Celebrating 50 Years of Occupational Therapy in Singapore
The Singapore Association of Occupational Therapists (SAOT) commemorated its 50th anniversary in October 2025 with its first-ever Gala Dinner, attended by more than 70 occupational therapists and students. The event was graced by Guest-of-Honour Ms Jane Gamble, the first Occupational Therapy Programme Manager at Nanyang Polytechnic (1992–1995). Ms Gamble played a pivotal role in securing WFOT approval for the NYP programme and in supporting SAOT’s membership in WFOT.
To mark this milestone, SAOT launched a special 50th Anniversary commemorative video, featuring reflections from pioneers, academic leaders, and association representatives on the evolution of occupational therapy in Singapore. SAOT also extends its appreciation to WFOT President Ms Samantha Shan and Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association Chairperson Ms Stella Cheng for their congratulatory messages.
In honour of SAOT’s longstanding volunteer-led tradition, 32 volunteers with five or more years of service were recognised at the Gala Dinner. Specifically, the association would like to highlight SAOT’s longest-serving volunteer, Mr Lim Hua Beng, who has contributed an exceptional 34 years of service to the association.
National Occupational Therapy Conference (NOTC) 2025
The biennial National Occupational Therapy Conference was held in Singapore in July 2025 with close to 200 participants. SAOT invited two distinguished regional speakers from Australia, Dr Judy Ranka and Dr Christine Chapparo, who shared their expertise on the Perceive, Recall, Plan, Perform (PRPP) Assessment and cognitive rehabilitation. The conference also featured 27 oral presentations, a panel discussion on patient and caregiver empowerment, and two seminars focusing on (1) children’s participation and social inclusion through partnerships with Children’s Museum Singapore, and (2) occupational therapy in sexual rehabilitation.
Recognising Impact & Leadership: Inspiring Occupational Therapist Award and SpOTlight OT Award 2025
Continuing its tradition of honouring leadership and contribution, SAOT presented the Inspiring Occupational Therapist Award to two esteemed leaders with over 15 years of exemplary contributions: Adjunct Associate Professor Patrick Ker, Singapore General Hospital and Professor Tan Bhing Leet, Singapore Institute of Technology. You may see their details in the following link: Inspiring Occupational Therapist Awards - SAOT.
This year also marked the introduction of the SpOTlight OT Award, recognising occupational therapists with 8–14 years of practice who demonstrate innovation, leadership, research contributions, and advocacy. The inaugural recipients are: Ms Desiree Ng Si Xian, Ms Yap Li Wen and Ms Nani Adilla Zailani. You may see their details in the following link: SpOTlight OT Awards - SAOT. The awardees showcase the range of impact that OTs can contribute across the health and social care settings such as mental health, community-based older adult care, and inpatient/clinic-based settings.
SAOT looks forward to continuing its mission in advocating for the value and impact of Occupational Therapists across practice areas and client needs through the work of our practitioners and connecting our practitioners to our profession’s latest evidence-based practice through further regional and international collaborations in the years ahead.