Registered Membership application information (For those who joined HTNZ Post 1/1/2023)

INFORMATION FOR Registered MEMBERS JOINing HTNZ after 01/01/2023

Membership Policy and Procedure stipulates the requirement of HTNZ membership. Entry Requirements: As an Associate member PLUS

Criteria 1:

• Evidence of 3600 work hours in the treatment of a variety of hand and upper limb conditions accumulated over a 3-year minimum period and within the last 5-year period. Conditions involving the elbow, forearm and hand should comprise at least 70% of the case log, the remaining the 30% of the log must involve the upper quadrant.
• 5 years of clinical experience after an Occupational therapy or Physiotherapy graduation.
• Completed an HTNZ Inc. approved Hand Therapy Tertiary Training Programme within the last five years.
• Complete an additional postgraduate Tertiary paper within the last five years. This additional paper must be relevant to hand therapy practice. Relevant papers are listed on the HTNZ website.
• Completion of an HTNZ-approved static and dynamic splinting course.
• A letter of recommendation from a New Zealand Registered Hand Therapist or Hand Surgeon.
• Documentation/evidence of regular formal hand therapy supervision. Supervision log must be supplied with the application.
• Evidence of two peer reviews by an independent New Zealand Registered Hand Therapist who does not work in the same work organisation as you or your supervisor.

OR

Criteria 2:

1. Current membership of an overseas Hand Therapy Association with equivalent entry criteria or CHT. Applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis
2. Provision of supporting evidence and CV.
3. A letter of recommendation from a New Zealand Registered Hand Therapist or Hand Surgeon.
4. Documentation/evidence of regular formal hand therapy supervision.  The supervision log must be supplied with the application
5. Evidence of two peer reviews by an independent New Zealand Registered Hand Therapist who does not work in the same work organisation as you or your supervisor.
6. Applicants will initially join as an Associate member for a minimum of six months before applying for Registration. This will enable a letter of recommendation to be written by a New Zealand Registered Hand Therapist following a period of supervision.

Criteria 2 Application for Registered Membership Certified Hand Therapist or Equivalent

Schedule of Points and log book template
If membership is confirmed between January & September, then the 2 years to accrue log book points are that calendar year and the following calendar year. If registered membership is conferred between October and December, then the 2 years to accrue points will be the following 2 calendar years.

Use of points accrued via the HTNZ Inc. Hand Therapy Training Program: points obtained from each module and the exam of the training program can be used either:
Towards maintenance points for Associate membership in that current 2-year period.
OR
Providing the Associate has enough other points to cover their Associate membership log book requirements, they can be accumulated and reassigned towards maintenance points for the first two-year period of Registered membership.

Points from training programmes must be used in their entirety for one of these 2 options (i.e. they cannot be split to be used for both options).

If an HTNZ member is not able to accrue the logbook points required for membership maintenance, they should submit a letter to the Administrator by November of their second year outlining reasons why and when they anticipate being able to complete the points. The Executive Committee will assess eligibility for extensions on a case-by-case basis.

Criteria 1 application

• Registration applications are to be submitted at least 5 working days before the Executive meeting. Executive Meetings are scheduled for the second Tuesday of each month (except January, when there is no meeting). 

  If application documents are not correctly completed or provided, then this will delay the application process.

• Post-graduate papers relevant to hand therapy