, they were busy preparing the foundations for the new Operating Theatre block – drilling through solid rock from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – the noise and dust were unbearable.

1956 was not a good year as there was only one part-time Occupational Therapist for most of the year. But progress was seen during 1957 and 1958. There were departments at Queen Mary Hospital, Lai Chi Kok Hospital, High Street and Wanchai Polyclinic.

In November 1957, Miss Kathleen Wright arrived from England to work in Hong Kong; she was later to become our first Superintendent Occupational Therapist. She was married to a doctor in Port Health a few years later and known to us as Mrs. Kathleen Smart.

Miss Peggy Martin, who succeeded Mrs. Smart as the next Superintendent Occupational Therapist, arrived in 1958 to work at Lai Chi Kok Hospital. She was a very good crafts woman and got the long-term paraplegic patients on to rugmaking and other very saleable articles such as macrame work. There was no industrial work yet, apart from making brooms for the government.

In 1959, Castle Peak Hospital, a psychiatric hospital, was opened with two Occupational Therapy Assistants. In-patients from the Mental Hospital in High Street were moved there. This was the year that the World Federation of Occupational Therapists joined the World Health Organization and established a roster of expert advisors to work in countries trying to develop their own occupational therapy programmes.

The Sixties were busy years with their share of ups and downs.

In 1960, there were four Occupational Therapists and 18 Occupational Therapy Assistants.

1961 saw the creation of the Superintendent Occupational Therapist post which was filled by Mrs. Kathleen Smart.

By 1962, there were nine Occupational Therapists working in the government and Kowloon Rehabilitation Centre was opened in 1963. So far, most of the therapists were from the U.K., but in December 1964, the first Chinese therapist was recruited. She was not a local but a Malaysian Chinese, who unfortunately stayed only a few short years. It is also interesting to note that the foreign therapists had to learn Cantonese on one of the government courses in order to enable them to communicate with patients in the settings.

Mrs. Elsie White, who succeeded Miss Martin as the next Superintendent Occupational Therapist, arrived in 1965. At this time there were seven Occupational Therapists working in six hospitals i.e. Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Psychiatric Centre, Kowloon Rehabilitation Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Castle Peak Hospital and Lai Chi Kok Hospital.

In 1967, Yaumatei Psychiatric Centre was opened. There was obviously a need for local staff, so in 1967, (the year of the beginning of the Cultural Revolution), the first three male local Chinese students were sent to Australia under Government scholarships to train as occupational therapists. One of them, K.M. Hui, is our present Superintendent Occupational Therapist and the other two are Senior Occupational Therapists in the government.

Another three male Chinese students were sent to Australia in 1968 under government scholarship to train. Meanwhile, the first senior post was created at Castle Peak Hospital – the start of a professional structure. Interestingly, Wanchai Polyclinic reopened a tiny department catering for upper limb orthopaedic patients and cerebral palsy children. This was the only department for outpatients on Hong Kong Island.

It was also during the sixties that occupational therapy was being developed in the private sub-vented sector with units in the John F. Kennedy Centre (for cerebral palsy), Duchess of Kent Children’s Orthopaedic Hospital and Haven of Hope Hospital. Same years later, Kwong Wah Hospital and Caritas Medical Centre also set up occupational therapy units. The Spastics Association of Hong Kong employed their first occupational therapist in 1974. Now they have 24 therapists in their 15 service units.

The Sixties were busy years with their share of ups and downs.

In 1960, there were four Occupational Therapists and 18 Occupational Therapy Assistants.

1961 saw the creation of the Superintendent Occupational Therapist post which was filled by Mrs. Kathleen Smart.

By 1962, there were nine Occupational Therapists working in the government and Kowloon Rehabilitation Centre was opened in 1963. So far, most of the therapists were from the U.K., but in December 1964, the first Chinese therapist was recruited. She was not a local but a Malaysian Chinese, who unfortunately stayed only a few short years. It is also interesting to note that the foreign therapists had to learn Cantonese on one of the government courses in order to enable them to communicate with patients in the settings.

Mrs. Elsie White, who succeeded Miss Martin as the next Superintendent Occupational Therapist, arrived in 1965. At this time there were seven Occupational Therapists working in six hospitals i.e. Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Psychiatric Centre, Kowloon Rehabilitation Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Castle Peak Hospital and Lai Chi Kok Hospital.

In 1967, Yaumatei Psychiatric Centre was opened. There was obviously a need for local staff, so in 1967, (the year of the beginning of the Cultural Revolution), the first three male local Chinese students were sent to Australia under Government scholarships to train as occupational therapists. One of them, K.M. Hui, is our present Superintendent Occupational Therapist and the other two are Senior Occupational Therapists in the government.

Another three male Chinese students were sent to Australia in 1968 under government scholarship to train. Meanwhile, the first senior post was created at Castle Peak Hospital – the start of a professional structure. Interestingly, Wanchai Polyclinic reopened a tiny department catering for upper limb orthopaedic patients and cerebral palsy children. This was the only department for outpatients on Hong Kong Island.

It was also during the sixties that occupational therapy was being developed in the private sub-vented sector with units in the John F. Kennedy Centre (for cerebral palsy), Duchess of Kent Children’s Orthopaedic Hospital and Haven of Hope Hospital. Same years later, Kwong Wah Hospital and Caritas Medical Centre also set up occupational therapy units. The Spastics Association of Hong Kong employed their first occupational therapist in 1974. Now they have 24 therapists in their 15 service units.

The early seventies were lean years for occupational therapists in the Medical and Health Department. Rehabilitation centres were being opened such as David Trench, Hong Kong Psychiatric Centre, Kowloon Hospital West Wing but there were no staff to man them.

In order to cope with the clinical training of occupational therapy students, three Clinical Teaching Units were set up in 1980 in three hospitals. Each Unit was run by a Clinical Unit Supervisor who supervised a group of students on clinical placement in addition to taking a clinical caseload.

The year 1981 saw the formation of the Occupational Therapy Board consisting of ten members, six of whom were occupational therapists. It is part of the Council on Professions Supplementary to Medicine, the government body solely responsible for the implementation of registration for the paramedical professions.

Another major event for occupational therapists occurred in 1981, when a new rank of Occupational Therapist II was introduced, thereby increasing the management possibilities. By July there were 38 of these new posts, 29 Occupational Therapist I posts and 12 Senior posts – indeed a very large increase in staff.

The course at the Polytechnic was recognized by WFOT, (World Federation of Occupational Therapists), backdated to 1978 when the course first commenced. This was greatly rejoiced by all concerned, because now private agencies who had been unwilling to employ therapists from overseas because of the logistics involved, were very happy to employed locally trained occupational therapists. These private sector employers included the areas of mental handicap and specials schools.

In the early eighties, the Medical and Health Department was planning a massive expansion programme with development extending to Tuen Mun and Taipo in the New Territories, and East Kowloon and Shau Kei Wan on Hong Kong Island. In order to meet this expansion of services, the Hong Kong Polytechnic increased its student intake to 60 in 1982 and 80 in 1983. Similarly, increases were made in other paramedical fields. However, owing to unforeseen circumstances, many of these hospital expansion plans were delayed, resulting in the present ironical situation of having graduates but insufficient jobs for them. This has been the situation over the past two years and it looks no different for the 1988 graduates.

Presently, there are over 250 occupational therapists working in Hong Kong’s 81 centres; 20 of these are in the New Territories, 20 on Hong Kong Island and 41 in Kowloon. As well as the many traditional areas, the fields of practice in occupational therapy include:

  • Physical disabilities – Hand therapy and treatment if orthopaedic conditions rank high in our treatment areas as there is a high incidence of industrial accidents in Hong Kong.
  • Pressure therapy and the treatment of burns have become very advanced in Hong Kong; the need arising because of the high tendency toward hypertrophic scarring in Oriental skin. Occupational therapists here design and construct pressure garments to meet specific client needs.
  • Both of the above areas are very advanced in expertise in comparison to many other parts of the world.
  • Cerebral palsy and mental handicap in special schools and training centers is a growing sphere of concern, where many have embraced the concept of conductive education.
  • Workshops for the ex-mentally ill.
  • Gerontology (in Care and Attention Homes). A detailed assessment format for the elderly has been developed in this area for local use and is presently being implemented in several units. Expansion of services for the elderly are evident, including the establishment of geriatric daycare centers and Care and Attention Homes.

Emerging fields of practice are seen in services for the aged, domiciliary occupational therapy, work in the community e.g. outreach centres for the physically and mentally handicapped, and in sheltered workshops. Occupational therapy has certainly come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1949. In Hong Kong, with its present population of 5.6 million people is still thriving and developing in all areas, including its health services. With further development, Hong Kong will be able to boast a health service comparable to other centres worldwide.

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank the following for their assistance in providing information and giving valuable comments on this article: Mr. Philip Chan, Principal Lecturer, Mrs. Kit Sinclair, Senior Lecturer, Mrs. Shelly Chow, Senior Lecturer, Mrs. Vanessa McLoughlin, Senior Lecturer, Miss Joanna James, Lecturer, Occupational Therapy Section, Hong Kong Polytechnic; Miss Marion Fang, Principal, John F. Kennedy Centre; Dr. Louis Hsu, Medical Superintendent, Duchess of Kent Children’s Orthopaedic Hospital; Mrs. Chong, Spastics Association of Hong Kong.

References
  • White, F.G.: Development of Occupational Therapy in the Medical and Health Department, Hong Kong Government. H.K.A.O.T. Newsletter, July 1981.
  • Smart, K.: An O.T. Remembers. H.K.A.O.T. Newsletter, March 1982.
  • Sinclair, K.: Development of Occupational Therapy in Hong Kong, H.K.A.O.T. Newsletter, 1985.
  • Hong Kong Government Information Service: Hong Kong 1988. Hong Kong Government Printing Department.
  • World Federation of Occupational Therapists: Assessment of the Profession Project (Draft), in press, 1988.

Pauline H.L. JENKS,
DipOT, NZROT,
Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy,
Hong Kong Polytechnic,
Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
1988

(Remarks: This article was originally published in the Journal of the Hong Kong Association of Occupational Therapists, Vol. 4, No.1, June 1988)

Executive Committee Members List (2024-2026)

Ms. Sanne Fong

Chairperson

Ms. Joyce Cheung

Vice Chairperson

Ms. Rachel Ng

Honorary Secretary

Ms. Erina Chow

Honorary Secretary

Ms. Amanda Pang

Honorary Treasurer

Ms. Nancy Shum

Membership & Public Relation Secretary

Ms. Betty Hung

Membership & Public Relation Secretary

Dr. Calvin Yip

Publication Secretary

Mr. William Wong

Publication Secretary

Dr. Alice Chan

Continuing Education Secretary

Ms. Janette Tam

Continuing Education Secretary

Ms. Joy Lau

Continuing Education Secretary

Ms. Stella Cheng

Publicity Secretary

Ms. Vera Lam

Publicity Secretary

Mr. Mikan Tsang

Publicity Secretary

Mr. Wong Shun Yiu

Web Master

Mr. Johnny Lam

Web Master

Prof. Kenneth Fong

Chief Editor, HKJOT

External Representatives List

World Federation of Occupational Therapists

Ms. Stella Cheng

Delegate

Dr. Kit Sinclair

2nd Delegate

Ms. Sanne Fong

2nd Alternative Delegate

Workability Asia and Workability International

Ms. Stella Cheng

The Hong Kong Council of Social Service

Ms. Stella Cheng

The Hong Kong Council of Social Service

Ms. Sanne Fong

The Hong Kong Council of Social Service

HK Joint Council for People with Disability

Ms. Hellen Yang

Pre-School children

Ms. Minny Tang

Blind

Ms. Sanne Fong

Physical Handicapped

Ms. Alen Lee

Intellectual Disability

Dr. Eris Ho

Mental Illness

The Federation of Medical Societies of Hong Kong

Ms. Stella Cheng

The Other Healthcare Sub-group, Steering Committee on Strategic Review on Healthcare Planning and Professional Development

Ms. Stella Cheng

Ms. Sanne Fong

Occupational Health Council

Mr. Patrick So

Ms. Sanne Fong

Hong Kong Parkinson's Disease Foundation

Ms. Clancey Josephine Clare To

Hospital Authority Staff Group Consultative Committees

Ms. Joyce Cheung

Dr. Eris Ho

Dementia Committees

Mrs. Alice Tsang

The Association of Hong Kong Health Care Professionals

Dr. Bacon Ng

OT Board Accreditation and Review Committee

Ms. Stella Cheng

OT Board Preliminary Investigation Committee

Ms. Maggie Lee

Ms. Sanne Fong

Joint Conference of Health Care Professional Organization

Dr. Bacon Ng

Ms. Stella Cheng

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The HKOTA website is managed and operated by Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association. We have made all reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of the contents of the pages of the website at the time of preparation, regularly reviews this website and where appropriate will update pages to reflect change in circumstances.

Notwithstanding all efforts made by Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association to ensure the accuracy of HKOTA website, Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association make no warranty, statement or representation, express or implied, with respect to the availability, accuracy, completeness or usefulness of the information contained in HKOTA website, and in so far as permitted by law, shall not have any legal liability or responsibility (including liability for negligence) for any loss or damage which may result, whether directly or indirectly, from the supply or use of such information on this website.

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